DRY-FLY ON LOUGH ARROW 179 



"DRY-FLY ON LOUGH ARROW" 



" It is with great diffidence that I comply with 

 Mr. Halford's request that I should write this article 

 on dry-fly fishing on an Irish lough. I do so mainly 

 in the hope that it will be a beginning, and that others 

 will follow on and relate their experiences on other 

 lakes." 



" My first attempt at dry-fly fishing for trout in Ire- 

 land was not a success. I could only catch peal as 

 they are called in Ireland, this being the synonym of 

 what are called grilse in Scotland and elsewhere, but 

 I never saw trout come into position and feed on fly 

 (sedges) better than those 4-lb. peal did." 



"Subsequently I went over to dap, but could not 

 take sufficient interest in that primitive method of 

 angling to keep awake over it, and although I gave 

 it a fair trial, can only look upon it as a sort of 

 "duffer's godsend," success depending entirely on the 

 skill and knowledge of your boatman and luck. But 

 the splendid trout were there, and there was no ap- 

 parent reason why they should not give good sport 

 and be interesting to fish for, even though the bag 

 should not be a record one. It is the sport, not the 

 number oi fish, one should fish for." 



"At first I encountered much ridicule and discour- 

 agement ; was told that it was useless ; that you could 

 do no good with the artificial fly ; that trout would 

 only take when there was a good breeze on, etc. etc. I 

 was then living on the shores of the lake, and had an 



