DERBYSHIRE PLIES. 59 



tlon, for use in North Devon. They are very good in the 

 spring in heavy water, but not so good in the more quiet 

 portions of the stream. Indeed, the angler who uses the 

 local patterns will have the best sport in rather rapid water. 

 In the more tranquil portion of the river he will catch few 

 fish unless he uses smaller flies, more approaching the natural 

 insect in appearance. 



Devonshire and Yorkshire flies kill well in Ireland, where 

 the ordinary South-country patterns may also be used with 

 advantage. Flies with orange or yellow silk bodies, and 

 partridge or grouse hackles, kill on any rapid stream that I 

 have ever fished, and Red Palmers and Red Spinners (the latter 

 dressed with and without wings)* are good everywhere. 



In Wales, there are various local flies, which I do not 

 propose to enumerate, as the flies already mentioned will kill 

 quite as well there as anything else. 



In Derbyshire, peculiar flies, called "Bumbles," are much used. 

 The one shown in Fig. 42 was tied by Foster, of Ashbourne. 

 Those tied with honey-dun hackles (see Orange Bumble, 

 Chap. VII.) are great favourites, and I have found a Furnace 

 Bumble,t with a hackle shorter near the tail 

 of the fly than at the head, kill splendidly 

 on the Dart and many other streams. Bumbles 

 can be fished wet or dry. On Derbyshire 

 streams dry-fly fishing is coming much into 

 vogue, and with success, small Duns being 

 much used. Many of the Hampshire patterns 

 have been adopted by the Derbyshire anglers, ^shibe Bumble!'^" 

 and anyone who is provided with a few of the 

 best North-country and Hampshire patterns, together with 

 some Bumbles, will have everything that is needful in the way 

 of flies for Derbyshire. 



* When making an imitation of a fly with upright wings for wet-fly fishing, it is 

 usual to merely surround the head of the fly with hackle which represents, or is 

 supposed to represent, both legs and wings. A far better plan is to imitate the 

 wings with two tiny hackle-tips. This principle is carried out in my wet May-fly 

 illustrated on page 40. 



t Hackle, furnace or coch-y-bondu (centre and extreme points black, and 

 remainder of hackle blood-red). Body, orange floss silk, ribbed with a strand of 

 peacock sword-feather, and with fine flat gold. 



