Ill 



line and thrown by a delicate hand; "but when both 

 water and weather are in such a state, it is only by 

 fishing in the morning and evening that the angler 

 can expect the fish to rise. His best time is then 

 before eight in the morning and after six in the 

 evening, from June to August. When the water, in 

 such weather, is ruffled by a fresh breeze, larger 

 hackles and flies, of the same colour, may be used. 

 When the water is clearing, after rain, a red hackle, 

 and a fly with the body of orange-coloured mohair, 

 dappled wings of a mallard or pea-fowl's feather, 

 with a reddish-brown hackle under them, are likely 

 to tempt trout, at any time of the day, from March 

 to October. The old doctrine of a different assort- 

 ment of flies for each month in the year is now 

 deservedly exploded; for it is well known to practi- 

 cal anglers, who have never read a book upon the 

 subject, and whose judgment is not biassed by 

 groundless theories, that the flies with which they 

 catch most fish in April will generally do them 

 good service during the whole season. The names 

 which are given to artificial flies are for the most 

 part arbitrary, and afford no guide, with two or three 

 exceptions, for distinguishing the fly meant. Where 

 .the materials for dressing a dozen flies are so very 

 much alike that when they are finished there is so 

 little difference in appearance that one angler will 

 give them one name, and another a different one, 

 it is absurd to pretend to affix to each an individual 

 appellation. The best mode of arranging the artificial 



