MAY-FLY FISHING. 375 
There are, however, certain special points and precautions 
necessary when fishing the May-fly. Remember that all the 
volumes of matter written to prove that May-fly fishing is an 
easy pursuit, to be followed in a diletfanti fashion, lounging 
along the river bank in full view of your fish, have no applica- 
tion to the chalk streams ; that trout feeding on it are not, to 
use the witty expression of a first-rate performer, willing to 
‘take anything, chucked anyhow ;’ that during the drake season 
fish are just as difficult to catch and as unlikely to forgive a 
mistake as at any other time of the year. The largest fish in 
the river are generally feeding, and are the special objects of 
the angler’s attention, and the larger the fish the more ex- 
perienced and shyer they are likely to be, and consequently 
more easily scared or set down. The same accuracy, the same 
delicacy, the same freedom from drag, the same careful stalking, 
the same care to keep out of sight not only the angler, but also 
his rod and line, are just as necessary then as in any other part 
of the season. 
Do not cast too frequently. Ifa fly floated accurately twice 
or thrice over a trout is not taken, either rest the fish until he 
has taken another natural fly, or, if too impatient to do so, go 
on to another, and return to him a quarter of an hour later on. 
During the rise of May-fly fish often take up their quarters in 
unexpected places ; a very favourite one is in a small run 
between a weed patch and the bank, or in the slack water 
immediately below a bank of weeds, and, especially when taking 
the spent gnat, in almost stagnant water. In fishing stagnant 
places leave the fly on the water as long as it floats, as a trout 
will frequently cruise round and round such a place, and after 
some minutes suddenly come up and take your fly. Above all, 
do not neglect small carriers or tributary streams, as the very 
largest fish are occasionally killed in them with May-fly. When 
taking the spent gnat trout generally travel more or less, and 
it is well to note the direction in which they are moving when 
they rise at the natural, and cast well above in that direction. 
Note that the very best conditioned and largest trout in a river 
