70 FLOATING FLIES 



It would seem that the ideal conditions for 

 the dry fly are somewhat as follows: A clear, 

 smoothly flowing stream, whether fast or slow 

 being immaterial if the surface is not too 

 broken; the stage of water should be normal, 

 although at the lower levels, as the season ad- 

 vances, everything is in favor of the dry as 

 against the wet fly; finally, insect life should be 

 fairly abundant on the stream and the trout 

 feeding more or less at the surface on the 

 natural fly. 



In the early days of the season, when the 

 stream is apt to be in flood and the water very 

 cold and more or less discolored, the wet or 

 sunken fly is plainly indicated. Until, with 

 the progress of spring, air and water have 

 grown warm, and the bright sunshine brings 

 on the natural ephemeridae, the fish are usually 

 ground-feeding, or feeding in mid-water, and 

 will rise only infrequently to the fly fished upon 

 the surface. At such times the fly caster who 

 holds to the employment of the dry fly is 

 doomed to disappointment. 



In fact, it would seem that fly-fishing under 

 these conditions should be done more along the 

 lines of bass or salmon fly-fishing not with 

 the idea of simulating even approximately the 

 natural insect food of the fish but rather with 



