93 



and salmon: as to perch, jacks, and eels, they' are not 

 very nice, and demand not so much perfection of imita- 

 tion. 



A great deal depends on situation, the weather, and a 

 variety of circumstances which may be either local or 

 temporary. Thus we find, that when die young fry of 

 dace, &rc. are abundant, being about the length of an 

 inch or two, the fishes of prey neglect all the artificial 

 lures offered to them j being glutted with the immense 

 quantity of food thus at their command. 



We see it the same in fly-fishing, when at particular 

 seasons, during warm, still evenings, the large fish are 

 leaping at the natural flies that come upon the waters in 

 millions. At such times, although a fish may take your 

 fly, it will be found a very difficult job to command a 

 good dish, such as may be had when a greater scarcity of 

 subsistence is prevalent. It seems also as if the fishes 

 were in a certain time glutted even with natural flies ; 

 for we see them neglect many that fall into the water 

 close by them, and which in cooler weather, or when 

 flies were less numerous, would have been taken down 

 instantly. 



Under such circumstances, the best roving certainly is 

 with worms, if those on your hook be well scoured, 

 azid, that you take the opportunity when a smart shower 

 has washed some mud inio the by-corners of the stream, 

 you may, by roving near such spots, catch many fishes 

 which are attracted thither; having, no doubt, expe- 

 rienced that such little floodings are accompanied by 

 much animal or vegetable matter, such as they delight 

 in. Thus, if your worms play \\ell, and your line be very 

 fine, and well coloured, in such waters the fish do not 



hesitate 



