MA Y-FL Y FISHING. 375 



There are, however, certain special points and precautions 

 necessary when fishing the May-fly. Remember that all the 

 volumes of matter written to prove that May-fly fishing is an 

 easy pursuit, to be followed in a dilettanti fashion, lounging 

 along the river bank in full view of your fish, have no applica- 

 tion to the chalk streams ; that trout feeding on it are not, to 

 use the witty expression of a first-rate performer, willing to 

 ' take anything, chucked anyhow ; ' that during the drake season 

 fish are just as difficult to catch and as unlikely to forgive a 

 mistake as at any other time of the year. The largest fish in 

 the river are generally feeding, and are the special objects of 

 the angler's attention, and the larger the fish the more ex- 

 perienced and shyer they are likely to be, and consequently 

 more easily scared or set down. The same accuracy, the same 

 delicacy, the same freedom from drag, the same careful stalking, 

 the same care to keep out of sight not only the angler, but also 

 his rod and line, are just as necessary then as in any other part 

 of the season. 



Do not cast too frequently. If a fly floated accurately twice 

 or thrice over a trout is not taken, either rest the fish until he 

 has taken another natural fly, or, if too impatient to do so, go 

 on to another, and return to him a quarter of an hour later on. 

 During the rise of May-fly fish often take up their quarters in 

 unexpected places ; a very favourite one is in a small run 

 between a weed patch and the bank, or in the slack water 

 immediately below a bank of weeds, and, especially when taking 

 the spent gnat, in almost stagnant water. In fishing stagnant 

 places leave the fly on the water as long as it floats, as a trout 

 will frequently cruise round and round such a place, and after 

 some minutes suddenly come up and take your fly. Above all, 

 do not neglect small carriers or tributary streams, as the very 

 largest fish are occasionally killed in them with May-fly. When 

 taking the spent gnat trout generally travel more or less, and 

 it is well to note the direction in which they are moving when 

 they rise at the natural, and cast well above in that direction. 

 Note that the very best conditioned and largest trout in a river 



