244 THE SALMON FLY. 



strands of Peacock's herl should be added to any built wing. Spey fish 

 object to herl ; Usk fish adore it. 



But if the bed of the river be light in character, say, owing to bright 

 gravel, or even chalk, crimson-majenta coming on the body before any 

 kind of claret ; bright yellow before any blue often produce good results ; 

 whilst heavy wings, short hackles, and Ibis "sides" give way to strip 

 wings, long hackles, and " cheeks " of red Crow. 



For a fish lying in a deep dip in a pool behind an upright rock 

 mount a very bright-bodied fly (especially if the weather happens to clear) 

 having two or three toppings over wings of double Jungle ; should the 

 sun shine, the pattern may carry four, or even five, toppings " King 

 Alfred " is my favourite at such a place under such conditions. 



Where light is reflected from white or shiny cliffs, use bright colours 

 throughout the combination with plenty of tinsel ribbing, and let the fly 

 be rather small. Coming upon this condition in deep, somewhat dis- 

 coloured water having a comparatively rough surface, a silver-bodied fly 

 perhaps twice as large is necessary ; the wing should be composed of herl. 

 The " Silver Spectre " would meet the case. 



For large flies in the Spring of the year Pig's-wool bodies are often 

 more deadly than those of Seal's fur. 



"Sides" and " cheeks " invariably adorn the pattern for very deep 

 water ; and for rapids select cheeks of the enamelled Thrush, Indian 

 Crow, or Jungle, and not Summer Duck. 



For dark, wet days, as a rule, nothing beats black and white speckled 

 wings over a dark body having a long hackle, with a short one at the 

 throat of a similar black and white speckle. This characteristic can be 

 maintained in making up any type of fly, but is best shown when the 

 wings are in strips. Take, for instance, the " Hough Grouse " on the 

 Spey. It has a black body, grey Heron hackle, and a speckled Turkey 

 throat and strip-wings from the same bird. Again, on a bright day, 

 cinnamon wings over black are hard to beat. And when the water is very 

 clear in Spring though it be snow water I like a long Irish grey hackle 

 on almost any kind of fly. 



To those who are unable to dress or " cobble up " their own flies, it 

 may be urged with confidence that when a fish rises and refuses, one 



