DIARY OF A WET FLY FISHER 147 



An analysis of this diary shows the Light Snipe 

 to have been the most killing fly up to the 2 5th 

 April. 



The Orange Partridge the next best up to the 

 1 5th April. 



The Water-hen, tied with the Orange Partridge, 

 but did not come into successful use until the ist 

 April. 



The Blue Hawk came next, and was successful 

 up to 8th April. 



The Light Woodcock tied with the Blue Hawk, 

 but did not come into use before 22nd April. 



The Dark Snipe and Light Starling followed; 

 the former coming into use for the first time on 

 8th April, and the latter, always a good late season 

 day and night fly, not before I2th May. 



I was surprised to see an entry, on 2gth June, 

 of trout being taken with the Blue Bottle. It shows 

 to what straits the fly fisherman had been 

 reduced for day-time fishing in the month of June, 

 and also reminds me of something that would have 

 otherwise slipped my memory early dapping, or 

 in the local dialect " Bobbing " days. 



As a lad I often sallied forth with a long, light rod, 

 and some blue bottle flies, to dap behind the trees. 

 The Blue Bottle was impaled on a small No. 14 

 hook through the skin of the back, so that his legs 



