80 AN ANGLER'S YEAR 



sheltered nook beside a floating bridge, I sit down and 

 wait. The fly does not come up till five, and then not 

 freely. Before the rise has apparently begun, I see a 

 large fish going through the most extraordinary antics 

 in the eddy below the plankway ; he darts from under 

 the bridge into the eddy, twisting hither and thither 

 three or four times, and then darts back again to his 

 shelter ; close watching shows that he is larvse feeding, 

 opening his mouth and taking one at each twist. 



Just above the bridge a small fish is at work. The 

 reflection from the water does not permit of watching 

 his under- water movements, but his manoeuvres at the 

 top are clearly visible ; a little blackish point appears 

 above water, gets a little bigger, then there is a slight 

 dimple, and the black spot disappears. Once or twice 

 the dimple is not seen, and a perfect mayfly spreads 

 out its wings and flutters off. Evidently this fish is 

 following the larvae up to the surface, and taking them 

 as they hatch ; he does not look at an artificial dropped 

 before his nose. About the middle of the rise an odd 

 fish or so comes half-heartedly at the dark-winged 

 artificial ; during three-quarters-of-an-hour eleven fish 

 are risen, six are pricked, and one, foul-hooked outside 

 the jaw, is landed. Thus ends my mayfly holiday. It 

 has convinced me of one thing, viz., that the modern 

 subscription-water trout is getting to know more than 

 the fisherman. 



It is to be noticed in many fisheries that although 

 the fish show a growing disinclination to take the perfect 

 insect, when their stomachs are opened they are found 

 stuffed with hatching larvae. Indeed, if the rise be 

 carefully watched, it may be noted that underwater feed- 

 ing is the rule and not the exception, and this through- 

 out the whole period, from the first day to the last. 

 The reason of this state of affairs is obvious. On dry- 

 fly waters, of course dry-fly only is allowed ; undersized 

 fish are taken galore during the Mayfly season with 

 the floating imitation, either of Grey or Green Drake or 

 Spent Gnat. These are returned to the water upon, 

 perhaps, more than one occasion. The next year they 



