74 THe Determined Angler 



which fly is the better imitation, but that both the 

 wet fly and the dry fly are patterned, in most cases, 

 after the natural flies. From the time of Walton and 

 before that, wet flies have been patterned after natural 

 flies. In many instances nowadays wet flies are not 

 designed to represent natural flies, but such flies are 

 freaks, are short-lived, and are seldom used by real 

 trout fly-fishermen. There is no doubt in my mind 

 that taken as a whole wet flies have been intended to 

 represent natural flies, but quite often in the past and 

 in the present day have not been and are not good 

 imitations. As the art of fly-tying has advanced, more 

 nearly do the artificial represent the natural flies, and 

 this advancement is due, in a great measure, to the 

 makers of dry flies. Speaking from a practical stand- 

 point, the so-called dry flies are the very best wet flies 

 obtainable, and on most American trout waters more 

 trout will be caught on them when fished wet than 

 when fished dry, especially thefontinalis." 



Dr. James A. Henshall, author of The Book of the 

 Black Bass: "Regarding the * Trout Flies* clipping 

 sent me for comment I think the mention of my name 

 in it is sufficient without adding anything more." 



Dr. Edward Breck, author of The Way of the Woods, 

 etc.: "I suppose that I may subscribe to your para- 

 graph in answer to Mr. Lincoln. We old chaps all 

 know that laying down any hard and fast rules for 

 trout is a futile undertaking; there are so many 

 exceptions, and les extremes se touchent so very often. 

 Many wet flies are certainly not imitations of natural 

 flies nor are they meant to be; as, for example, the 

 Parmachenee belle, which they say Wells fashioned to 

 imitate the belly-fin of a trout, always known to be a 

 killing lure. 'Non-university' trout grab anything 



