LIVE FLY AND BEETLE FISHING. 183 



Notes. The method of procedure to be adopted in the 

 case of the sunken fly vanes but little from that of worm 

 fishing without a float. The fly is attached to the hook 

 between the wings, the bend of the hook to project to- 

 wards the tail, and two small shots are fixed a foot or so 

 above the hook. Thus equipped the angler carefully in- 

 troduces the lure to the notice of the fish which lurk 

 under roots or projecting banks, etc. , always endeavoring 

 to keep an eye upon the bait, as the moment to strike is 

 when the fish has closed upon it, and leisurely turns 

 away. By the moment's grace thus given, the rodster is 

 enabled to hook his quarry in the corner of the mouth, 

 which is always a desideratum in the case of large fish, 

 trout especially, their mouth being excessively hard, 

 gristly, or bony. The movements of a large trout are 

 always leisurely, and as the bait is genuine no fear need 

 be entertained as to the possibility of his rejecting it, 

 during the moment's respite given. 



SURFACE DIBBING, as the name implies, consists in 

 working in a natural way the live flies upon the top of 

 the water. In order to do this effectually, the impaled 

 fly is made to float and flutter by the action given to the 

 line, occasionally settling upon the water for a brief in- 

 terval. Just before twilight, on a summer's evening, 

 this system of angling is very deadly, and more especially 

 so on small brooks. Here the fish are then wide-awake, 

 and upon the forage for moths, minnows, and other 

 legitimate food which approaches within grabbing dis- 

 tance; and any other larger insects prevalent that maybe 

 placed before their notice are extremely likely to be ab- 

 sorbed. The large white grass moths are capital lures 

 for this purpose. The flies most in repute for daping 

 and dibbmg purposes, are the May fly, stone and cinna- 

 mon flies, the blue bottle, the alder and oak flies, as also 

 the common house fly. The first of these is usually car- 

 ried in a small basket, specially made for the purpose, 



