CHAPTER VII 



FLOATING FLIES 



OF floating flies there is such an immense 

 variety that the beginner in the art of dry- 

 fly fishing must be perplexed and discour- 

 aged, when he is confronted by the almost endless 

 array of patterns laid out for his inspection in the 

 tackle-shop. 



He cannot tell what to accept and what to reject ; 

 he may not know which specimens represent living 

 insects and which are copies of purely imaginary 

 flies. He is at a loss, and is forced to ask advice 

 from the dealer. The latter will say regarding a 

 particular pattern either that it is a good killer or 

 that he sells a lot of it, one of which is perfectly true, 

 for there are only two types of dry-fly, viz. one 

 which appeals to fish, and one which attracts fishers. 



The unfortunate beginner is therefore not assisted 

 much towards a selection, and probably acquires a 

 large stock, the majority of which he will never use. 



The hosts of flies which are at home on our rivers, 

 or pay them unpremeditated and undesired visits, 

 have all been more or less faithfully counterfeited ; 

 but not content with these, some anglers have set 

 their ingenuity to work, given their imagination 

 free scope, and designed flies unlike anything in 

 nature. The products of their skill are artistic 



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