May Fishing. 117 



Though the sand-fly generally disappears at the 

 beginning of June, in the upper reaches of the 

 river, where its development is delayed consequent 

 upon the greater altitude, the artificial lure may 

 prove very effective even as far on as the end of 

 June. Some anglers hold that these flies never 

 appear on the water unless blown there by the 

 wind, but this is a mistake. Of course wind will 

 blow them on the water, but they also find their 

 way to their own destruction with quite as much 

 certainty in its absence. I have scored some of my 

 greatest successes with this fly in a " small " clear 

 water during bright sunshine, and without a breath 

 of wind. In such circumstances, the flies will be 

 observed over the entire surface of the stream, 

 "dancing merrily to their death," and the angler 

 has only to select the most suitable streams and 

 broken water to ensure a good " take." In wind, 

 however, he will be guided by the general recom- 

 mendation already given, and devote his attention 

 to those reaches of the river where the wind blows 

 from channel to bank, as it is only in such quarters 

 that the flies can reach the water at all. 



From what has been said of the hatching-ground 

 of the sand-fly, it will readily be understood that all 

 rivers, or even all parts of the same river, are not 

 alike favourable for its development. Where the 

 bed of the stream is rough and stony it is not 



