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big ones as well as small, undoubtedly feed at some 

 times either on fly, fly larvae, or other small food, and 

 when they are doing that they are to be caught with an 

 imitation of the natural insect. When, on the other 

 hand, they are feeding on sticklebacks, the salmon-fly 

 is obviously a better lure, as it is when they are not 

 visibly feeding at all, and have to be fetched up from 

 the bottom. 



The small fly, therefore, according to our experience, 

 is the thing to use when there is a rise, the big fly at 

 most other times. On some days, it may be, there will 

 not be a rise at all, for that depends on the amount of 

 fly on the water ; but even then a certain number of fish 

 may possibly be found in very shallow water, cruising 

 about with their back fins or tails showing from time 

 to time. If there is no fly about, such fish are probably 

 taking the little beetles of the water-boatman type, 

 which simply swarm all over the lake, or hunting for 

 sticklebacks ; an occasional rush and boil will show 

 when these are the quarry. Sometimes, at any rate, a 

 feeder of- this sort will take a dry fly. After a dull 

 morning, during which I had flogged away with two 

 grilse flies all along the shore, from the embankment to 

 the corner where Butcombe stream runs in, I at last 

 found a fish cruising on the shallows at the edge of the 

 river. Once, at least, he made a rush eloquent of 

 sticklebacks, but took no notice of the silver- bodied fly 

 which fell near him. However, he still continued to 

 feed. I changed the tackle, tied on a Wickham on a 

 No. 3 hook, and put it over him, or rather near him, 

 dry. He literally rushed upon it from quite two yards 

 away, and after a longish fight I got him out, a brown 



