WATER INSECTS AND THE RISE 75 



the tendency being to leave the ordinary fly box at home, 

 and to persist in presenting the May Fly to fish who may 

 be feeding on the Alder, the Welshman's Button, the Olive 

 Quill, etc. 



ON THE PATTERNS OF FLIES 



The fly fisherman, to be generally successful, should 

 endeavour to cultivate the habit of observation. 



It will be the observant fisherman alone who is able at 

 certain times, to discover the fly on which the trout are 

 feeding, or at others he alone will be able, by recalling the 

 result of former observation, to select a fly which will 

 attract the fish, and thus find, by the success which will 

 result from his selection, and by the non-success of his 

 brother anglers, how extremely valuable is this knowledge. 



Trout appear at times to throw off their accustomed 

 caution and daintiness, and feed eagerly upon almost any 

 variety of flying insect no matter how it be presented to 

 them. 



At times, and this is the evening carnival, it has appeared 

 to me that no matter how skilfully the fly may be cast, or 

 what size or variety of fly may be used, the furious boil of 

 rising trout will bring few, if any, fish to the creel (see The 

 Rise, p. 80). Sometimes and under normal circumstances 

 the exact size and shade of the natural fly must be copied 

 in order to secure a fish, no matter how eagerly the trout may 

 be feeding, and this again is the time when the observant 

 man will score, especially when he is capable of making his 

 own flies and carries with him the necessary material for 

 the purpose. 



An interesting suggestion has been brought before the 

 readers of the Fishing Gazette. It was suggested by 

 one of its readers that an International Collection of 

 artificial flies should be founded, and a reply to this was 



