FL Y FISHING IN FRANCE. 83 



must remember to chose those little rivulets 

 that have a sufficient depth of water in them to 

 prevent the fish being taken out by the hand in 

 summer when there is little water, or by a 

 hand net. These small streams have seldom 

 a fly cast on them, because they are too narrow ; 

 they require the practised hand one who can 

 wield his hickory wand to a nicety, and drop his 

 fly just over the weeds which come up pretty 

 plentiful about May. I have begun fishing in 

 Lower Brittany in February with very fair 

 success. A nice mild day should be chosen, 

 and no attempt made to fish a stream in which 

 any snow water comes down, as this is fatal to 

 sport. 



You may flog a stream for a whole day with- 

 out a single rise when this is the case. The best 

 way of getting sport is to strap a valise on the 

 shoulders containing such change of clothes as 

 may be required, never forgetting the immaculate 

 weed, and start off on a walking tour. This is my 

 idea how to get fishing. The angler comes thus 

 on little streams he would never otherwise hear 

 of; it is, besides, a much more pleasant and in- 

 dependent mode. 



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