SEDGE AND MAYFLY, 149 



coloured thing with wings outstretched instead of 

 upright. This is also a durable fly, and is often 

 more killing than anything else in the evening. 

 Lastly, the big VVickham with which the novice 

 lias been sedge-fishing is always worth trying ; 

 indeed, I believe one might use it alone through 

 the Mayfly season and give a very good account 

 of oneself. Personally, I only oil the hackles of 

 winged Mayflies ; it seems to me that oil makes 

 the light wings heavier, and does not give them 

 "buoyancy if they touch the water, which in theory 

 they should not. 



There are not many things to be added to what 

 has already been said about dry-fly fishing in 

 general, but there are one or two. It is a mistake to 

 suppose that Mayfly fishing is necessarily easy 

 "because the trout are stimulated to hearty feeding 

 by the natural insect. On strictly preserved water 

 a man can no doubt make a sensational basket if 

 "he gets there at the right time. On other water 

 which is hard fished he will have somewhat better 

 .sport than at ordinary times if he is lucky, but not 

 much. Trout very soon get to know the difference 

 between the real fly and the artificial, and become 

 consequently difficult to deceive. On most waters, 

 however, there is generally one day of great 

 opportunities, probably the third day of the rise. 



