138 FISHING IN EDEN 



fair held on the last day of September and the first 

 day of October. After " Brough Hill " they expect 

 nothing but cold and rain, snow and wild roaring 

 winds, until March is out. 



At the first bleating of the new born lambs, the 

 spring-time of the trout fisherman's new season is 

 at hand. 



When with " Bob," I used to like to talk about 

 all these changes; of the kind of flies we knew 

 followed the disappearing snow, and the upward 

 trend of the shepherd with his hardy, black-faced 

 sheep. How the rising song of the birds was in 

 tune with the time of the rising fish. 



When the ash trees, so typical a feature of 

 the pasture lands in the Eden Valley, are still 

 bare at Whitsuntide it is said that the becks will 

 be low. 



To all country-born fishermen these nature-signs 

 vary in interest. The day-time fisherman, for 

 example, is far more interested in the early season 

 signs than the night fisherman. He loves to see the 

 wild celandine peeping out in the lanes, and to 

 smell the budding larch: for they tell him plainly 

 that the heyday of his sport is near, and that, soon, 

 the still flabby trout will be strong enough to breast 

 his 1 favourite streams. 



The night fisherman still bides his time. The 



