CHAPTER XXI 



TROUT FLIES 



" To make several flies 

 For the several skies, 

 That shall kill in despite of all weathers." 



CHARLES COTTON. 



Weight of Flies. " Flies do not soon get tired; . . . 

 they are light; the wind carries them. An ounce of 

 flies was once weighed, and afterwards counted; and 

 it was found to comprise no less than six thousand 

 two hundred and sixty-eight. " Victor Hugo, The 

 Toilers of the Sea. 



The Dry-Fly. "Upon the curling surface let it 

 glide, with natural motion from thy hand supplied." 

 Unknown Author. The italics in the word surface 

 are ours. The dry artificial fly must swim on the 

 surface, must fly upstream, must have no companion 

 fly, must keep dry by sailing in the air between actual 

 casts, and must attract the fish by minutely mimick- 

 ing the living fly both in the air and on (not in) the 

 water. 



Vegetable Flies. Bearded seed of the wild oat and 

 a silvery willow leaf have been used successfully as 

 artificial flies for brook trout and black bass. 



