CHAP. vii. THE SECOND DAY. 217 



PiSC. Why, sir, I am ready to give it you, and shall have the 

 whole afternoon to do it in, if nobody come in to interrupt us ; 

 for you must know (besides the unfitness of the day) that the 

 afternoons, so early in March, signify very little for angling 

 with a fly, though with a minnow, or a worm, something might 

 (I confess) be done. 



To begin, then, where I left off, my father Walton tells us of 

 but twelve artificial flies only, to angle with at the top, and 

 gives their names ; of which some are common with us here ; 

 and I think I guess at most of them by his description, and I 

 believe they all breed and are taken in our rivers, though we do 

 not make them either of the same dubbing or fashion. And it 

 may be in the rivers about London, which I presume he has 

 most frequented, and where it is likely he has done most 

 execution, there is not much notice taken of many more, but 

 we are acquainted with several others here, though perhaps I 

 may reckon some of his by other names, too ; but if I do, I 

 shall make you amends by an addition to his catalogue. And 

 although the forenamed great master in the art of angling, for 

 so in truth he is, tells you that no man should, in honesty, catch 

 a trout in the middle of March, yet I hope he will give a man 

 leave sooner to take a grayling, which, as I told you, is in the 

 dead months in his best season , and do assure you (which I 

 remember by a very remarkable token), I did once take, upon 

 the sixth day of December, one, and only one, of the biggest 

 graylings, and the best in season, that ever I yet saw or tasted ; 

 and do usually take trouts too, and with a fly, not only before 

 the middle of this month, lAt almost every year in February, 

 unless it be a very ill sprJig indeed; and have sometimes in 

 January 5 so early as Newfyear's tide, and in frost and snow, 

 taken grayling in a warm sunshine day for an hour or two about 

 noon ; and to fish for him with a grub, it is then the best time 

 of all. 



I shall therefore begin my fly-fishing with that month, though 

 1 confess very few begin so soon, and that such as are so 

 fond of the sport as to embrace all opportunities, can rarely in 

 that month find a day fit for their purpose ; and tell you, that 



