44 ANGLING FOE GAME FISH. 



fly should be dressed on eyed hooks or on gut, is not 

 very material. Flies on eyed hooks last the longest, but 

 I am inclined to think, though I always use eyed 

 hooks myself, that the eye on the hook, when the fly is 

 drawn through the water, may cause a slight disturbance 

 in the water. 



The flies already mentioned will kill used wet, in their 

 respective seasons, but the upright wings are a decided 

 disadvantage, causing a commotion in the water if the fly is 

 drawn. In some patterns the wings can be omitted in favour 

 of extra hackles. Generally speaking, use bright flies on 

 bright days, and dark flies on dark days; on rough days 

 larger flies than on calm days; and late in the evening 

 larger flies than during the day. In 

 early spring the trout are greedy, and 

 seem to prefer a larger fly than later 

 on. Of course, if you only copy the 

 fly that is on the water, you may 

 throw these rules to the winds; but 

 when there is no fly, or you fail to 

 rise fish with your imitation, re- 

 FiG. 33. The March member what I have said. 



In those southern streams where wet- 

 fly fishing is useful, I generally begin in the spring with a 

 large March Brown* (see Fig. 33), or a Hare's-ear (see page 30). 

 The March Brown is a common fly north of the Trent, where 

 it is called the Brown Drake, and in Wales, where it goes by 

 the name of the Cob-fly ; but it is little seen in southern 

 England. However, it kills well early in the year, and what 

 more is wanted? Possibly the fish take it for the larva 

 of some fly. Dressed very small, it often kills well in the 

 summer. 



Later in the spring I use a smaller March Brown, the Hare's- 

 ear, the Red Spinner (very similar to the Red Quill Gnat, but 

 has a brownish-red silk body, ribbed with fine gold twist; a 



* Body, Hare's-ear, ribbed with gold. Legs, hackle from partridge's back. Tail, 

 two strands of same. Wing, dark mottled feather from cock pheasant's wing. For 

 the female March Brown, mix olive fur with the Hare's-ear body, and make the 

 wing lighter— a mottled woodcock feather. 



