6 EASTER FLY FISHING ON THE ITCH EN 



lie, and there also lurk, and always have lurked, a 

 big pike or two under the shadow of the now leaf- 

 less oak which spreads itself partly over our house 

 and partly over the water. There the Major, sure 

 of a fine run, made a long cast, the Red Phantom 

 spun through the air, but never again will it spin 

 through the water ! Yonder it hangs, suspended 

 on the topmost branch of that old oak, and there it 

 will hang and spin for ever. 



And so home to lunch. Afterwards the Major 

 rigged up another and a smaller bait, which proved 

 no lure at all. He thought he had cleared the 

 river. I followed as a spectator for an hour or two, 

 but there is not much interest in such sport, so I 

 gave it up. No sooner had I departed than he 

 fitted up a rough old spoon-bait, and brought home 

 five large jack, so making eleven of this interesting 

 pike species out of our fancied immaculate stream. 

 If eleven could be caught in a few hours' fishing 

 with imperfect tackle, how many scores more must 

 there be lurking about in holes and corners and 

 carrier inlets. They must be looked after. This 

 finished our Saturday's work. Sunday, as I have 

 said, proved to be altogether terrible in the morn- 

 ing, but the sun came out in the afternoon, and 

 it was not unpleasant for a stroll in a still high 

 wind. 



Easter Monday. " Heigho ! for the wind and 

 the .rain!" 



No rain in the morning, nor, in fact, till about 

 four o'clock. I said the Red Phantom which had 



