324 . SALMON AND TROUT. 



days when they are likely to take freely. To the first part of 

 the question it is easy to return a general answer ; subject, 

 however, to frequent exceptions, due to what seems like pure 

 caprice or ' cussedness ' on the part of the fish. As a rule, from 

 the beginning of April to the close of the season the surest 

 hours for sport are those from nine to twelve. In spring, 

 however, the fish often continue rising freely far into the after- 

 noon ; whereas in summer, unless strong wind or heavy showers 

 come to freshen them up, they mostly go off the feed between 

 one and two, coming on again after a longer or shorter interval, 

 and rising boldly from an hour before sunset to an hour after 

 as long in fact as you can see to throw. This, however, is only 

 in warm weather ; if a dry cold wind comes up late in the after- 

 noon your evening cast will disappoint you. Yet this only 

 holds good as far as the Border ; in the northern counties of 

 Scotland trout are almost invariably astir on a good ford 

 towards dusk in July and August. 



Looking far south again, I may remark that in Devonshire 

 during the spring months something may always be done 

 between 2.30 and 4 P.M. 



So much for the 'happy hours.' I have still to inquire 

 what constitutes a good fly-fishing day ; and my attempt at 

 an answer must involve a sweeping confession of ignorance. 

 Most anglers indeed will agree in praising a day of chequered 

 cloud and sunshine, with a strong yet soft breeze from the west 

 or south-west ; and there is no doubt that on such a day good 

 sport is generally attainable and the fly fisher's craft is plied 

 under the pleasantest conditions Yet on shy waters I think I 

 have made my heaviest baskets in a stiff nor'-wester with a 

 dark sky and frequent bursts of heavy rain. The fish are 

 thrown more completely off their guard and take the fly with- 

 out misgiving as a battered and half- drowned insect. Larger 

 flies, too, and stronger gut may be safely used. 



Yet this only brings us to a conclusion which might have 

 been taken for granted a priori ; viz. that roughened waters 

 and dimmer light make it more easy to deceive the fish. But 



