The Cow Dung Fly is a good and enticing fly, it is easily procurable,
as its name intimates, on foil left by cattle: if the water is low and
clear, with a brisk wind stirring, you may use it advantageously,
because the wind usually carries great quantities of them upon the
water, which induce the fish to rise. These flies are found from May to
October; fish with them in the same way as the Flesh Fly; a No. 2 hook
is quite large enough for them. Wherever you see a fish rise, when
fishing with this or the Flesh Fly, you may count upon him as your own
four times out of six, if you only contrive to make a light and
dexterous cast, over the place where you observe the fish rise. Dapping
or Dibbing, or perhaps more properly Dipping,--this is another method
of using the natural flies, and a very killing way too; your rod for
this fishing must be of a good length, with a stiff top; your line
composed solely of good, fine, strong gut, must be about but not less
than a yard in length,--put your flies on the same sized hooks, and
after the same way as you are directed to adopt in the other method
where a longer line is used. Having stationed yourself out of sight,
behind a bush, tree or rock, let your fly drop gently on the surface of
the water, keep lifting and letting it fall so as just to cause the
slightest perceptible dimple on the water, and if there is a fish at
all hungry in your locality, you are pretty sure to have him. If a good
fish is hooked, let your winch line go, because he will struggle
furiously when he feels the hook, and the hold might give way, provided
you were too hasty and anxious to land him. In dibbing, almost any kind
of fly will answer. The day suitable for this should be warm, and the
water rather low and clear.