i62 THE DRY-FLY MAN'S HANDBOOK 



"DRY-FLY AT BLAGDON" 



"In setting out to offer some observations on dry-fly- 

 fishing on lakes with special reference to Blagdon, 

 I feel that I embark on a presumptuous venture, 

 because I am acutely conscious of the fact that I 

 know very little about it, at any rate, from the point 

 of view of scientific study, which is the important one. 

 It is also an unfortunate fact that, though I have been 

 to Blagdon with dry-fly intentions a good many times 

 now, I have for the most part been hampered by the 

 weather, which has usually been too rough and cold, 

 and once, last September, too hot and fine. Ordi- 

 narily, I should say, it is impossible for it to be too 

 hot and fine at Blagdon for dry-fly work, but on the 

 occasion mentioned there had been a drought lasting 

 some months, which doubtless upset things. At any 

 rate, there was then very little fly about and but few 

 fish of any consequence were to be seen rising." 



"It will be clear therefore that my impressions of 

 themselves cannot have much solid value, but putting 

 them down may be of some use if they suggest to 

 other anglers lines of further inquiry, and if a more 

 intensive study of the conditions on a lake like 

 Blagdon should be practicable for one or more of 

 them. One cannot be dogmatic from observations 

 taken at a few random visits paid when opportunity 

 allowed, and it is desirable that somebody with better 

 luck in the matter of weather or more frequent chance 

 of fishing should take the inquiry in hand." 



