110 THE BRITISH ANGLER'S LEXICON. 



green drake are generally good-sized ones, and make a 

 wicked fight, as they are in first class condition owing to the 

 great amount of luscious food they come in for at this green 

 drake season, for when this is full on, the river is covered 

 with countless myriads of the big fat fly. Green drake 

 fishing is carried on from boats in the lakes, and in 

 some broad shallow streams where a boat would not 

 float the fishing is done by cross lining. This is con- 

 sidered poaching, but as a license can be obtained 

 it should hardly be dubbed by this ignominious title ; 

 besides, no other style of angling would be of use to these 

 fish, nor could the angler put his fly over them in any 

 other manner, especially as the good fish generally stop in 

 deep places where no angler could wade to. This mode of 

 fishing is done by two anglers joining their lines, and each 

 one taking a separate bank of the river. Where the lines 

 are joined a strong gut casting line depends for about six 

 feet, with the hook at one end and a swivel in the middle, 

 and another at the junction with the reel line. The hook is 

 baited with the green drake, and a sharp look-out is kept 

 for a good-feeding fish. Whichever side of the river this 

 fish is on is called the fishing side, and the man on that side 

 angles for the fish. The man on the opposite side is merely 

 a machine for the time being, giving out line or reeling up 

 as instructed by the man who is fishing. Sometimes it is 

 one of them who fishes, and sometimes the other. The 

 trout caught this way give good play, and as they are as 

 often out of the water as in it, it requires careful watching to 

 prevent them breaking the hold with their tail, by lowering 

 the rod immediately the fish falls to the water after the 

 spring. The green drake is kept bobbing or fluttering on 

 the top of the water ; not allowed to get wet or drowned, as 



