The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, and Instruction. Volume 12, No. 324, July 26, 1828Various
History
The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, and Instruction. Volume 12, No. 324, July 26, 1828
Various
Popular literature -- Great Britain -- Periodicals
_Orn._--Surely the May-fly season is not the only season for day-fishing
in this river? [the Wandle.]--_Hal._ Certainly not. There are as many
fish to be taken, perhaps, in the spring fishing; but in this deep river
they are seldom in good season till the May-fly has been on, and a
fortnight hence they will be still better than even now. In September
there may be good fish taken here; but the autumnal flies are less
plentiful in this river than the spring flies--_Phys_, Pray tell me what
are the species of fly which take in these two seasons.--_Hal_. You know
that trout spawn or deposit their ova, &c. in the end of the autumn or
beginning of winter, from the middle of November till the beginning of
January, their maturity depending upon the temperature of the season,
their quantity of food, &c. They are at least six weeks or two months
after they have spawned before they recover their flesh; and the time
when these fish are at the worst, is likewise the worst time for
fly-fishing, both on account of the cold weather, and because there are
fewer flies on the water than at any other season. Even in December and
January there are a few small gnats or water-flies on the water in the
middle of the day, in bright days, or when there is sunshine. These are
generally black, and they escape the influence of the frost by the
effects of light on their black bodies, and probably by the extreme
rapidity of the motions of their fluids, and generally of their organs.
They are found only at the surface of the water, where the temperature
must be above the freezing point. In February a few double-winged
water-flies, which swim down the stream, are usually found in the middle
of the day, such as the willow-fly; and the cow-dung-fly is sometimes
carried on the water by winds. In March there are several flies found on
most rivers. The grannam, or green-tail-fly, with a wing like a moth,
comes on generally morning and evening, from five till eight o'clock,
A.M. in mild weather, in the end of March and through April. Then there
are the blue and the brown, both ephemerae, which come on, the first in
dark days, the second in bright days; these flies, when well imitated,
are very destructive to fish. The first is a small fly, with a palish
yellow body, and slender, beautiful wings, which rest on the back as it
floats down the water. The second, called the cob in Wales, is three or
four times as large, and has brown wings, which likewise protrude from
the back, and its wings are shaded like those of a partridge, brown and
yellow brown. These three kinds of flies lay their eggs in the water,
which produce larvae that remain in the state of worms, feeding and
breathing in the water till they are prepared for their metamorphosis,
and quit the bottoms of the rivers, and the mud and stones, for the
surface, and light and air. The brown fly usually disappears before the
end of April, likewise the grannam; but of the blue dun there is a
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