82 The Atlantic Salmon 



large on some rivers would be considered small 

 on others. On the Shannon in Ireland I am 

 informed that 8° flies are used for the spring 

 fishing. I took three fish one morning on the 

 Restigouche with a fly I should think as large as 

 that, which was given me by an English friend. 

 The water was very high and dark after a heavy 

 rain, and the fish came for the enormous bunch 

 of feathers just as freely as they did to the No. i 

 Silver Doctor a friend was using in the pool 

 above me. 



I am quite sure that salmon will apparently 

 change their ideas as to the desirability of certain 

 flies from year to year, as a woman changes the 

 pattern of her bonnet or a man that of his cigars 

 or neckties. Many years ago I tied a rough fly 

 with claret body, heavy gold tinsel, yellow tail, 

 blue hackle, and wild turkey wings. With this 

 fly I was more successful than with any other for 

 several seasons, of course using it more, but all 

 at once it seemed to lose its attractiveness and 

 has never regained it, though I give it a trial 

 every year. Of course, if a man puts on a strange 

 fly and gets a fish with it in short order, he will 

 go on using it, and the more fish it takes the 

 stronger belief he will have of its merits, not tak- 



