228 THE SALMON FLY. 



of flies. To the class of Fishermen who, victimised by some haphazard 

 success, profess to believe that the selection of a fly is immaterial, I do 

 not address myself. To those who believe that in fishing, as in other 

 arts, there is a right and a wrong method, and that the right method 

 the method best calculated to secure success can only be acquired by a 

 careful observation and comparison of facts, I venture to offer some 

 assistance in reconciling apparently conflicting conclusions of late years. 

 A considerable advance has been made towards the ideal in fly-manu- 

 facture. And not only does the expert fly-tier possess more varied 

 dressing materials, and study with greater care their arrangement upon 

 the hook with a view to harmony, but the expert fly-fisher proceeds with 

 more system, and consequently with greater confidence in the choice of 

 his lures for ordinary use as well as for "refreshing" contingencies. The 

 progress of the Salmon-angler in these respects has been slow, but sure 

 and satisfactory. 



I have no wish to review the progress made with respect to rods and 

 lines in this chapter. The old patterns had to be abolished, and have 

 long since been replaced by new ones. But as soon as railways afforded 

 facilities of access to rivers, Anglers increased enormously in number, with 

 the result that " methods and principles " forced themselves upon fly- 

 dressers in proportion as fish became more shy or more educated. 



A man must have faith in his fly as well as in himself. 



"Confidence in oneself," a great writer tells us, "is the chief nurse of 

 magnanimity." But I shall never forget wandering home one evening in 

 company with others intent on fly-lore, when suddenly a member of the 

 party exclaimed, with the unaffected sincerity of one who is concerned to 

 tell the truth, " For goodness' sake don't derange my mental equilibrium. 

 I have killed more fish than any of you, and the evidence on the simple- 

 ness of Salmon-fishing is quite enough for me. I tell you they came 

 like bulldogs at ' Jock Scott ' the first fly I picked out ; so no sermons 

 on flies for me ! " 



The touch of human nature which these impulsive remarks evinced 

 will in no way diminish our satisfaction with knowing that sometimes 

 Salmon seem bound to provide any amount of sport for the novice ; but 

 although early success may engender overweening confidence, the tyro 



