Getting Out the Fly Books 



tial difference; the gentle exercise typical 

 of angling is replaced by a more laborious 

 occupation, and the calm enjoyment by a 

 struggle. To me at least, no such strug- 

 gle has left such charming memories as 

 have some hours of trout-fishing (what 

 pictures they are!) when the capture was 

 of so little moment that only the choicest 

 fish went into the creel. The expression 

 "Salmon-fishing spoils one for everything 

 else" has often a truth beyond the speak- 

 er's intent. Any fishing which makes the 

 capture of the fish, or of any particular 

 fish, important, is so far "spoiled" as a 

 recreation. Besides, the planning and the 

 commercial details essential to securing 

 salmon-fishing go far to remove it from 

 the domain of sport to that of business. 



Here, side by side, lie the book of 

 salmon flies and a box of tiny duns and 

 spinners for dry-fly fishing. In themselves 

 they embody the contention of theories: 

 up-stream or down-stream fishing, close 

 imitation or "colorology," sunk-fly, or 

 dry-fly. Warm discussion, earnest dis- 

 putes, hot words, almost (strange accom- 

 paniments of the "gentle art"), have been 

 stirred up by them, and all needlessly. 

 The dissension is more about names than 

 facts. Under the one title of fly-fishing 



