FLY-FISHING. 93 



soon, or suddenly, rouse a sick fish as the sight 

 of a man, or a landing net. 



With regard to the time and weather for fish- 

 ing, it is now well-known to almost every school- 

 boy. But it may be proper just to observe, 

 that however favourable the time may be to all 

 appearance, yet Trout will seldom rise well just 

 before rain, or when they have been filled by a 

 glut of files. Moreover, Trout will frequently 

 cease to rise well, even at the best of times, from 

 being every day ivhipped at by anglers from the 

 same bank. My plan, in this case, is to go to 

 the opposite side, and throw against (or rather 

 under) the wind. A friend and I once caught 

 two and twenty brace by this means, while a 

 whole tribe of professed anglers, who were fish- 

 ing from the windward side, caught (as we af- 

 terwards heard) but three fish between them." 



It may be observed, that .flies of an orange or 

 dirty yellow colour, may be used with success 

 at the clearing of rivers after they have been 

 disturbed by heavy rain ; such as the Cowdung, 

 Fern Tly, Cadis, &c. 



"Now when the first foul torrent of the brooks, 

 Swell'd with the vernal raius, is ebb'd away ; 

 And, whit'ning, down their mossy-tinctur'd stream 

 Descends the billowy foam : now is the time, 

 While yet the dark-brown water aids the guile, 

 To tempt the Trout. The well dissembled fly. 

 The rod fine tapering with elastic spring, 

 Suatch'd from the hoary steed the floating line, 

 And all thy slender wat'ry stores prepare." 



Thomson. 



