36 



used like a worm, is an excellent bait. Salmon flies grow smaller 

 still, during April, and salmon, in some rivers, may be induced to 

 take a minnow, or a large bunch of lob worms. The best worms 

 for trout fishing, if the water be clear, are a well-scoured brandling, 

 a gilt tail, or a lively red head; if it be thick, a small tough lob, 

 or the tail of a large one, will be better. 



MAY. Salmon flies grow small by degrees and beautifully 

 less, and grilse flies begin to take their place ; and abundance of 

 winged food gorge the trout during May, and the stone fly flutters 

 along the top of the water, during the early part of the month, to be 

 snapped up by the watchful fish ; it may be used in daping or dib- 

 bing, with the natural fly, as may also the oak fly, an excellent and 

 valuable fly, which swarms on some waters. The little yellow May 

 fly, a miniature May-fly, comes on just before the May-fly, and 

 kills well. The black gnat, (somtimes called the fisherman's curse,) 

 comes on thickly, and when the fish are taking it, they are rather 

 shy of other flies, and its diminutiveness makes it difficult to imi- 

 tate successfully. The yellow sally is now an admirable fly ; but 

 the alder fly is better than any of them, and may be daped with 

 also. The grey and green drake are too well known to need com- 

 ment, and when they come on, artificial fly fishing is at an end for 

 some time, though thousands of fish are caught by casting the 

 natural fly. During these months, a pair of wings of some light 

 colour, whipped on a hook, and two or three straw or cad baits, or 

 gentles, for a body, will do great execution, especially towards 

 evening. The minnow is still useful, and indeed will kill well all 

 through to the end of the season. 



JUNE. Salmon now require almost trout flies, but grilse 

 and sea trout may be said to have taken their place. For trout, 

 the fern fly, known to children as " soldiers and sailors," from their 

 red and blue wing cases ; the cock-y-bondu fly, or rather beetle 

 of many names ; the large mackerel ; and a variety of delicate duns, 

 with many of the last month' flies, find abundant occupation to 

 the fish. Gentles for roach and dace, with small red worms, are 

 now requisite ; of the former, those blown in liver are best. The 

 latter may be bred, by imking a heap of dead decaying leaves, 

 rotten dung, and bits of matting. Dace, whipped for with any 

 small fly tipped with a gentle or a bit of' wash leather to represent 

 it, will now give good sport, and also for the next two months, 

 particularly in the Thames. 



JULY. The gold eyed gauze wing, the red and black ant 

 flies, (capital fellows, both), the little brown bent, or wren tail, that 

 skips on to your dress ofFthe ripe grass, and away like a hay sprite, 

 now kill, if anything does ; and a curious fly, called the silver horns, 

 a black fly, with horns twice the length of its body, and ringed with 

 silver, is commended, though we never did anything with it. Of 

 baits generally, the same may be said of this month as the last, save 

 that a variety of grubs and larva come in. The cock-roach is a 



