Flies and Fly-fishing. 291 



in a few hours refuse everything, not only flies, but live 

 and dead bait as well, and this without any apparent 

 change of light, air, food, or water, is a problem the 

 solution of which I have often attempted, but always 

 in vain. 



And so it is with regard to flies. A very few varieties, 

 probably not over seven or eight at the outside, will an- 

 swer every purpose, and any increase in this respect is 

 useless lumber always provided, however, that the an- 

 gler fishes in but one locality. I know many writers 

 have expressed the same view before me, but always, as 

 far as I can recollect, without this, as it seems to me, all- 

 important proviso. It by no means follows, nor is it the 

 fact, that the flies which kill in one State will be equally 

 efficient in another. On almost every water some one fly 

 will for a time prove superior. How long this will last 

 no man can tell. It may be for years, and it may be for a 

 single season, or for but a few days, or even for a single 

 occasion only. The form and colors of this are by no 

 means invariably a copy of any natural insect then upon 

 the water. Not only may it differ from these, but it may 

 be quite unlike anything known to the most profound in 

 bug-lore ; indeed I am inclined to think the latter is far 

 more frequently the case. But conceding, for the sake 

 of argument, that trout are as discriminating as an ento- 

 mologist in reference to form and color, how can we 

 deny their utter ignorance of, or indifference to, the 

 manner in which winged insects comfort themselves 

 upon the water. Discarding for a moment the enthu- 

 siasm with which we all regard everything pertaining 

 to the art, and descending to the basis of cold fact, who 

 ever saw a real insect light upon the water, and then 

 rush across it with the energy of a broker's clerk seek- 



