202 DRY-FLY FISHING 



can forget the bad times and remember the good ; 

 therefore let us fish wherever we are likely to find 

 trout fit for sport. However, there are few waters 

 in Scotland in which much sport need be expected 

 during March, if the dry-fly is the lure used. It 

 is true that a floating fly may bring up happy 

 recollections to a hungry trout and so tempt him 

 to the surface. Still, results will be poor, and the 

 condition of the river-trout will not be satisfactory. 

 To these rules there may be exceptions, but in 

 any case the dry-fly fisher had better wait another 

 month. 



There are lochs, for example, Loch Ard and 

 Loch Lubnaig, which can yield truly astonishing 

 sport in March. The trout are then in excellent 

 form and take freely. They have not yet, however, 

 acquired the habit of scanning the surface ; they 

 hover about mid-water, pursuing, whenever oppor- 

 tunity offers, the ascending larvae and nymphs. 

 Consequently it is the wet-fly that scores most 

 victories, and that only when it is well sunk. 



Those who must fish in March, and either with 

 the dry-fly or not at all, will in all probability 

 find the Rough Olive, March Brown, and the Green- 

 well Quill the deadliest patterns. They must, 

 unless an early hatch occurs, be prepared to be 

 easily satisfied, and they must not estimate the 

 efficiency of the floating fly by the response to 

 these premature efforts. 



April 



The call of the waters becomes daily more clearly 

 heard until even the most hesitant angler must 

 heed and answer. April is here, and none may 



