122 ON TROUTING WITH THE FLY. 



are more trout in the water the summer's fishing 

 and netting not having begun yet and that the 

 trout are more concentrated in particular places. 



As regards the imitation of the March brown, 

 which is held in such high estimation amongst 

 anglers, if the water is heavy, trout will sometimes 

 take it readily, not because they see any resem- 

 blance between it and the real March brown at 

 least we never could but because it is a good 

 size of fly for the season ; any of the flies we have 

 mentioned, dressed of the same size, will be 

 equally killing. The flies used this month should 

 in general be full size ; if the waters are coloured, 

 Nos. 9 and i o will be found most effective ; but 

 if the waters are small, a size or two less will be 

 advisable. 



At this season a warm sunny day is most favour- 

 able to the angler. The birth of flies depends in a 

 great measure upon the state of the weather; and 

 when there are no natural flies on the water trout 

 never rise freely at an artificial one. An east wind 

 or a cold frosty day is a death-blow to the angler's 

 hopes, as in such there are no flies to be seen, and 

 the trout retire to deep water. In this month we 

 have frequently seen, about eleven o'clock in the 

 forenoon, a perfect shower of March browns come 

 on the water, which for half-an-hour or so ap- 

 peared almost boiling with trout leaping; and 

 then the flies went off and all was quiet again. 

 Till the flies appeared we met with no sport; 



