ON RAPID STREAMS. 127 



CHAPTER VI. 



NATURAL BAITS. 



AMONGST natural baits, I shall first select for dis- 

 cussion such as are, in their mode of usage, most 

 nearly allied to the artificial fly, which conse- 

 quently will be the natural fly, the fern web, and 

 the cow-dung beetle. Of these, the first-named, 

 viz. the natural fly, will not detain us long. 



Of natural flies, any which you can catch near 

 the rivers will be destructive to trout in the North 

 Devon streams, some more than others, but all are 

 good to the fish ; and as far as their power of 

 attraction is concerned, little can be said against 

 them. I shall presently, however, say a good deal 

 condemnatory of them. 



The time of year when these flies are most in 

 requisition is in May and the later months. I 

 don't mean to say that in March, a March brown 

 stuck on a hook will not kill trout in our streams 

 far from it ; but at that time any tyro can kill his 

 fish with the artificial bait, which, being used with 

 less trouble, is preferred. In May and the later 

 months, the rivers are apt to get low, and what 

 before was a rapid stream now becomes still water, 



