32 DRY-FLY FISHING 



is guilty of ignoring the introduction of a factor 

 which will upset his calculations. 



Let him consider for a moment whether it is not 

 possible that one fly may interfere with another, 

 and so completely deprive it of all attractiveness, 

 for that is what may very readily happen in a river. 

 One member of a team may be caught up in an eddy 

 and, if that happens, it will either retard or hasten 

 unnaturally the progress of the rest ; the result is 

 that a willing trout rushing open-mouthed upon its 

 doom swerves aside in alarm. Such things may, if 

 unseen, remain unsuspected ; but they are never- 

 theless the means of snatching away many a triumph. 

 There is not the slightest doubt that the wet-fly 

 fisher on the river would vastly benefit by limiting 

 himself to one or two flies ; on the loch, in the 

 absence of currents and eddies, the need for reduc- 

 tion does not exist. 



The great authorities on dry-fly fishing recommend 

 the use of only one fly, or perhaps it were more 

 correct to say that, not realising this very serious 

 matter, viz. the reduction in the number of flies, 

 they take it for granted that not more than one will 

 be used. Only in some parts of small waters and 

 exceptional places in the larger rivers is it really 

 essential so to restrict oneself. In the great majority 

 of the pools and streams, there is no objection to 

 the use of two flies, unless it be when the downfall 

 of some individual trout of large size and wide 

 reputation is being attempted. Then, of course, it 

 is advisable to have all attention concentrated on 

 one particular spot. In due course we shall endea- 

 vour to adduce reasons for thus advising contrary 

 to recognised authority ; but not the least of these 



