TO FISH FLOATING FLY 99 



that the chances are altogether too many 

 against it. 



In fact it would seem that when the duns 

 are hatching many, perhaps most, rises are to 

 the floating nymph and not to the winged 

 insect. Autopsy shows a marked preponder- 

 ance of larvae and nymphae about to change 

 to the winged state over winged insects in the 

 stomachs of trout taken under natural condi- 

 tions. Furthermore, I might quote Mr. Hal- 

 ford when, in discussing bulging trout, he says : 

 " Fish, when feeding on larvae and nymphae, 

 at times rise quietly, without moving about 

 from place to place. It is almost impossible 

 under these circumstances to distinguish the 

 apparent from bona fide rises." 



All of which does not militate in the least 

 against the theory that the artificial fly should 

 correspond with the natural; when a decided 

 hatch is on the trout are fully aware of the 

 nature of the prevalent fly and if feeding upon 

 it are quite likely to notice no other either 

 natural or artificial. But the theory does, in- 

 deed, explain some phases of dry fly fishing 

 which otherwise are quite inexplicable; for in- 

 stance, inability to induce a rise to the properly 

 fished winged artificial when its corresponding 



