68 DRY-FLY FISHING 



creations very pleasing to the eye of the inexpert, 

 who is charmed with the neatness of the workman- 

 ship, delighted with the colour scheme, and is apt 

 to feel that at last he has within his reach the means 

 which will render impossible an empty creel. 



On putting to the test any one of his possessions, 

 no matter how much it differs from any known 

 insect, he will find that, provided he has oiled it 

 and has not selected a day during which the trout 

 have unanimously resolved to abstain from food, 

 it will bring him at' least a little sport, for the simple 

 reason that the fish will see the fly on the surface, 

 the place where they expect to see flies. 



Almost any combination of silk and feather which 

 floats will deceive a fish or two ; but that fact, 

 instead of justifying the invention of new patterns, 

 shows its utter futility. A copy of the fly that is 

 on the water, or was there yesterday, or would be 

 if the conditions permitted, will prove far more 

 acceptable than the most ingenious improvement 

 upon nature ever designed, and therefore one who 

 has little knowledge of dry-fly fishing should re- 

 strict himself to a few patterns such as are described 

 below. When he becomes expert he will find them 

 adequate for all his requirements. 



We shall deal in the first place with the Ephcmer- 

 idce. As these flies of the upright wing exist in 

 two distinct winged states, the sub-imago or dun, 

 and the imago or spinner, it would appear almost 

 necessary to have four artificials for each species in 

 order that the two sexes in each state may be 

 represented. If such detail were essential for every 

 species, then the total number of patterns required 

 by the angler would be formidable. As a matter 



