64 TROUT FISHING 



believe was the last Mayfly honestly taken by a 

 trout that day. Between nine and ten there had 

 been a splendid show of rising fish, probably the best 

 of the season, and the only angler out so early had 

 made a fine basket. 



It is curious how little definite information there 

 is among dry-fly men as to what goes on on their 

 rivers before the dignified hours at which they think 

 proper to begin their fishing. Nine o'clock may be 

 considered the earliest imaginable time for them to 

 reach the water, ten or half-past being much more 

 usual. Of course they have been led to this not 

 by dignity alone. It depends somewhat on the time 

 of year, but as a general rule they do not expect to 

 find fish rising much before ten. What I should 

 much like to know myself is what happens in the 

 early hours of a hot July or August day, or rather 

 not of a day but of the day, for isolated occurrences 

 are not much of a guide. Are there at all commonly 

 a hatch of fly and rise of fish before, say, eight 

 o'clock? It so happens that for two summers I 

 frequently had to cross the Kcnnet a few minutes 

 before eight in order to catch a morning train. 

 And on likely mornings I always saw a fish or two 

 rising as I hurried past — ^the nature of things forbade 

 a leisurely inspection, because these early trains 

 take such a lot of catching. I had a strong wish 

 to reach the spot about 5 a.m. some fine morning 



