132 REMARKS ON THE 
Drake” is very plentiful during its season, but upon none 
of the other Yorkshire rivers, where the “Stone Fly” takes 
its place, and also its title the “May Fly,” a fact which at 
times is apt to confound the tyro. 
The river Costa, near the little market town of Pickér- 
ing, is a winding, sluggish, chalk stream, closely resembling 
those of the southern counties, the water is clear as crystal, 
and the banks being for the most part open, the angler is 
compelled to exercise great caution in casting his fly ; here 
also the trout and grayling run heavy, and as on the Drif- 
field Beck, the “Green Drake” is a sure killer during its 
day. A club preserves this stream, but a member is allowed 
a few spare tickets for his friends ; and I have been informed 
that recently worm fishing has been permitted to weed out 
some of the overgrown grayling which persistently refused 
to rise at any fly excepting the “Green Drake.” There is 
some very fair flyfishing for trout and grayling to be had 
in Pickering Beck, and on that stream the fishing is free, 
but the fish do not attain to the size that they do upon the 
Costa. 
The Swale rises in the same mountainous district as the 
Yore, but does not rank in the same class as an angling 
stream ; in the upper portions, near Reeth, trout are plen- 
tiful, but run small; the “hush” from some lead mines 
situated near here has however tended greatly to deteriorate 
the fishing, which is not nearly so good, I understand, as it 
used to be. At the picturesque old town of Richmond 
fairly good fishing and comfortable quarters may be met 
with ; and lower down the stream, at Brompton, Catterick, 
Skipton Bridge, and Topcliffe, though there are no streams 
to gladden the heart of the flyfisher, the pike, and bottom 
fishing for roach, dace, chub, etc., is of the first order; in 
the lower waters, occasional grayling are sometimes taken, 
but above Richmond they are not to be found, most prob- 
ably owing to the impure state of the water. 
