. THE RIVER AA. 185 



season.* The most common bait used is the minnow, 

 in trolling; but the angler must not move his line in 

 precisely the same manner he would do in fine clear- 

 bottomed rivers, but rather bob his bait up and down at 

 the end of strong streams, and by the deep sides of the 

 river. Any other method of using his tackle will assur- 

 edly subject him to its certain loss in quick time. The 

 red worm is also a good bait, perhaps the very best, in 

 this stream; and when the May -fly appears, many fine 

 fish may be caught, both with the natural May-fly, and 

 the artificial fly. We have known as many as two dozen 

 to be taken by a single rod, in the course of the day, 

 when the fish were in taking humour. 



The favourite fly for this water, with some experienced 

 hands, is a dark body with yellow wings; but the red 

 palmer of a small size, ribbed with gold-twist, and a black 

 braided fly with light wings, will be found nearly, if not 

 equally, as successful. The French anglers spin the 

 natural May-fly on this river in a very dexterous manner ; 

 but as soon as this fly is gone, their sport is over, the 

 proper mode of using the artificial fly being nearly 

 unknown amongst them. 



The river Aa runs a course of nearly forty miles from 

 its source, until it reaches St. Omer; and undoubtedly 

 passes through the most beautiful valley in the whole 

 department. To the painter, and the lover of natural 

 scenery, a ramble in May or June, along its winding 

 banks, will afford the most exquisite delight. The whole 



* Otters are numerous in the Aa; and as the mayors of 

 the villages are not sufficiently strict in their administration of 

 the admirable laws of the French fishing code, if it were not 

 one of the very best breeding rivers in the world, it could not 

 bear the constant drain upon its most prolific waters. 



