FLIES FOTC APRIL. OAK-FLY. Ill 



is often as it ought to be ; wind blowing west or 

 south, with alternate sun and clouds. The tem- 

 perature is moderate. Fish are to be found in 

 the streams, and also in deepish water ; the largest 

 and the best conditioned in the latter. The pools 

 are often aptly ruffled by a genial breeze, and can 

 be fly-fished to the greatest advantage. All the 

 good flies of March will kill in April. Add to 

 them the following. 



The oak-fly, or down-looker. This fly is my 

 fancy. It is generally considered as fit chiefly for 

 the summer months, but I consider it the best 

 English trout fly for those April days which are 

 not too cold and windy. During the last fortnight 

 of April the fly-fisher should never angle without 

 this fly. It is called by some the ash-fly, cannon- 

 fly, and woodcock-fly. It is found on the trunks 

 of trees by the river side, in a state of quietude, 

 its wings lying close to its back, and its head 

 looking downwards hence one of its names. In 

 May and June this fly is also in season, and x /it 

 will kill well in deep streams, and on pools that 

 are ruffled by a strong but tepid wind. I shall 

 give divers ways of dressing it, placing my own 

 mode first, as follows : 



Body, yellow mohair, ribbed regularly with 

 dark brown silk ; legs, a honey-dun hackle wound 

 thrice under the wings, which are to lie flat and 

 shorthand be made of the wing- feather of a young 



