DAYS STOLEN FOR SPORT 15 



cast, are sufficient for the last pool of all quite 

 near the beach. Have with you, there, in early 

 autumn a sea-trout fly or two, for sometimes these 

 fish are there at that time of the year; but not 

 always, as a flood and spring tide must co-exist at 

 the time the fish are passing or they cannot sur- 

 mount the difficulties of the high beach, through 

 which the normal river has to percolate to reach 

 the sea. 



When fishing Exmoor streams it is only by the 

 use of the finest tackle that you can hope to learn, 

 or derive pleasure from, the sport. You may make 

 a giant of a half-pound fish, and you will find he has 

 a giant's strength if your tackle is fair and pleasur- 

 able for one but half that weight. The angler who 

 has truly learnt this lesson will be as particular 

 about his tackle when going fishing as about his 

 get-up when going a-courting. 



The March Brown is the fly, with a Blue Upright 

 for dropper, but when the river is very low be content 

 with one fly and that the smallest you have. 



Come with us in fancy. Nell and I are marching 

 off together for our first full day of married life and 

 we are going a-fishing. I am carrying a basket on 

 my arm that has a broad handle to fit it for such carry- 

 ing, and it has two half covers on wicker hinges that 

 creak noisily when used. I know this because the 

 opening of one of them caused my companion to 

 turn round sharply and express surprise at my being 

 so curious. Rock cakes and a tall tin of cream was 

 all I had time to see and so I told her. I had to 

 shut the lid without further search so that there might 

 remain a chance of some surprise at lunch-time. 



Downward we travelled until quite near the sea 



