TROUT FLY-FISHING IN AMERICA 



the fly is displayed and, in addition, the coloration of the 

 fly and its size. 



Therefore, there are four conditions that the angler 

 must consider whenever fly-fishing for trout, namely, the 

 condition of the water, the condition of the weather, the 

 color of the fly and its size, in order to select one or more 

 that can quickly be seen by the trout. 



Bearing in mind these four conditions, let us now con- 

 sider what element it is that enables trout to see any fly, 

 to a greater or less extent, under different conditions. 



If the background is dark and the object placed against 

 it is dark, little or no contrast exists, therefore the object is 

 not distinct: and this is equally true if against a light 

 background a light object is placed. Consequently, in 

 order to get a distinct outline of any object, the back- 

 ground which brings out the form of the object must be 

 of marked color contrast with the object. 



Then is not the element which brings out the form 

 and coloration of the fly the contrast between the fly and 

 the background, and is not this background the surface 

 of the water and the sky above? 



This is the fundamental principle which exists, upon 

 which must be based the selection of the color of the fly 

 which will be most clearly visible to the trout with the dif- 

 ferent kinds of backgrounds. 



As a basic proposition it can be said that to get the 

 greatest contrast between a dark object and the back- 

 ground, the background should be light; and if the object 

 is light the background should be dark. 



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