196 DRY-FLY FISHING 



of temperature. Unless the wind is unseasonably 

 cold, fishing should be good. Many fly-fishers con- 

 sider the month of April the happiest period of the 

 year, and the largest trout got on the fly in a season 

 fall before the end of May. It would appear, there- 

 fore, that, if the East wind is not actively beneficial, 

 neither is it harmful. 



The rivers on the East coast are classed with Loch 

 Leven, and similarly declared to give of their best 

 when the pools are ruffled by an easterly breeze, 

 the reasons being, of course, those already mentioned. 

 We are also of the same opinion, but we go much 

 farther and say that for long stretches of Clyde and 

 for all its tributaries entering on the left bank, the 

 same wind will prove exceedingly good. On these 

 waters an East wind is an upstream wind, and that, 

 we think, is the sole reason why the angler finds it 

 good ; it helps him to cast fine and far off, and 

 keeps him concealed from the trout, that is, of 

 course, assuming that he does not persist in casting 

 against it. 



We know practically every corner of the Clyde 

 from Thankerton to the source, and we have had 

 great sport all over that stretch in winds from all 

 directions ; it is usually the wind that decides for us 

 which reach we select, and we are perfectly satisfied 

 that it does not matter from what quarter of the 

 compass it comes, provided that it blows against the 

 current. Many anglers, no doubt, will disagree. 

 We have heard their complaints against the East 

 wind on both Clyde and Tweed ; we could not 

 sympathise with them, for our own basket was 

 satisfactory we have never had a poor day under 

 an East wind on these rivers but we could and 



