SALMON FLIES 9 



In the "forties" the flies mainly used were 

 the plain Turkeys, brown and grey. That par- 

 ticular shade of brown which assimilates so nearly 

 to the tail feathers of the goshawk, was also much 

 in demand, and believed to be very deadly. 



Since the introduction of feathers of the rarer 

 birds, such as golden pheasant, jungle cock, &c., 

 plainer flies have almost died out. Even on the 

 Border Esk where these plain patterns have 

 lived longer than in any other place the writer 

 knows, they are fast losing place. 



Let us suppose that it was impossible to pro- 

 cure golden pheasant and jungle cock feathers ; 

 would we lose much ? These plainer flies appear 

 to have done the work necessary for our grand- 

 fathers, and it would seem that they might still 

 perform the part. It may be however, that the 

 objection to their use would come rather from 

 the angler, than from the fish. The salmon 

 angler nowadays has been so educated to " fancy " 

 flies, that he would not fish a plain fly with much 

 confidence. An amusing incident which bears on 

 the point, was told the writer some little time 

 ago, by one of the best known salmon and trout 

 anglers in the north. 



Discussing flies, he said : "I was fishing trout 

 one day on the Tyne, while a friend was trying 

 a pool higher up, where we knew there were 

 two salmon one large, the other small. After 



