CREEPER AND STONE-FLY FISHING 89 



It has been said by a famous angler that trout 

 take stone-fly best when it is half-drowned, and 

 consequently sunk. I like, however, just to see 

 them floating deeply on the top of the water. 

 When the full wings are left on they bob like a 

 cork, and, though risen at, are easily missed. Apart 

 from the above mentioned advantage this method 

 of nipping off half the wings makes casting much 

 easier. 



If, as I believe, the trout suck in this fly, time 

 that is a fraction of a second must be allowed for 

 the suction to take place before striking. The fish 

 taken are generally big, and need careful but 

 despatchful handling. When the fly is fully " on " 

 on such rivers as the Eden and its big tributary, 

 the Eamont you may expect almost every cast to 

 produce sport. The streams do vary, however, and 

 those with fine, sandy bottoms are not very produc- 

 tive. There are two good reasons for this, the first 

 is that very few nymphs have been bred there, and 

 the second that the trout seek good feeding places 

 when this great feast is in progress. 



I have often heard it stated locally that lake trout 

 leave Ullswater and take a trip down the Eamont 

 for this particular carnival. 



There are edges of deeply running, black look- 

 ing water which cannot be waded, but which should 



