PRACTICAL FLY-FISHER. 45 



they are found so killing at Driffield, where they may be 

 fished with success from June to October. 



One of the greatest differences arises about the 

 Stone fly, which is the May fly of the Yore and Wharfe ; 

 and it is found in such quantities on the Yore as to be 

 fished naturally the Green Drake being scarcely known. 

 It is usually fished with a rather stiff rod, with the 

 line about the length of the rod, with about a yard of 

 gut at the bottom, armed with a double hook ; two flies 

 are employed, the hooks pass through the thorax of the 

 flies, their heads pointing differently, being placed on 

 the hook what is commonly called " head to tail" It is 

 best used with a strong breeze behind you ; then by 

 raising your rod, the line floats out with the breeze, and 

 by practice may be dropped gently and very naturally on 

 the water. On the Rye, this fly is scarcely observed ; 

 the Green Drake being very abundant as at Driffield 

 and the streams of Derbyshire. 



I may here be permitted to relate an incident that 

 occurred to me some years ago, whilst fishing with the 

 Author at Tanfield Mills. I went to have a day's May 

 fly, (Stone fly) fishing in the manner I have described ; 

 and having obtained a good supply of the natural flies, 

 I turned into the river opposite the Mill to fish up 

 stream to the mill dam, which crosses the stream some 

 two hundred yards above. The morning was beautiful, 

 south wind, warm, half sunshine, half clouds. I found 

 the fish feeding greedily, and soon filled a fifteen pound 

 basket. It was almost impossible to allow the fly to fall 

 on the surface without rising or hooking a fish. All at 

 once the amusement ceased ; not a fish could be seen 

 to move. I examined my stock of flies, and found, as 



