158 THE DRY FLY AND FAST WATER 



into the belief that, by the use of a dropper-fly 

 and its careful manipulation, we were simulat- 

 ing, to a certain degree, the fluttering of the 

 natural insect. At any rate, when the fly was 

 taken we flattered ourselves that this was the 

 case. Yet frequently, with the angler's atten- 

 tion centred upon giving to the dropper-fly a 

 proper motion, the submerged tail-fly was taken, 

 and usually by the larger fish. Instead of weak- 

 ening one's faith in the dropper-fly and the 

 efficacy of its jerky motion, experiences such as 

 these have been known to strengthen a belief in 

 the method; and I have heard the idea expressed 

 that the action of the dropper-fly on the surface 

 had attracted the attention of the fish to the 

 tail-fly. This may be true, but, as a matter of 

 fact, the sunk fly was the better imitation of 

 life, which perhaps accounts for the fish's pref- 

 erence for it. 



Those who practised fly fishing in the man- 

 ner described paid little regard to imitation of 

 colour, and perhaps less to imitation of form; a 

 comparison of the ordinary tackle-shop wet fly 

 with the natural insect will convince any doubt- 

 ing angler that this is so. When they did at- 

 tempt to imitate the colour of the natural fly, 

 they were accustomed to give little or no thought 



