PRACTICAL FLY FISHING 



morning. For about an hour all was still, 

 until a shoal of Spring Blacks came upon the 

 water. Every fish seemed in pursuit of them. 

 I had three of them dressed in my book, and 

 immediately put two of them on my line, one 

 at the point, and one next me. The colour 

 was so true, and so many fish were feeding 

 within reach, that I had only to select the best 

 fish. This feed only lasted forty minutes ; and, 

 in that time, I got six pounds and a half, taking 

 two at once six times. Unfortunately, my 

 friend, who had the opposite side of the river, 

 had no Spring Blacks, and could not touch a 

 fish. I tied up my remaining fly in a piece of 

 paper, with a pebble for ballast, and threw it 

 across to him. At the first throw he hooked a 

 Trout, which took his fly from him, as he had 

 neglected to tie the knot securely. During the 

 whole of the feed, though a skilful and indus- 

 trious fisher, he only got two fish ; for so very 

 particular were the fish that day, as they some- 

 times are, but they would have nothing but 

 the Spring Black. This fly may often be seen 

 in great numbers in the cold afternoons of 

 spring, upon fresh horse-dung. 



THE MARCH BROWN. 



Dun Drake, Brown Drake, Turkey Fly. This 

 is a fine handsome insect, and is out during 

 the whole of April, and part of May. On sunny 

 mornings it springs early, and is often very 

 numerous. It is the first of the large flies 

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