SOME CONTROVERSIES 135 



my hackle-fly over him floating, but it sank as it 

 fell. The other was sought with a wet fly after he 

 had refused two or three patterns on the surface. 

 I have caught a number of fish of similar weight 

 on wet flies from both the Test and the Kennet, 

 where the trout run to bigger sizes. 



There is, however, no real need for me to labour 

 the point that the new doctrine of nymph fishing 

 is justified by its results when there is so convincing 

 a book as Mr. Skues's Minor Tactics ready to any 

 one's hand. Suffice it to say that I thoroughly 

 agree with him that the method is an invaluable 

 addition to the chalk stream fisherman's stock of 

 subtleties. 



The other argument of the " Non placets," that 

 it is unseemly to use a wet fly on a chalk stream in 

 any method whatsoever seems to me to be based 

 to some extent on ignorance of what this particular 

 method really is. The ignorance may in some 

 cases be wilful, and reminiscent of the resolute mode 

 of debate charmingly summed up in a recent bio- 

 graphy by " I'm not arguing, I'm telling you." 

 In such cases there is little to be said with any 

 profit, because the most honeyed talk is of no avail 

 with the deaf ear. But in other cases there is doubt- 

 less a genuine hesitation as to whether minor tactics 

 is not part and parcel of the old system of fishing 

 which consisted in raking about with a brace of 



