114 Artificial- Fly Fishing. 



from that predicts his fortune for the day, he will 

 generally find that it is not during the presence of 

 great swarms of March browns that he will obtain 

 the best sport. In reality, it frequently happens 

 that not a trout will take his flies in such circum- 

 stances. His main, if not his only, chance of suc- 

 cess, lies in presenting his flies when the natural 

 insects are passing off, or have already passed off, 

 the water altogether. This I have shown to arise 

 from the fact that the imitations he offers to the 

 trout are as one in a thousand among the swarms 

 of their natural competitors, and have therefore 

 only one chance in a thousand of attracting the 

 attention of the fish ; and unless the artificial 

 closely resembles the natural, it will be outweighed 

 even in this one chance. 



May Fishing. May is unquestionably the best 

 fly-fishing month in the year. With bright sun- 

 shine and wind, if the water is "small" the 

 angler cannot fail to obtain sport. The weather is 

 then less liable to sudden changes and alternations, 

 and consequently success is more to be relied on 

 than during 



" The uncertain glory of an April day, 



Which now shows all the beauty of the sun, 



And by-and-by a cloud takes all away." 



Trout in most streams are now in fine condition, 



