204 RIVER -ANGLING. 



These flies were the same as those I have mentioned 

 under loch-fishing, only of course suiting the size of the 

 hook to the nature and quality of the stream, whether it 

 is much whipped over, &c. If the angler pleases, he may 

 vary the mouse-body to the water-rat, which will make 

 it a little darker for a bright day ; and a bunting's is 

 the best blae-wing he can use. When the water is very 

 small, the mallard and teal-wings, for the sake of lightness, 

 I have occasionally omitted, and fished with the flies as 

 palmers. At Colt Bridge especially, the trout, from 

 being constantly harassed with anglers, require very 

 fine fishing. I have taken most of the fat heavy ones 

 either with the mouse-body and snipe, or bunting-wing, 

 or a small black palmer, hook an or No. 1 at the 

 largest. If the water should be rather swelled and dis- 

 coloured, always use the mallard-wing and red hackle 

 for the trail, and it is a good plan to clip off a piece of 

 the shank of the hook before tying the fly. You may 

 thus fish with a No. 2 as lightly as a 1, which is a great 

 point in all still waters where the trout are shy. 



To fish these deeps with success, the angler must not 

 only be able to throw a long line most delicately, but 

 also attain the art of making his fly alight within an inch 

 of any given point, in order to take advantage of the 

 rises of the trout. When the fly is dropped in the centre 

 of the ring, the instant after the trout has helled up^ it 

 is ten times more likely to rise again than if the fly 

 touched the water at ever so short a distance, even if 

 thrown as lightly as possible and clearly . seen by the 



