41 



their appetites are not easily satisfied. I have taken them 

 with my artificial drake, and when killing them they have 

 thrown up a quantity of the natural fly, apparantly just 

 taken. 



I could give numerous instances of the enormous 

 appetite of the trout which would seem almost incredible. 

 Some fifteen years ago I was fishing with a friend on the 

 Windrush river, below Swinbrook, and killed some 

 excellent trout there. The May fly was just coming on. 

 One fish, weighing over three pounds, looked very much 

 gorged. On opening it with my pocket scissors, to my 

 great surprise I found twenty-six minnows and two May 

 flies, all fresh, apparently just taken ; yet he took my 

 artificial fly freely the first cast. That same day, while 

 walking along the banks of the Windrush, rod in hand, 

 looking out for a rising trout, I overtook a rustic angler, 

 who was looking very disconsolate across the stream. I 

 asked him what he was looking at. Pointing to the 

 opposite side he said : " Can you see that large trout 

 near that tuft of grass ? He is a five or six pounder. I 

 hooked him this morning with a live fly and he broke me, 

 taking my casting line and the only hook I had ; and 

 when he takes a fly I can see the cast very plainly." I 

 told him to wait, and he should have his hook and cast 

 back again, at which he laughed incredulously. I took 

 out my box of May flies, selecting a rough one, and 

 soaked the gut well in my mouth. The man was quite 

 amazed when he beheld my artificial flies, having never 

 seen anything of the kind before. I told my friend to get 

 the landing net ready, as I should soon have hold of the 



