72 ENGLISH LAKE DISTRICT FISHERIES 



prove the best fishing months. The green drake, 

 however, often extends the season well on into 

 June. July is probably the "deadest" month, but 

 a second season commences with September, and 

 continues to the end. 



As on other lakes, a wind is essential for 

 successful fly-fishing on Windermere. " A big 

 rough fly for a big rough wind" is a truism 

 here as elsewhere ; and if the angler is fortunate 

 to have a southerly wind and a cloudy sky, he 

 can only blame his lack of skill if he does not 

 get fish. 



How true it is, however, that one never knows 

 in fishing what perfect conditions are may be 

 illustrated from the following experience. Early 

 in the season of 1898 I had started out to fish on 

 a not unlikely day. The day, however, " developed." 

 It rained, it blew, it hailed, it snowed and occasion- 

 ally it did all these at once. On this day (fishing 

 in Haweswater) I had by far the best fishing of 

 the season, viz., forty trout and two char. Upon 

 this occasion I used big flies with plenty of tinsel 

 about them. 



The best trout ground is along the shallow 

 margins of the lake, and it is here the fishing is 

 done. A boat (not too narrow) is almost invari- 

 ably used, preferably one with a fair amount of 

 stability. This is kept moving slowly, the angler 

 casting towards the shore. During the day the 

 fish mostly lie just where the bank shelves down 

 to deeper water, and the angler cannot do better 

 than follow this plan. Roughly speaking, the line 

 indicated is about forty yards from the shore. The 

 angler should always fish with the wind not 

 against it and if the boat is rowed slowly parallel 



