SALMON FLIES 7 



evening, but we have seen a large " Gordon " 

 do better on many occasions, and this fly in its 

 general colour effect is dark. It has often 

 occurred to the author, that it is wrong to use 

 a light-coloured fly when the light is weak, and 

 that a strong colour (black if you like), might 

 be better, and his experience seems to confirm 

 this. At the same time we must admit that 

 " white wings " still continue to score in the 

 evening probably because so many anglers use 

 them. 



What the effect of colour is on fish we have 

 no means of knowing, further than from the 

 teachings of our experience. Some maintain that 

 all colours are alike, and as viewed against 

 the sun this is largely true, although the trans- 

 parency of many of the materials used in salmon 

 flies so viewed, must have an effect by transmit- 

 ting light through them, and thus giving trans- 

 lucent colour effect. On the other hand, viewed 

 with the sun, colour to us is distinct and clear, 

 but is it so to the fish ? It may, we think, be 

 assumed that it is, and that salmon can distinguish 

 colour. The writer is convinced that trout can ; 

 and if trout, why not salmon ? 



The question of particular colours for particular 

 rivers, has doubtless something in it, as the 

 colours which are mainly responsible for most fish, 

 are those which the experience of anglers who 



