148 THE DRY FLY AND FAST WATER 



of those using them. Many such flies undoubt- 

 edly take fish, but I dare say not because 

 they represent particularly the colour of the 

 natural. 



It would seem, therefore, that the most im- 

 portant consideration of the fly-tier who seeks 

 to imitate the colour of the natural insect should 

 be the materials to be used. Consequently he 

 should select only those which are transparent, 

 or at least translucent, and that reflect the sur- 

 roundings as readily as the natural insect does as 

 it floats down-stream on the surface of the water. 

 It is, of course, quite obvious that the artificial, 

 no matter how cleverly it may be fashioned, 

 cannot present the same appearance of trans- 

 lucence as the natural; but one skilfully made 

 of the appropriate materials will approximate 

 it nearly enough for all practical purposes. I 

 believe that the effect produced by reflection of 

 the colour of the bottom is not so marked upon 

 an insect resting with its legs upon the surface 

 and its body above it, as it is upon the insect 

 with its body directly on the surface. If the 

 artificial could always be cast so that it rested 

 only upon its hackle, perhaps the difference be- 

 tween it and the natural would not be so marked. 

 This may be accomplished, perhaps, by those 



