324 Fly-rods and Fly-tackle. 



tank was filled with Ridgewood water (Brooklyn, New 

 York), which was quite clear. Subsequently this was 

 browned with a concentrated and filtered decoction of 

 coffee, and finally milk was added to give the turbidity 

 of roily water, such as is seen upon the subsidence of 

 a stream after a freshet. 



I deduce from my experiments the following conclu- 

 sions : All leaders are visible when directly over the fish, 

 and in a degree entirely irrespective of their color. Here 

 diameter alone affects the result. This dimension always 

 appears to be much enlarged when the leader is in con- 

 tact with, or below the surface ; and if it is at all ad- 

 vantageous to conceal the connection between the fly 

 and the line, the thinnest practicable gut should be em- 

 ployed. 



Except at twilight, all leaders, when viewed obliquely 

 through clear water, are visible through a stratum of 

 two feet or less, but the color makes considerable dif- 

 ference in their obtrusiveness. 



Whether the water is shaded or not affects these re- 

 sults but slightly, and the same may be said of a gloomy 

 or lowering sky. 



The under side of the surface forms the background 

 against which the leader is viewed, and as it contrasts or 

 harmonizes with the apparent color of this, so is it more 

 or less conspicuous. On the surface the bottom is re- 

 flected, and its color modifies, in a degree diminishing 

 as the depth increases, that received from the sky. 



With clear water the following results were obtained: 

 A dark leader, irrespective of its color, should not be 

 used. The black gut was invariably the first that came 

 into sight, closely followed by dark olive - green and a 

 dark neutral tint. At any time of the day, and with 



