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and seasons into consideration, I believe there are none so good 

 as the Minnow, flies, and worms, properly used, and each in 

 its proper season. I have tried every description of bait used 

 for Trout fishing, but 1 have found none equal to these three. 



The artificial Minnow is used very much in some parts of 

 England, and considered by many to be a killing bait for Trout. 

 Indeed, I know several fishers who angle with no other bait 

 for Trout, and who are perfectly satisfied that it is the best 

 that can be used. So strongly convinced are some of them of 

 this, that I would defy the best Trout fisher in the world to 

 reason them out of their belief. Having two or three times 

 in their lives killed a dish of Trout with the artificial Minnow, 

 they think there is no other bait like it ; but as a certain writer 

 on Angling, whose reputation is likely to be ephemeral, would 

 say, this is " bosh." If these thick-headed, opinionative gentle- 

 men were fishing with the natural Minnow on those days when 

 they were angling with the artificial, they would have caught 

 three where they only caught one. Header, take my advice. 

 Never fish with the artificial Minnow if you can by any possi- 

 bility procure the natural one, 



The best months for spinning the Minnow are February 

 March, and April that is, in rivers where Trout are found 

 large, in which case they are never very numerous. Odd fish 

 may be caught with the Minnow all through the summer, but 

 these months are the best for spinning. If preservers of small 

 streams would commence Trout fishing on the first of March 

 (which I think would be nothing but right), they would find 

 that March and April are the two best months in the year for 

 spinning the Minnow, and that the fish would be in good con- 

 dition. I hope they are not afraid of the cold winds in March ; 

 if they are they cannot be true Anglers. 



May and June are the best months for fly fishing. At the 

 May drake Trout will rise boldly and quickly. I have seen 

 them leap out of the water at this fly when it was several 

 inches from the surface. As the May drake is difficult to 

 imitate, I would recommend dibbing with the natural fly. 



