TROUT FLY-FISHING IN AMERICA 



"Not that the angler is to rely in the SLIGHTEST DE- 

 GREE ON FEELING THE FISH; his eye, and his eye alone, 

 is his guide." 



Has it come to pass that the dry-fly angler shall not 

 only determine everything about his own method but 

 shall, as well, decide what are the usual and customary 

 methods of the wet-fly angler? 



I, for one, think not, and say . . . Mr. Dry-Fly 

 Man, you will have to call several more witnesses other 

 than those of your own ilk, even to make out a case (much 

 less get a verdict from any jury of real American sports- 

 men) to the effect that the dry-fly method of fly-fishing 

 is more scientific, more comprehensive and more skilful 

 than the wet-fly method, as applied by the best exponents 

 of the art. 



It should be borne in mind when the merits of the wet 

 and the dry-fly are being considered and the two methods 

 of fly-fishing are being compared, that the real success 

 attained by the dry-fly, both in England and America, has 

 been with the Brown Trout (Salmo-fario) and not the 

 Brook Trout (Salvelinus-fontinalis). 



The marked difference between the Brown Trout and 

 the Brook Trout in their habits and manner of feeding 

 accounts in a great measure for this fact. And it is still 

 further accounted for by the fact that Brown Trout can 

 live in water where Brook Trout cannot, and they will 

 thrive in water from ten to fifteen degrees warmer than 

 water in which the Brook Trout can barely exist. 



The Brown Trout will rise to flies on streams and lakes 



73 



