130 THE TROUT 



from the pen of a first-rate and sedulous fisherman, 

 give a good indication of what may be expected when 

 dry-fly fishing on a South-country river, at least at 

 any time of year except that when the Mayfly reigns 

 supreme. 



With regard to the attractiveness of that insect, the 

 following information has been given me by Mrs. Ogden 

 Smith, who is such a skilful creator of the beautiful 

 artificial flies which so many of us use. She writes : 

 4 In the early Fifties my father fishing in the Kennet 

 at Hungerford, landed in one morning's fishing no less 

 than 7 fish, the smallest weighing 2\ Ibs., the largest 

 7 Ibs. This was with a large dubbing-bodied May- 

 fly.' 



Ye gods ! that must have been a sight, indeed ! 



I myself, when fishing the Savernake length of 

 this river, have often seen veritable monsters therein, 

 but have never caught anything there over two pounds, 

 though once I hooked an enormous fish I saw ( tail- 

 ing ' on a shallow below a mill. He towed me about 

 for some time, but finally the alder came away from 

 his mouth, and I was left lamenting. 



From what I have seen of the Kennet I am con- 

 fident that on a really killing day it should still be 

 practicable to secure a very heavy basketful. 



Turning to the Northern Midlands, the following 



