PRELIMINARY NOTES 33 



with alternate cloud and sun, a high temperature 

 and heavy recurrent showers ; (3) warmish, mild, 

 settled grey weather with S., S.W. or W. breeze, 

 and (4) a sunny, broiling summer day. At all 

 these times, pet days excluded, trout will take for 

 a longer or shorter period at some hour of the 

 day, and it is then that the watchful angler will 

 make his harvest. 



I went to a very small brook at Tuckenhay 

 (Devon) one beautiful June day, but, try all I 

 could, I had to confess failure ; not a fish would 

 budge. About 2 p.m. heavy clouds piled up, 

 and a tremendous thunderstorm with a downpour 

 of rain came on. There was no shelter to be had, 

 so I fished right through it. The effect upon the 

 trout seemed magical. Their lethargy departed, 

 and, as if galvanised to life, they took the worm so 

 greedily that when the storm subsided a heavy 

 pannier averaging quite three to the pound 

 rewarded me for daring the elements. This was, 

 of course, a mere temporary change. 



As regards the time of day in connection with 

 takes, 10 a.m. is an excellent hour to start fly- 

 fishing in spring, and trout then usually go off the 

 feed about 3 p.m., if not earlier. Moreover, 

 general rises are at that period rather capricious 

 and carpc diem is a good watchword when trout 



