THE BIG FLY. 165 



" the big fly." Strictly speaking, this is not a fly 

 -at all, though it resembles a small wet fly in shape 

 and build. If it is meant to imitate anything it is 

 a small fish. Practically any salmon fly does this 

 more or less, and salmon flies are to be numbered 

 toy the hundred, so the novice has a wide range of 

 choice. I do not, however, think that more than a 

 few patterns are necessary. Without denying 

 merits to others which are not named, I depend on 

 -about half a dozen for river fishing. They are 

 March brown, Silver Grey, Dusty Miller, Silver 

 Doctor, a gold-bodied fly something like a 

 Wickham, but more reddish-brown in general 

 effect, and adorned with a red tail, and another 

 gold-bodied fly with flame-coloured hackle and 

 Trather lighter wing. Both these flies are for bright, 

 windy weather. Lastly, I generally carry, but do 

 not now often use, the Alexandra, a famous silver- 

 'bodied pattern with green peacock wings and 

 ihackle. This fly is extremely deadly on waters 

 where it is new to the fish, but I fancy they soon 

 :get to know and suspect it. 



As to sizes, I like to have plenty of variety, 

 from about half an inch up to one and a half 

 unches, the first for hot weather and low, clear 

 -water, the last for windy days and thick or rough 

 water. Some men use flies even bigger than that, 



