BEST TIME FOR FISHING. I 71 



morning ; but if much dew has fallen during the 

 night they will not take freely until the sun has 

 dried it up. There are usually two distinct takes 

 with this bait; one in the morning, from about 

 three to six, when they stop for a short time, but 

 resume again in an hour or two, and continue tak- 

 ing for four or five hours. They take again in the 

 evening, but not so readily. A bright sunny day, 

 with a breeze or a thoroughly wet one, we consider 

 most favourable. 



Trout take the May-fly most readily when it 

 has been about a week on the water ; and should 

 a small flood occur, they will take voraciously. If 

 a heavy flood occurs when the flies are all out it 

 will carry them away, and finish May-fly fishing 

 for the season. The beginning of June is generally 

 the time when this fishing is at its prime ; about 

 the middle of the month, or even sooner, the flies 

 get scarce, and the angler must, with great regret, 

 have recourse to something else. For the time it 

 lasts it is splendid sport. The trout are of large 

 size, and being in prime condition, run most vigor- 

 ously, and test to the utmost both the angler's skill 

 and tackle. There are some rivers where the flies 

 are not to be had ; and unless there are plenty of 

 stones, they are never found in great numbers ; but 

 where they are, trout take them in any size of water, 

 from Tweed to the smallest hill-burn. 



Cod-bait, maggots, and the larvae of some other 



