164 TEOUT FISHING 



it may do very well for the maggot. Here, then, 

 is the advantage it has; and in many a little 

 shallow, scarce rippling spot, with perhaps shingly 

 or sandy bottom and overhang by bushes, you 

 may get your maggot well under the bush, and 

 take a good trout from an apparently very insig- 

 nificant-looking little spot. In such places it 

 seems that the maggot itself is the attraction, but 

 certainly a large fly and gaudy hackle increase its 

 killing powers and the small imitation fly with 

 a maggot is inferior in every way to the maggot 

 attached to the large bright gaudy-hackled fancy 



fly- 

 Prom what I have said, maggot-fishing resolves 



itself into one style only, the type of which is the 

 way the gaudy fly must be used on a small rapid 

 stream, and a few words will describe the principal 

 points requiring attention. As to the maggots 

 themselves, the larger they are the better; they 

 should be bred in liver, and allowed to remain some 

 days in bran, from which they should daily be 

 taken and transferred to a clean quantity of the 

 same. If the weather be very hot, it is well to put a 

 layer of moist sand at the bottom of the bran, this 

 keeps the whole cool, and prevents the maggot 

 turning so soon to the chrysalis form, as it other- 

 wise would do. The bran makes the maggots 

 clean and tough, and improves their colour. With 

 a maggot, two flies can only be used to advantage 

 on any stream whatever ; some have urged that 

 one is enough on brooks two, in my opinion, are 

 better. The bob fly picks up a stray fish here and 



