108 TROUT FISHING 



surprising results if introduced to the Test or Itchen. 

 Some of the Yorkshire patterns, for instance, have 

 every attribute that ought to command success. 

 And in many cases the skimpy build of a wet-fly 

 seems to be an attraction. If it has no wings that 

 does not prevent its floating. Life is not long 

 enough to try any great series of experiments of 

 this kind, but so far as I have experimented I am 

 convinced that a good fly will kill trout anywhere. 

 As for the " local pattern " I have no belief in it 

 as a sort of talisman for a particular district. Given 

 a good set of typical flies, a reasonable measure of 

 skill in using them, and a knowledge of water craft, 

 an angler will always give a decent account of 

 himself anywhere. The undue exaltation of local 

 patterns is due principally to the skill of local 

 anglers who know every yard and every mood of 

 their own waters. There a stranger must always 

 be handicapped, and blame for his comparative lack 

 of success may be ascribed to his flies rather than 

 to the proper cause. 



The best test of the matter would be to take away 

 the local patterns of some skilful local angler and 

 equip him with a set of flies from some district where 

 a different convention of imitation prevails with a 

 similar result in the glorification of certain dressings. 

 Provided that he was not so conservative as to 

 despair of new-fangled ideas at the outset, I would 



