NOTES ON THE MONTHS FOR FLY-FISHING. 185 



a small opening in the bushes bordering a brook. In 

 small places, the small lady-cow (the fisherman's Marlow 

 Buzz or Coch-y-bondu) is used as a live lure in fine water. 

 These hardy little insects do not leave the hook so readily 

 as the more slender and frail flies. A capital plan of 

 using them is to fit up a fine four-yard gut collar, or 

 lash, with four of the insects, three as droppers and one 

 at the point, the former being attached to fine gut hooks 

 (No. 8 or 9 Kendal), when they may be cast as "arti- 

 ficials" when trout are shy; and when there is a scarcity 

 of ephemeral and other water order of flies this method 

 often proves extremely killing. 



CHAPTER XIV. 



NOTES ON THE MONTHS FOR FLY-FISHING.* 



FEBRUARY, f 



The angler, as a rule, commences to angle for trout 

 and grayling upon St. David's Day, the first of March, 

 when, according to the calendar, " fly-fishing begins ;" 



* This chapter is the longest and one of the most interesting in the 

 book ; the reader will note, however, that for fishing on our native 

 streams, but few, if any anglers subdivide their stock of flies into the 

 so-called killing lures for each month of the season. Dark small flies 

 for bright days, pellucid or shallow waters bright big flies for dark 

 days, deep or discolored waters appear to answer the needs of the 

 angler, and the erratic fancies of his quarry. A dozen or so of standard 

 flies of approved qualities amply " fills the bill." The question of color, 

 form, size, and number, will always be an open one, and withal a delight- 

 ful theme of discussion among the enthusiasts of the art; albeit, it 

 should be remembered that "uncle" Thad. Norris, the father of Ameri- 

 can angling, pinned his faith to a few chosen feathers ; using, of the 

 winged flies, only the Brown Hen and the Coachman, and of the hackles, 

 only a brown, a black, and a ginger. 



t It will be noted that the season for trout commences in British wa- 

 ters two months earlier than with us. 



