The May-Fly. 141 



the early morning if the weather be fresh and 

 warm, but not so well during a hot bright day. In 

 the upper reaches, however, where the bed of the 

 stream is gravelly and stony, the " takes " are best 

 from nine to three, when the weather is warm and 

 sunny, though a mild morning will not be entirely 

 barren ; but in no case is May- fly fishing ever suc- 

 cessful in cold weather. In the early morning 

 trout are to be found in thin ebb -water at the 

 sides and near the heads of streams, as well as in 

 the broken water ; but as the day advances, they 

 take to the deeper streams and pools. During the 

 night, too, the angler may do great execution with 

 this fly among the big fish that then frequent these 

 pools. 



Mr Stewart asserts, probably on the authority of 

 Younger, that the first heavy flood which occurs 

 after the May-flies come out carries them all away 

 for the season. This is true only should the flood 

 take place towards the close of the season. At any 

 other period of their existence, a " spate " will work 

 no such disastrous results. The morning thereafter 

 will find them as numerous and as lively as ever ; 

 and if the angler do not make an extra good "take " 

 that day with the water in such grand " ply," it will 

 not be because he could find no flies. 



Another remark of this excellent author calls 

 for some notice. He states that the virtues of the 



