184 THE SCIENTIFIC ANGLEK. 



which is strung upon the creel strap. The remainder, 

 being flat-winged flies, may be kept in a glass bottle, the 

 cork having a small, gradually widening nick made in 

 one side, to allow the passage of one fly only when par- 

 tially drawn, as also to admit air. A fly will always 

 frequent the opening, no matter how quickly he may 

 be extracted. The size of the hook usually employed is 

 a No. 7 Kendal, with shortened shank. Sometimes two 

 flies are placed upon the hook at once, with the smaller 

 of them next the point. This is often found to answer, 

 as the hooks are more obscured and the bait more sig- 

 nificant and tempting to a large fish. Always fish over 

 the eddy of a rise, and whenever the bank of wood of 

 any description admits, keep well back from the river 

 side; even the still pools may be found productive. In 

 this case the nearest bank must be fished first, afterwards 

 the middle and opposite side, and then the open water. 

 The instant the fish rises at your fly you must strike as 

 in artificial fly fishing, and play as is usual in that branch 

 of the art. For this open dibbing, a full length of fly 

 cast is necessary, and that too of fine substance. The 

 artistic method of fly fishing with the blow-line, as re- 

 ferred to in the Notes on the Months, is much practised 

 in Scotland and Ireland, upon the lochs containing trout, 

 more especially when the May fly is up. 



Beetles of every kind form admirable baits for trout, 

 as also for chub, and other fish. These are to be had 

 "artificial," and when a maggot or wasp-grub is fixed 

 upon the hook, they are found quite as killing as the 

 "naturals." Cockchafers, cockroaches, and dockers are 

 "all deemed acceptable to the hungering fish, during the 

 season of low waters and scant food. 



When either daping or dibbing, care should be taken 

 to keep a taut and straight line, as intervening slack line 

 renders it a moral impossibility to handle the bait and- 

 strike effectually, more especially when angling through 



