FOUR YEARS LATER 257 



tures had taught me that attention with the net 

 should be first directed to the big one. That 

 done, the other, a half-pounder, could be coaxed 

 on to dry land without being netted. 



A feature on another day was the occurrence 

 on a shallow stretch of river of a bewildering rise 

 of trout, which were feeding as it they had been 

 hungry all their days and as if this was to be their 

 only meal for years. The fly on the water was what 

 is called the Mooi moth in its artificial form, and 

 it was out in myriads. A blue dun is not unlike 

 it in appearance. Next day came a heavy snow- 

 storm. The hatch of fly would seem to have 

 anticipated it, and to have preferred being snapped 

 up by trout to perishing miserably in the snow. 



Killing flies for the Mooi in August are the 

 butcher, Zulu, hare's ear, Hardy's favourite, brown 

 palmer, woodcock-and-hare's-ear, teal and yellow, 

 blue dun, Mooi moth, and (in the evening, or 

 on a windy day) the coachman. 1 used fine gut, 

 and the hook was generally No. 12, which is 

 excellent for rapids or busy water, but too large 

 for still water, where it is so desirable for the fly 

 to fall like a snowflake ; a splash puts down trout 

 at once. 



In August you will probably find early visits 

 to the Mooi river profitless it is too cold- 

 while the evening rise in all its magic, resembling 

 a May-fly carnival in the meadow streams of 

 England, does not come on until September and 

 later. 



Fish or no fish, it is fascinating by Mooi-side 



