JUNE 91 



day finished, and we returned to the hotel with one 

 sizeable fish, while a good rise of fly had been on in the 

 immediate vicinity. 



The next morning rose fine and bright, a light breeze 

 blowing gently from the S.S.E. After the usual 

 excellent breakfast, for which the Bell Hotel is noted, 

 I walked down to the station to meet my friend, who 

 arrived, full of enthusiasm, by the first train ; and full 

 of enthusiasm he must have been, for in order to get to 

 Paddington it was necessary that he should rise about 

 five a.m. By half-past nine we were on the water, 

 needless to say before e'er a mayfly had thought of 

 putting in an appearance. The swifts and swallows 

 were, however, already hawking over the water, 

 evidently picking up some form of fly food. Putting up 

 the appropriate pattern of Mayfly, I wandered off to my 

 favourite shallow, and, lighting a cigarette, sat down to 

 await events. About 10-30 a small sprinkle of mayfly 

 began to come up, and at the tails of various trails of 

 weed one here and there saw a movement which bore a 

 suspicious likeness to trout feeding on the larvae. As 

 one sub-imago, just emerged, floated down a gentle 

 run past one of these trailers of weed, it was suddenly 

 taken, disappearing almost imperceptibly. Here was at 

 last a chance for the artificial, so, wading in so as to 

 get below the level of the bank, and in a position to 

 avoid drag, I made a false cast or two to get the 

 distance, and the fly dropped about 18ins. above the 

 place where the natural had disappeared. It slowly 

 glided down, and was at once taken a strike, a wild 

 rush, and the fly fluttered back. This was an un- 

 commonly bad start, but no matter, as the rises were 

 now seen in all directions. Every time the fly was 

 floated over a fish he rose, and in quick succession one 

 hooked, played, and returned undersized trout and large 

 dace. Here and there amongst the weed, in difficult 

 spots, one saw the water boil, although nothing was 

 seen to happen, should a hatched fly drift over the spot. 

 One fish I tried with every pattern of Mayfly in my 

 possession. Finally, I bethought myself of the Spent 



