Trout Flies. 153 



tried with the nearest imitation possible, as the fish 

 were rising in all directions. No effect. I then 

 put on a small Alder ; soon got a rise, and in the 

 course of the afternoon killed *]\ brace of trout, 

 one weighing 2-^lbs. ; another, i^lbs. A friend 

 who was with me, at my suggestion, put on the 

 Alder, and got 5^ brace. 



In July and August the Governor is a capital fly 

 on most of the southern rivers ; that and the Sedge, 

 or Major fly, are first-rate on the Kennet, from-' 

 Savernake to Littlecote. I have fished all these 

 waters, and have had splendid sport with these two 

 flies in these months. At Littlecote, five brace 

 only can be taken in one day; and enough too; 

 for, if you are judicious and lucky, the ten fish 

 ought to weigh 20 Ibs. Many a time I have done 

 this. I fished the Kennet at intervals for sixteen 

 years. I know of no other river in the south where 

 the fish are so fine and so heavy ; they cut quite 

 red, and are very silvery. In the Kennet I never 

 used in those days other flies but these two, with 

 the Soldier Palmer and the Alder. 



In the Shropshire and Herefordshire rivers, the 

 Ant fly, Orl, and Dark Spinner are first-rate flies, 

 particularly in August. In the Teme, when the 

 river is too full and dirty for grayling to rise, I 

 have had grand sport with the trout with these flies. 

 The Dark Spinner is a first-rate fly in the Colne. 



