SPRING FISHING. 175 



and in summer a north or even an east breeze 

 may be preferable. In February and the early 

 part of March it is generally of very little use to 

 fish before eleven or after two o'clock, and you 

 need not be so particular in selecting cloudy 

 weather as you must be at a more advanced 

 period ; indeed, a few gleams of sunshine are of 

 advantage at this early season, and for the double 

 reason of their hatching flies and rousing the fish. 

 On rivers which do not breed the May-fly, 

 April is decidedly the best month of the year. 

 The fish are then sufficiently vigorous to frequent 

 the swiftest stickles, chiefly haunting their sides, 

 and they are very active in pursuit of flies, which 

 appear in numerous and tempting variety. But 

 it may be necessary to explain, that in speaking 

 of swift stickles we do not refer to the mere 

 shallows, which only contain the smallest fish, to 

 capture which, as we have elsewhere endeavoured 

 to impress upon the reader, is to the true sports- 

 man completely infra dig. ; while at the same 

 time it is an unpardonable act of wanton and 

 inconsiderate destruction. The stickles to which 

 we do refer will not be mistaken by any one who 

 really wishes to understand and not to pervert 

 our meaning. The advice of the Poet of the 



