348 FLY FISHING AND SPINNING 



According to the Wye Board of Conservators 3,538 salmon, 

 averaging 17 Ibs. 6 ozs. were caught with the rod on the 

 Wye during the season 1913 (while 6,408 salmon, weighing 

 83,686 Ibs. were caught in the nets during the same year). 

 The largest fish weighed 47 Ibs., the best day's take to 

 the individual rod being that of Captain de Winton, viz., 

 17 fish averaging over 18 Ibs. each and weighing in all 

 309 Ibs. Captain de Winton writes as follows : 



" Maesllwch Castle, Glasbury, Hereford. 



2ist November, 1913. 



" DEAR MR. SHAW, In answer to your letter re 

 my big day's salmon fishing on the Wye, the weight 

 of fish was 309 pounds and number 17. Although 

 I don't care about records myself, I believe from 

 what the editor of The Field wrote to me, that the 

 weight is a record for spring fishing, but not for 

 autumn fishing. In fact I know two people myself 

 who have killed a greater number of fish in the 

 day, but in each case, the weight was no comparison. 

 " I only used two flies, both tied by myself, a No. I 

 Thunder and Lightning, double hook, and a ditto 

 size No. 4. I killed twelve fish on the former size, 

 and five on the latter ; both flies none the worse, so 

 an amateur can tie flies to last sometimes. 



" In answer to your question as to the best lures 

 on the Wye, in my part of the river I say without 

 any hesitation that one will kill more fish by sticking 

 to a fly than by any other method. However, to get 

 the best out of a fly one has to know one's water 

 thoroughly and absolutely, so as to use the right size 

 of fly ; about the right size is no good. 



" As to colour, I do believe very much in the colour 

 of the body and hackle, but not in minuteness of colour. 

 " With regard to the wing, I don't care a button 

 what is in it, so long as there is very little of it. 

 We use this lure from 7/0 Dee Hooks down to No. 8 

 and No. 10 trout flies. 



