196 Dry-Fly Fishing. 



likely haunts, which an eye for water will usually 

 indicate. 



One of the present most remarkable aspects of 

 dry-fly fishing is that whereas a decade ago the men 

 who made out and published lists of the best 100 

 patterns required for dry-fly work are now fain to 

 admit that such a multitude is not necessary, and 

 does not increase one's success on any chalk stream 

 more than about a dozen well chosen will do, 

 provided they are placed in front of a trout or 

 grayling well cocked, accurately, and delicately. 

 The writer quite agrees with all this, and he was 

 one of the foremost of the Hampshire school to 

 recognise that too many flies to select from lead to- 

 confusion and much waste of time in changing 

 them. Indeed, he has gone through a season using 

 one pattern only with as good a result as with many. 

 It is only fair, however, to state that before starting 

 a rule was made to limit the captures killed to an 

 average of two and half brace a day, not under 

 l^-lb. each fish, and that the success of the experi- 

 ment was partly due to its being carried out on 

 about three miles of a very well-stocked fishery 

 every coign of vantage in which was known to 

 the angler, and there were few competing rods. 

 But it would, of course, be absurd in a 

 general way, particularly on any strange river, 

 so to handicap oneself, although most dry-fly 



