CHOICE OF FLY. 211 



Alexandras are made with a small metal spinner 

 at their head, a pattern which, under no method 

 of sportsmanlike argument, can be fairly reckoned 

 as an artificial fly. 



My own success with an Alexandra was con- 

 fined to one memorable evening fifteen years 

 ago. Having heard it said that * the fly ought 

 to be barred,' I naturally determined to obtain 

 one. It was all done in such secrecy that I 

 wrote up to Town for the samples; and kept 

 the envelope containing them as carefully as a 

 rouleau of notes, almost next to my skin. 



I laid plans not only for the day, but also 

 for the very pool and hour, arranging to sleep 

 at an inn so as to be able to stay out until ten 

 o'clock. The place was known as the Elbow 

 pool, the river making a sharp and deep turn 

 under the red cliff just there. During the 

 evening rise, although the yellow snouts popped 

 up in the broken water of the run above it, 

 I only managed to hook four, none of them 

 being over nine ounce fish. 



At 9.30 the rise ceased : so now was the 

 time for the fateful Alexandra. It had already 

 been affixed to a new two yard cast which lay 

 coiled in damp blotting paper, like a deadly 

 snake, ready for action. The pool had a steep 

 stony beach on two sides of it, while against 

 the cliff was an enormous blackberry bush 

 touching the water. 



After casting straight down stream three or 

 four times, in the manner of the ordinary 

 duffer, I was just reeling it up when it was 



