82 AN ANGLER'S YEAR 



of the steel-barbed hook and downstream drag of the 

 experienced fly-fisher. If they should be fished for with 

 the imitation of the larvae, fished wet downstream, as 

 practised now on some waters, they are rarely landed, 

 as, being below the angler, they usually weed him in the 

 first rush, and escape while he is trying to get below 

 and pull them down towards him. Of course, on 

 many waters such a form of fishing would not be per- 

 mitted, as under no circumstances can it be called a 

 dry-fly method. The difficulty of such a method, if 

 pursued where the sport is best, namely, amongst the 

 aquatic flower gardens of our southern rivers in June, is 

 tremendous, and the game is hardly worth the candle. 



Seeing, then, that the fish which take the perfect 

 insect are caught and either killed or scared, it is small 

 wonder that the percentage of such fish should grow 

 yearly less and less, while the proportion of larvae 

 feeders should increase. The local committees, who so 

 frequently manage subscription waters, seem inclined to 

 look with favour upon such a state of matters, because 

 if fish are not taken out fresh stock need not be put in, 

 and the expense of re-stocking is avoided. This is to 

 my mind bad policy, as the first object of a fishery is 

 to provide fish, and of a trout fishery to maintain a 

 good supply of free risers. These are to be obtained 

 only by getting rid of the old stock and introducing 

 fresh blood. In order to get rid of the present non- 

 risers, the limit might with advantage be lowered, and 

 the large, non-fly-feeding fish removed with the minnow. 

 Then the river could be thoroughly re-stocked with two 

 and three-year-old fish, and given a complete rest for 

 one season. In order that the old order of things 

 should not speedily recur, either a low standard with 

 constant re stocking must be adopted, or the number of 

 rods fishing the water should be materially reduced. 

 Further, on many mayfly waters a practice prevails 

 of cutting the weed immediately before the Mayfly 

 rise. The would-be trout wiseacre says, " Weed cutting 

 does not hurt the fly, because it lives in the mud." 

 Well, who said it did ? That is not the objection, which 



