158 Trout Flies. 



the trout is feeding at the time; others holding 

 directly the reverse, and asserting that no imita- 

 tion deserving the name can be made, and that 

 when the natural fly is abundant the fish will 

 respect any resemblance of it which may be 

 thrown to them. The French make their flies 

 very much from fancy, and though not such skil- 

 ful anglers as the English, are far from being un- 

 successful with flies for which no entomologist 

 could find a living original. ... In fact 

 almost every fly-fisher has a creed and system of 

 his own, though the advocates of exact imitation 

 speak with artistic contempt of all who differ from 

 them, and are in their turn ridiculed as pedantic 

 pretenders or mad with too much learning. The 

 truth, as in most vexed questions, lies between the 

 extremes." 



One word as to fishing with one or two, or 

 more flies. In our southern rivers, where there are 

 many weeds and heavy fish, I believe one fly is 

 most killing. I agree with the witty author of the 

 " Maxims and Hints": "When you are using two 

 flies you may sometimes catch a fish with one of 

 them and a weed with the other. When such a 

 liaison is once formed you will find it difficult, with 

 all your attractions, to overcome the strong attach- 

 ment of the fish to your worthless rival, the 

 weed. That your chance of hooking fish is much 



