250 THE SALMON FLY. 



that, to describe an individual fly for every pool, every stream, rapid and 

 flat, in any one district, considerable space would be occupied ; and that the 

 volume itself would be insufficient to hold descriptions for the whole river. 



The only practical course open to me provides a general observance 

 of the laws framed to meet the exigencies of colour and character in- 

 dividually, and this, with a few general principles affecting the variations 

 as a whole, should, I take it, be enough for dressers of experience, or of 

 sufficient experience to understand the meaning and construction of 

 " decided " patterns. (Perhaps a knowledge of that matter is purchasable 

 without much practical experience. An unenlightened man might forth- 

 with avail himself of the wisdom and experience of any of his superiors 

 who would kindly inform him that all " decided " patterns are established 

 and recognised by the proper distribution of any one colour through their 

 constituent parts. Any one colour added to the tag, tail, body, hackle and 

 wings results in forming a very decided pattern.) 



How, it may be asked, are these results accomplished '? The answer, 

 both as to theory and practice, is extremely simple. 



To begin with, a blue or any other coloured fly, deadly on one river, 

 is repulsive to the fish on another. For that reason in a technical 

 angling sense we may say there are "Blue rivers," " Ked rivers," 

 " Yellow rivers," and " Grey rivers " each one of which is pretty sure to 

 differ in respect of character. For instance, long bodies, long hackles, and 

 light wings may do well on one river, and be out of character on another. 

 The Spey, for one example, is predisposed to long hackles and light 

 wings ; whilst Tweed fish prefer short hackles and a liberal amount of 

 " built " wing. Again, the Usk and several Scotch rivers require fairly- 

 thick bodies and heavy wings ; though on the Inver, Lochy, Ness, 

 Helmsdale, Earn, Erne, and most Irish waters, thin bodies, short hackles, 

 and light wings predominate. 



. From these premises a dresser would suppose that he has to vary 

 these two flies in four different directions : but I shall deal with them 

 separately in a few moments. I have chosen this way of entering into 

 details as the interests of the average Angler are at stake ; character, for 

 example, denotable in all ordinary flies dressed on up-to-date principles, is 

 a stylish hall-mark of infinite importance in everyday fishing. 



