CHAPTER IV 



ADVANTAGES OF THE DRY-FLY 



MANY anglers welcome and thoroughly enjoy 

 the stone-fly season, because they are 

 then accustomed to obtain sport of a 

 very high order, probably the best of the whole 

 year. Baskets are then as a rule well filled, and 

 the trout captured are of grand average size, com- 

 parable with those that fall to the attractions of 

 the minnow in a full black water. 



The reason for this is that the bait used is a living 

 fly, which, if not subjected to any unnatural motion, 

 is viewed without any semblance of suspicion and 

 accepted without hesitation by the trout, provided 

 always that they do not catch a glimpse of the 

 angler. 



The extremely deadly nature of the worm in clear 

 water is similarly explained ; but that bait, the 

 use of which teaches the angler so much concerning 

 trout, does not reach the summit of acceptability 

 until the stone-fly has passed away, and the reason 

 simply is that after that period surface-food is liable 

 to be somewhat scarce. Whenever the conditions 

 are favourable to the hatching of flies, the trout 

 become as keen on flies as ever ; they are not sated 

 with them, as is sometimes declared, but abstain 

 only because aquatic winged insects are frequently 



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