144 Natural-Fly Fishing. 



be found abundantly on many of the rivers, lochs, 

 and burns. It is easily captured close to the river- 

 side if the day be dull and cloudy ; but in bright 

 sunshine it is tempted to try its wings and to 

 take its flight over the fields, where, of course, it 

 cannot so readily be found. To effect a capture in 

 such circumstances, the angler should use a fine 

 net stretched over a large hoop. 



Though it may not rival the May-fly as a lure, 

 the yellow fly is, as every practical angler knows, 

 a very deadly fly. The trout taken with it are 

 generally of a large size; and many a score of 20-lb. 

 baskets have fallen to my green drakes. On one 

 occasion I captured twenty-three trout, weighing 

 23 \ lb., and on the day following twelve trout, 

 weighing 14 lb. 



The flies are best carried in a wooden box, corre- 

 sponding in length with the lid of the fishing-basket, 

 to which it may be attached by means of a strap. 

 It should be furnished with a sliding lid on the 

 top, to allow one insect to come out at a time ; and 

 the sides must be perforated to admit the air. As 

 it is most desirable to keep the insects dry, some 

 provision should be made for covering the box in a 

 heavy rain. 



The usual method of fishing with the green drake 

 is familiarly known in England as dibbing or dap- 

 ing. It requires a very light rod, from 16 to 18 



