MAY-FLY FISHING. 361 
never do get thoroughly well on to the fly at all. As well might 
one try to stem the rising tide as hope to convince fishermen 
that it is good policy to leave the trout alone and let them feed 
in safety for a few days on the winged insect ; and as, above 
all, it is my desire to make this chapter of practical use, I sup- 
pose it is necessary to pander to the taste of the fly fisherman, 
and try to teach him how to catch the trout while they are 
taking the nymph. 
It is not difficult to discriminate between the rise of a trout 
taking the May-fly itself on the surface of the stream, and the 
movement of one taking the nymph swimming upwards through 
the water. When feeding on the nymph the fish is dudging, 
that is, darting backwards and forwards, to the right and to the 
left, driving a heavy wave before him and making a loud floop- 
ing noise as he snatches at his prey, but very seldom taking it 
on the surface. On the other hand, when taking the subimago 
he is poised close to the surface, in midstream occasionally, but 
more generally on the edge of a run behind weeds, or in a 
favourable corner close under the bank, quietly and gently 
sucking in flies one after another as they sail smoothly down 
over his nose. 
When the fish are bulging, perhaps the best pattern of all 
to use is a hackle fly dressed as follows :— 
Hackle: A well-marked darkish feather from the breast of 
an Egyptian goose. If one is insuf- 
ficient, use two. 
Body: Pale maize-coloured floss 
silk, ribbed with a strand of peacock 
herl of a pale cinnamon colour at 
root—the pale portion of the herl at 
shoulder, and the metallic point 
showing about three turns of a dark 
rib at the tail end. A strand of white condor with blackish 
point is perhaps preferable, and certainly stronger. 
IVhisk » Three or four strands of brown mallard. 
Hook: 3 or 3 long. 
