176 SPRING FISHING. 



Seasons should ever be remembered, and it is 

 given in very beautiful language : 



" If yet too young, and easily deceiv'd, 

 A worthless prey scarce bends your pliant rod, 

 Him, piteous of his youth and the short space 

 He has enjoy'd the vital light of heaven, 

 Soft disengage, and back into the stream 

 The speckled captive throw." 



The most beautiful flies on the water in April 

 are, the yellow dun and the iron blue or Scotch- 

 man ; and their imitations, if neatly dressed on 

 No. 1. Kendal hooks, and used with very fine and 

 round gut, are as good as anything that can be 

 constructed in the shape of flies. They should 

 be used from eleven till about three o'clock, 

 before and after which time, perhaps, some of the 

 other flies which we have named elsewhere may 

 be more suitable. Among them the sand fly, the 

 grannam or green-tail, the hare's flax, the spider 

 fly, the blue dun of different shades, and the 

 March brown, will furnish an ample variety. 

 The last will be found a first-rate fly in windy 

 weather from the middle of March till the middle 

 of April. The size of the hook on which it 

 should be dressed is No. 4., and it should be fished 

 with as the stretcher, with a dark blue dun, on a 



