April Fishing. 1 1 1 



the trail-fly, with March browns and blaes (starling- 

 wing and black hackle) alternating for the other 

 eight. The young angler will remember that 

 though I use nine flies on the cast, I have recom- 

 mended that he should begin with six on a corres- 

 pondingly shorter line, until practice enables him 

 to cast a gut-line of 16 feet, without a twist from 

 end to end. 



At this season warm genial days if such there 

 be \vith wind and sunshine, are the most favour- 

 able for successful sport ; but considerable execution 

 is sometimes done on a black water, if the day be 

 dull, with occasional showers. A leaden sky, how- 

 ever, with mist on the hills, a bluish appearance as 

 of smoke in the atmosphere, or heavy rain-clouds 

 looming to windward the frequent harbingers of 

 coming storm are certainly not fraught with 

 blessings for the angler. 



The weather, of course, in this month, as in 

 others, influences the development of the natural 

 flies, and so far determines when the trout will take 

 the imitation ; but there are times when the condi- 

 tions seem all that could be desired, and yet the 

 results are admittedly and wonderfully poor. On 

 such occasions, instead of attributing his non-suc- 

 cess to the whims and caprices of the giddy trout, 

 or to the loss of his own right hand's cunning, the 

 angler will most probably find the explanation 



