SPINNING AND BAIT-FISHING. 425 
I have had some specimens of the creeper and stone-fly 
sent me by the obliging assistance of Messrs. Redpath, of 
Kelso, and the annexed sketch gives a diagram of the stone- 
fly in different stages of development. Messrs. Redpath have 
also made a special study of artificial imitations of this insect, 
both in its winged and larval condition, and have forwarded me 
samples, which I must say look exceedingly tempting and life- 
like. 
Besides stone-fly fishing, the only really effective methods of 
using the natural fly are either by ‘dapping’—i.e. dropping the fly 
over bushes, &c.—or by the ‘ blow-line ;’ and the place to see blow- 
line fishing is the Westmeath lakes. Indeed, this beautiful chain 
of waters seems to be the natural Aad¢¢at of the art. Each lake in 
its turn, as the fly appears on it, becomes for a few days a centre 
to the angling community, and many a boat which, as Pat says, is 
only safe provided you do not ‘cough or snaze,’ is then dragged 
from her moorings—perhaps at the bottom of the lake—and 
pressed into service. The art of blow-line fishing, though in its 
principle exceedingly simple, demands some nicety of execution 
in practice, and, as indeed its name implies, it cannot be pursued 
at all without the assistance of that most inconstant element, the 
wind. Weather, however, proving propitious, the tackle is easily 
adjusted. A skein of floss silk, prepared for the purpose, and 
attached to the end of a light running line, is substituted, so far as 
the actual casting is concerned, for the ‘reel-line, and to this, 
instead of the ordinary fly-collar, is fastened a single small hook 
whipped on a strand of fine gut. The hook is baited with a May- 
fly, and as the boat drifts the wind carries out the floss silk, which 
ought to be so managed by the aid of hand and rod that only the 
hook and fly should actually touch the water. Many fishermen 
dispense with the floss silk arrangement, and employ merely a few 
strands of gut at the end of a light undressed running line. The 
Daddy or Hairy long-legs (brief ‘ Harry’) is also much used in 
Ireland, especially after the close of the May-fly season. The tackle 
is the same as that last described, and two ‘longlegs’ are impaled 
ona moderate-sized hook—about a No. 6 or7 (‘ New’ scale), I think 
it was that I saw used on Lough Erne. The Harry long-legs is 
much tougher than the May-fly. 
The exact time for this fishing varies a little, as the spring has 
been cold or genial; and the several lakes vary also ¢7/er se, which 
