142 ROD AND RIVER 



finery. Many people object to the use of wool 

 bodies for this fly. Flies so dressed certainly do 

 not look as smart, nor are they apparently as good 

 imitations as those made with quill. ' Experientia 

 docet ' ; I have myself found them kill the better 

 of the two. 



If I were restricted to the use of four flies only, 

 I should make the following selection, viz., olive 

 dun, hare's ear, red spinner, and iron blue, 

 stipulating, of course, to be allowed two or three 

 shades of the first ; and unless any special rise, 

 such as the grannom or mayfly, were on the 

 water, I think I could safely back myself to 

 kill fish with these as well as with a larger 

 selection. 



The pale olive is a very good fly in bright 

 weather, especially during the early part of the 

 day in June. 



Mayflies, duns, and spinners are nowadays 

 frequently dressed with what are called detached 

 bodies, and very beautiful and life-like such imita- 

 tions are when well made so much so that it 

 would seem impossible for a fish to refuse them. 

 Indeed, the fish rise well at them. I fear, how- 

 ever, that they are not otherwise as successful as 

 they might be, and my own experience is that 

 fish more often get pricked than hooked with 

 them. Nothing is more detrimental to a fishery 

 than to constantly prick fish, as it scares them 



