RI VER-TROUTING. 395 



inches above the surface. The trout follow them in shoals, 

 and in the Almond I have seen half-a-dozen heads at a time 

 darting up at the busy throng above. As these flies do not 

 alight on the water even for an instant, the trout are all intent 

 on seizing them in the air ; and there being generally a dead 

 calm where these insects congregate, your cast, though thrown 

 ever so lightly, has more the effect of alarming than of entic- 

 ing the fish. It is most tantalising ; but all that can be done 

 is to take a few light casts now and then, stopping ivhenever the 

 trout cease to rise. By this cautious proceeding, you may take 

 one or two of the most greedy. When I have caught trout at 

 such times, I have observed that they as often as not took the 

 fly on the cast least resembling the insect. 



It would be treason to doubt the omnipotence of the May- 

 fly, whose reign, however, seldom begins in Scotland till June. 

 The more ignorant the angler, the more determined will he be 

 to have the imitation on his cast when the natural fly is on 

 the water. Well, let him it will kill ; but whether better, 

 either in May or June, than those I have named, let the man 

 who can deftly throw them judge for himself. I was at one 

 time as great a stickler for the May -fly as any one, but for 

 the last few years have had none upon my cast, and never 

 missed his company. I don't profess to be a theorist in my 

 fishing, but have come to the conclusion that a few judicious 

 shades from light to dark are quite sufficient when fishing 

 with small flies for yellow trout, whether or not they take 

 them for a known insect; and the least observant man, by 

 having four of the flies I have mentioned on his cast, will soon 

 find out whether light, dark, or medium is the order of the day. 



When river-fishing, I never trouble myself with more tackle 

 than three or four casts round my hat, each having a different 

 trail thus being able to fish with the fly as trail, which 

 seems for the time the favourite. If unacquainted with the 

 stream, it may be as well to have a few additional casts, with 

 the hooks of different sizes. 



