THE TROUT 73 



to see how nearly, on finishing in the evening, we were 

 to each other in point both of number and quality of 

 fish. If one had a bad day, so had the other ; and if 

 good, both participated in the success. 



In the north of England, and in Scotland, there are 

 angling matches very frequently, between two first-rate 

 fly-fishers, to decide who shall kill the greater mumber 

 of fish on a given day, both traversing the same tract of 

 water, taking the streams alternately as they come to 

 hand, and beginning and finishing at certain, points of 

 the range of waters, and at a certain hour. These 

 exploits generally attract a good deal of attention for a 

 considerable distance round the country. We have 

 ourselves witnessed four of such contests ; and on these 

 occasions the difference between the rivals never 

 exceeded eight or ten fish, out of a day's sport, yielding 

 from eight to ten dozen each ; and, in only two cases, 

 had the contending parties a single fly alike. 



In addition to these cases, we may be allowed to add, 

 that we fished one entire season for trout, with only two 

 kinds of flies — the red and black palmer, and we were 

 as successful in the whole period as any of our angling 

 competitors. 



As a matter of practical experience we know that old 

 anglers have long been of opinion that the thousand 

 varieties of artificial flies are unnecessary. They have 

 been brought into use to suit the whims of fancy anglers, 

 who try to account for their own want of skill by 

 perpetually changing their flies. In reality, three 

 different coloured spiders and three winged flies are all 

 that are absolutely necessary. 



There is a fertile source of deception as to the trout's 

 fondness for particular flies, which deserves our notice : 

 it is this, having cast our line over a stream, when we 

 draw it across, the bob-fly is the first which by the 

 mechanical process can solicit the attention of the fish. 

 When, therefore, trout are in the humour, this will, 

 in the majority of cases, appear to be the favourite 

 fly, and the angler notes down on the "tablet of his 

 memory " that such is really the case. We have often 



