CHAPTER III 



A COMPARISON OF THE MERITS OF THE WET 

 AND DRY-FLY METHODS OF FLY-FISHING 



To SAY that a person enjoys the dry-fly method of fly- 

 fishing more than the wet is entirely proper as it is the 

 right and privilege of every angler to select such method 

 as he sees fit without regard for what any other angler 

 may think or say. 



But when it comes to asserting that dry-fly fishing is 

 a greater art than wet-fly fishing it is quite another ques- 

 tion, and one that cannot be fairly determined by mere 

 opinion. 



The two methods are very different in one essential 

 at all events, the casting of the fly, yet both methods are 

 practiced to the same end, namely, that of catching trout ; 

 and to do so both methods must be applied in such a man- 

 ner as to deceive the fish. 



Therefore we start with a fact, not an opinion, that to 

 catch trout with the artificial fly the fish must first be de- 

 ceived. 



It is undoubtedly true that there are many different 

 kinds of both wet and dry-fly fishermen, and this neces- 

 sarily must be the case because all anglers cannot possibly 

 have the same knowledge, experience and skill. 



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