124 BEST TIME FOR DIBBING. 



point through the branches, as far as requisite, 

 twirl it round reversely so as to uncoil your line 

 and to drop your natural bait gently on the water. 



You can cast or throw the natural fly, but not 

 so well as the artificial one. Use a long rather 

 stiff rod, with a long taper casting-line, long 

 enough to use without having much of your 

 winch-line out. Cast with a gentle motion of the 

 forearm, bringing round your line softly ; avoid- 

 ing anything like whipping-violence, and making 

 your bait float on to the surface of the water. 

 Where the river runs uniformly narrow, use no 

 winch, but attach your casting-line to the top 

 joint of your rod, and you will be able to throw, 

 without whipping off your bait. 



The drake season, that is, the season of the 

 May-fly, from the middle of May to the end of 

 June, is the best period for dibbing, and the 

 May-fly is the best of all baits. We insert on 

 the opposite page a cut of an angler intent on 

 this sort of sport : you see how he hides himself, 

 and how deftly he has dropped in his hook and 

 line between the branches. 



At the period just mentioned, dibbing with 

 the May-fly is quite a rage in the midland coun- 

 ties. We have then seen the Dove, and other 

 streams of Derbyshire and Staffordshire, swarm- 

 ing with the May-fly, and their banks thronged 

 with anglers of all ages and sexes, dibbing with 



