JUNE 83 



is two-fold. Firstly, the running of scythes through the 

 water scares the fish ; and secondly, the cover removed, 

 the fish will not feed freely. If lanes are cut three weeks 

 or a fortnight before, that is all that is necessary ; and 

 this can be done without greatly scaring the fish. Trout 

 are kittle cattle at the best of times, and require a good 

 deal of encouragement before they will feed on the may- 

 fly, and cutting away their cover and wounding the fish 

 themselves with scythes seems nothing more nor less 

 than absurd. Of course, weed-cutting does not always 

 depend upon the angling tenants, but no water should 

 be taken without some definite arrangement being come 

 to on the matter. 



Much damage has also been done to trout fisheries by 

 the indiscriminate flogging to which they are subjected 

 by persons learning the rudiments of the art of fly- 

 fishing. This nuisance is greatly accentuated during 

 the Mayfly season, as every public hotel or day ticket 

 water is then thronged to its utmost capacity. At this 

 time the banks are lined with would-be trout catchers, 

 armed with a fearful and wonderful array of rods and 

 tackle. The weaver's beam and the penny cane styles 

 of architecture are both in evidence; while flies, from 

 an apology for a shuttlecock to one of Mrs. Richardson's 

 straw-bodied Gems, dot the water rather more thickly than 

 the natural insect, some floating, others dragging, but the 

 majority derelict. A well-known angler, speaking of a 

 notably successful but somewhat unskilful fellow sports- 

 man, said the other day, ' Everyone knows how W ' 

 gets his fish with the mayfly ; he picks out a good fish 

 and sits over him. Whenever a natural comes over that 

 trout, he smacks down his artificial beside it and scares 

 the fish away. This he keeps up till the rise is over and 

 the fish has got so hungry that, in desperation he takes 

 ' W's ' fly. Any fool can get 'em that way." Is it any 

 wonder that the fish do not feed freely, and take to 

 preying on the larvae ? 



There is much to be said for those who, having good 

 trout water, thank Providence that this fly is not to 

 be found in their fishery ; for, although fish rise at 



