206 THE WAY OF A TROUT WITH A FLY 



I was just in time to catch a gleam of a broad brown back 

 turning downwards. For the moment I did not realize 

 that the fish had had my Sedge. When I did so it was 

 too late. That was all for about an hour. At eight o'clock 

 the wind was still strong, but, to my astonishment, a fish 

 here and there began to rise. I thought they were taking 

 pale watery duns, and I put up a small Dotterel Hackle on 

 No. oo hook, and presently hooked and lost a trout, hooked 

 and landed another, and then lost two in succession. This 

 was too large a proportion of losses, and indicated that this 

 was not the right fly, so another had to be looked for. 

 A few minutes' watching convinced me that, despite the 

 wind, now abating a little but still brisk, blue-winged olives 

 were coming up and, what is more, were being taken. 

 Obviously the Orange Quill was indicated. I offered it to 

 four rising fish in succession without the faintest result. 

 I tried one more in vain. Then I tied on a fly which I 

 consider the best imitation of the blue-winged olive to 

 look at that I know, oiled it, and presented it to the nearest 

 banker. The result was so prompt and surprising that 

 he kept the fly. I tied on another and a new point, and 

 promptly established connection with two pound-and-a- 

 halfers in succession. They were the biggest fish I got that 

 evening, and I had another two brace all on the same fly. 

 At intervals, as the light went, I offered the Orange Quill, 

 but in vain, and I had to return to the successful pattern. 

 When I left off at 10.15 p.m. by the clock the wind was 

 still blowing briskly, but I had witnessed one of the longest 

 rises of blue-winged olives I had ever seen, and the fish 

 taking them well all the time. If only I had been able to 

 fish with the precision which is possible on a still evening 

 I ought to have done much better. Still, three and a half 

 brace is not a bad evening's sport. 



Next day I began by exploring some ditches in search of 



