THE AUTHOR'S SCALE OF HOOKS. 221 



9 midge 5 



Let me observe, that as you grow older in this 

 art, you will find that much of your success 

 depends on the size of the fly you make use of. 

 This you must, whether in search of trout or 

 salmon, vary according to the weather, the 

 general height of the river, and the nature and 

 depth of the particular spots where you throw. 

 For instance, for salmon in shallow clear water, 

 (say about six foot, and under eight), and in sun- 

 shiny weather (by which, I mean, when the sky 

 is clear, and the sun only occasionally bursting 

 from behind passing clouds) and the stream 

 moderately swift, I should use a very small fly, 

 for instance, my No, 8, and according to the 

 increase in rapidity of the same depth, I should 

 enlarge the fly to the No. 6 size. If again, the 

 weather were dull, and the sky completely clouded, 

 I should fish the same water with hooks a size 

 larger, namely, from No. 7, to No. 5. But if the 

 same depth were coloured after rain, and the sky 

 bright, I should advance still another size, 



