150 SY HOOK AND BY CROOK. 



these stages, the former of which should naturally be 

 fished " sunk/' while the two latter must be cast 

 ''dry/' 



Allusion has been made at the commencement of 

 these notes to the small attention paid by trout to the 

 drake during the first day or two of his appearance 

 on the surface. This may be accounted for by the 

 fact of the fly being so much larger than those pre- 

 ceding it, which they are accustomed to regard as food ; 

 but may it not be that, while apparently apathetic, they 

 are in reality busy feeding on the yet imperfect insects 

 under water, which now and again draw their pursuers 

 to the surface and unfold the secret of their mysterious 

 change of dress ? 



A bird in the hand is generally said to be worth two 

 in the bush ; but we are inclined to think that a trout, 

 especially if he chanced to be a gourmet, would prefer 

 a drake in the air to two grubs below water. 



The sunken fly, no doubt, is a very killing bait at the 

 commencement of the rise ; and in this district many 

 will even continue with it all through. But when the 

 rise is general we have always done more execution with 

 the floating pattern, and it certainly can claim to be a 

 prettier and more interesting style of fishing. 



The angler had better provide himself before leaving 

 home with patterns of the sunken fly, green drake, and 

 grey drake (which imitates the imago or spent fly) ; 

 also with a few red spinners of largish size, dressed with 

 rib of fine gold tinsel, which will be found a capital 



