266 THE SALMON FLY. 



and varied experience, wherein I have over and over again noticed the movements 

 of Salmon when they patronise natural insects, I hold the foregoing theories not 

 only as being indisputable and indispensable, but also as being of sufficient weight 

 to justify the conclusion that Salmon mistake artificial flies for natural insects 

 rather than for anything else." 



In sport, as in science, it sometimes takes a lifetime's devotion to 

 master even the rudiments of a single branch. The expert in Salmon- 

 fishing, should be as carefully trained as a diplomatist. 



Had it not been for binoculars, which, after fishing for years in 

 ignorance of these matters, I -tool: with me on all occasions, I might 

 never have discovered that the art of Salmon-angling might be placed 

 upon a new and sounder footing. 



It is not intended to imply by these observations that at all times 

 and on all rivers, fly-work is quite so easy as has just been mentioned. 

 Sometimes it is convenient, nay imperative, to resort to the most 

 fantastic specimens of artificial entomology extant. On those occasions 

 we are driven to master fish by force of contrast, and mount flies which 

 have not unwisely been termed " exaggerations." 



And now a few words about these. 



Exaggerations are employed only in extreme cases, when in summer 

 and early autumn, long after a flood, fish take to and remain in one 

 particular haunt for days and days, and, as though having nothing else 

 to do, play " follow-my-leader " round and round their pool of water 

 whether it be beside streams or sheltered flats. 



Some years ago, I ventilated this matter in the columns of a weekly 

 paper, and was flattered to learn that it had obtained the favourable 

 notice of some of the most expert and best instructed Salmon-anglers 

 of the day. I revive it now for one or two reasons. To begin with, on 

 every Salmon river in the United Kingdom there are local Anglers whose 

 dicta in flies are taken and always adopted with little suspicion by those 

 who have seen or heard of their success. On every river, too, as I have 

 before said, certain special schemes of colour, size, &c., are found to 

 prevail to the practical exclusion of others, which, sometimes, would 

 assuredly do better. Yet despite colour schemes, schemes in presenta- 

 tion, accomplished local Anglers, and all common devices, days ccme 

 everywhere when futility prevails. 



