32 BROOK AND RIVER TROUTING 



characters for the most part and many of them cobblers 

 by trade — it is often a mistake to rely entirely upon 

 them ; for, if a man's ambition be to get out of the 

 rut and to kill fish under difficult conditions, he must 

 think for himself. 



The " local man " often has a strong partiality for 

 certain patterns of flies, no matter what the conditions. 

 Only recently the writers came across a most glaring 

 example of this particular tendency, which is perhaps 

 worth mentioning in order to illustrate their point. 

 Arriving at the river one September afternoon, they 

 noticed on the opposite bank the local professional, 

 who is held in very high esteem as a fisherman. He 

 certainly casts as neat a line as the writers have ever 

 seen thrown. In answer to their enquiry, ** What 

 sport ?", they received the reply, " A few," and were 

 more than a little astonished to learn that he was 

 using flies which, in their opinion, were more suitable 

 for the end of July. It is always a pleasure to see this 

 man cast, so they sat down and watched him. Time 

 after time he put his flies in the most beautiful manner 

 over rising fish, but without result, although the water 

 was coloured and the fish continued to rise steadily. 

 Soon one showed within casting distance of the bank on 

 which the writers were seated, so a fly was immediately 

 put over him and was accepted at the first offer. 

 Earlier that day there had been a large hatch of Dark 

 Needles, and it was an imitation of that insect which 



