36 THE SCIENCE OF DRY FLY FISHING. 



There is but little difference in the appearance of an 

 ephemerid when it is bursting its mask and entering into its 

 sub-imago existence, and that of the sub-imago in a drowned 

 condition, and it is therefore in these two conditions that 

 the wet fly fisherman imitates its appearance and presents 

 it to the trout. But it is only when this water-insect is in 

 its living and flying sub-imago or imago condition that the 

 dry fly fisherman copies its appearance. Hence you will 

 readily understand that the latter has not only to use the 

 more perfect and lifelike form of fly, but to present it 

 poised naturally and in lifelike condition on the surface 

 of the water. The wet fly fisherman can, on the other 

 hand, present flies to the trout either on, or under, the surface 

 of the water, and in a far less perfect condition. 



Now, as the water is clear and the weather is warm, 

 the water flies and gnats will be numerous, and the fish 

 will be more likely to be taken by the dry fly ; therefore we 

 will first of all try our friend the Blue Quill fished as a 

 dry fly, for two things are certain : that the fish were taking 

 this fly yesterday, and also that there are some of these 

 flies already on the water, and probably there will be an 

 early hatch of the same kind before long. We have seen 

 no rise, it is true, but we may be able to tempt a fish 

 before the " rise proper " commences, and this I call 

 " fishing the stream." When the rise commences we shall 

 try for rising fish, and this I call " fishing the rise." 

 Fishing the stream with a dry fly is greater science than 



