18 WET OR SUNK FLY-FISHING. 



SEASON OF THE YEAR. 



April The fly-fishing season begins at a date 

 varying, with the weather and the country through 

 which the streams flow, from the beginning to the 

 end of April. During this month the trout, in 

 almost every river of any size, are gradually get- 

 ting into condition. Each mild day quantities of 

 March browns and other flies are hatched and 

 greedily fed upon ; and during the latter half of 

 April, when the weather is favourable, large 

 baskets are often caught. Early in the month 

 the trout lie for the most part in the deepish and 

 comparatively gentle currents, and only come to 

 the surface when the flies are floating down in 

 considerable numbers. In the afternoon, how- 

 ever, they generally haunt the shallow water at 

 the foot of pools, where they seem to feed on 

 larvae or imperfectly hatched insects. At this 

 time generally from three to five o'clock they 

 can often, especially after a cold day, be captured, 

 if the surface of the stream be rippled, by allow- 

 ing the flies to sink more than usual. The time 

 of the take, however, when the largest and best 

 trout are to be looked for, is earlier, at a time vary- 

 ing with the appearance of the flies, from eleven 

 to two o'clock. When the trout are seen rising 

 in numbers there is most prospect of success by 

 casting up stream and keeping the flies near the 



