RAIN, HAIL, AND SLEET 127 



warm, rainy weather is bad for fishing, 

 whereas cold, rough, rainy weather means 

 a good day's sport on the Mawddach. It 

 cannot be too rough. . . . There is no 

 doubt that the rapid fall of water in our 

 Welsh streams after a spate, brought 

 about by the extensive drainage of the 

 watersheds, influences to a great extent 

 the habits of our Salmonidce. This rapid 

 fall in the height of the water causes fish 

 to settle down at the bottom of the pools, 

 and under rocks in deep water, much 

 sooner than formerly. This fact may be 

 one of the reasons why salmon often take 

 a fly much more eagerly when at the tail 

 of a pool than when the river has fallen 

 and the fish have ascended into the 

 deeper and rockier parts of the pools." 



With regard to the best conditions for On the rivers 

 salmon fishing in the rivers of the Pro- ofLeinster - 

 vince of Leinster, Colonel St. Leger 

 Moore writes as follows : 



" The best weather conditions for catch- 

 ing fish in the rivers here are when the 

 wind is south or west and rain begins to 



