54 LIST OF FLIES. 



the heads contrary way; thrown lightly on the water and 

 left to the motion of the current. On fine calm hatching 

 days artificials have little or no chance, but may succeed on 

 breezy days and stirring waters. 



On a sunny afternoon early in June, I was sitting by the 

 side of the millrace just below Bishopton mill, enjoying a 

 light luncheon. To please my children, who had brought 

 it, I told them to catch me one of those flies, and I would 

 catch them a trout for the green drakes were hatching 

 freely, and alighting on the grass around us. My rod was 

 at hand, I put on a fly and dropped it on the dark water, 

 amidst the silvery foam flakes which marked the main track 

 of the current. It had scarce sailed a yard when it was 

 chucked down, and I hove out a trout ; in a few minutes 

 and in a few yards space I took out four, from half a pound 

 to a pound each. My time being spent, and wanting no 

 more, I was winding up, when an old craftsman (who had 

 toiled through a fishless day) dropped upon us, and seeing 

 the four trout alive and jumping in his path, stood amazed, 

 and asked what I had taken them with, I answered, the 

 green drake, but did not add the important point, it was 

 alive. Next afternoon (which was sunny and the drakes 

 hatching) I saw the old craftsman, the late Miles Shepherd, 

 whipping up the mill-race with his usual small fly dexterity, 

 and met him on the spot I had killed the four : " What 



sport, Mr. Shepherd." " Sport, M 1, why no sport at 



all ; I went to Jackey Stubbs, and he dressed me a green 

 drake, and they wont touch it I reckon ' nowt' of your 

 green drakes ; " and making no stop, away walked the dis- 

 appointed angler ; and, I believe, never troubled the fishery 

 more with* the green drake. 



John Stubbs's imitations were bad to equal ; and Miles 

 Shepherd was the most successful small flyfisher in all the 

 neighbourhood. In April and May he frequently brought 

 home, from the Laver, his pannier full of trout, some a 



