80 FLY FISHING AND SPINNING 



to change the fly for one of a totally different colour, shape 

 and size, but I think it should be one which is generally 

 on the water or taken at that particular season of the year. 

 Nothing can be more illustrative of this than the usefulness 

 of the Alder or the Welshman's Button during the May fly 

 season. 



THE RISE 



Trout rise to the fly at all hours and during all weathers. 

 In the early moments of dawn, during the hottest hour of an 

 autumn day, as the sun sinks, as darkness descends, and 

 during the stilly hours of a midsummer night, distinct and 

 noticeable rises of trout may be witnessed. If, however, I 

 had to select any four hours on any day during the season 

 in which to fish, I think I should choose the hours between 

 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. 



The causes which lead to the rise that mysterious 

 impulse which suddenly quickens the trout world into the 

 activity of feeding time have, so far as I am aware, never 

 been satisfactorily explained ; it is, therefore, with some 

 diffidence that I advance a theory which I have held for 

 some time as to this important problem. 



I consider that one common cause of the rise is the sudden 

 impulse of the pupae of the Ephemeridae to ascend to the 

 surface and take wing. 



Fishing one day with a Grannom on one of the stretches 

 of the Axe, in Devonshire, I had by noon creeled several 

 trout, when a furious rise of the fish commenced in my 

 neighbourhood. 



To my surprise, neither the rising trout nor the dace would 

 look at the Grannom, and after many fruitless casts I decided 

 to change my fly. This I did several times, but with no 

 success, until at last I noticed a fly on the water. 



By the aid of my small butterfly-net I captured the fly, 



