THE COMMON BROWN TROUT. 261 



cockchafer, which thus goes down the stream with wings expanded, 

 owing to the tension of the line between it and the rod, and the pressure 

 of the stream on the reverse of its wings. A cockroach treated in the 

 same way is a splendid, and, in my experience, an infallible bait, bnt it is 

 very tender, and requires frequent changes. 



Dipping or dopping is also, in thickly-wooded districts, exceedingly 

 efficacious, but requires great patience. Get a small triangle and tie it 

 on to the finest gut, using generally about 2ft. of gut. This being done, 

 with a good supply of flies, proceed to your selected place with the 

 greatest caution on your knees. Pass the rod and line through the 

 bushes, and gently lower the bait to the top of the water, raising and 

 lowering it with a tremulous movement. Now the greatest care must be 

 taken when the fish is hooked in having your line all free, so that you 

 may let go your little finger in a moment, or you are undone. There is 

 no occasion to strike your fish ; and remember that not any part of the 

 gut touches the water, but your fly only ; and when you see the fish 

 coming towards you, keep your fly still. To be truly successful it is well 

 to make a mental note of every hole containing a good fish, so that when 

 you commence fishing there may be no loss of time in selecting a spot. 



Many a goodly fish have I captured with the common bluebottle. 

 Let me, dear reader, step down from the stage of personal experience 

 and watch my oft-used supposititious angler make use of it. It will be a 

 relief to me to drop the everlasting ego so pregnant of assertion in 

 angling books. 



Down in yonder glade, through banks of verdure and thick under- 

 growth, beneath the woven Gothic arches of the trees, runs a swift brook 

 with a refreshing sound, over white shingles, and round and about dainty 

 nooks, containing the meditative and sluggish trout. Through the spaces 

 of the branches the hot sunbeams fall glistening. Everything is still 

 not a breath disturbs the surface of the water. Our angler approaches 

 closely, but cautiously, and parts, with slow haste, the thick alder 

 branches, and gazes on the stream below. Immediately aroused, even 

 by the reverberation of his quiet step, out rushes the agile graceful form 

 of a trout. Swift as a lightning flash he darts across into the recess 

 beyond. By the lashing of his powerful tail the glories of his incarna- 

 dined sides are revealed. The bluebottle aforesaid is destined to capture 

 him, and in this wise. Taking up his position amid the umbrageous 

 branches, out of sight of the water, if possible, our angler draws from 

 its case a short stiff rod of bamboo, and a noiseless Nottingham reel, 

 covered with stout undressed silk line of great strength. These are put 

 together, and a fine gut bottom is attached to the line, and connected 

 with this is a medium-sized well-tempered hook. Just above this is a 



