MAY-FLY OR GREEN DRAKE, 131 



its course, in the Hampshire, Dorsetshire, and 

 Devonshire waters, where we have been for many 

 years in the habit of using it, in our opinion there 

 is no fly at all to equal it." 



If moth-flies are properly used, they will take 

 the largest fish. A young angler should use 

 but one at a time on his casting-line, which 

 should be of stout gut, not longer than two yards. 

 He should keep his fly on the surface of the water, 

 and must judge of a rise more by hearing and 

 feeling, than by sight. He must strike promptly, 

 and play his fish with a tight hand. 



The May -fly, or green drake. This famous 

 fly is the opprobium of fly-makers. Try how 

 they will, they cannot in my opinion imitate 

 it well. The wings are their greatest foil. In 

 making the body they succeed tolerably welL 

 Still the best imitation is defective, and except 

 upon rare occasions the artificial May-fly is not a 

 deadly bait. The natural fly used in dibbing far 

 surpasses it. However, the imitation, faulty as 

 it is, will kill when the natural fly is scarce on the 

 water, as in cold, dark, windy days. The artificial 

 fly kills in currents and pools that are moved to 

 small waves and billows by a bluff west or south 

 wind. 



The general feather used for the wings of this 

 fly is a dappled one found by the sides under the 

 wings of the mallard, and dyed a pale green- 

 El 2 



