Experts Not Infallible 



In dry-fly discussions it is sometimes 

 customary for them to quote the ideas 

 to which Mr. Halford gave utterance 

 twenty-three years ago, and that is the 

 end of the argument; the case has been 

 decided by the court of last appeal. 

 We admire Mr. Halford, but we would 

 not thrust upon him an infallibility 

 which we feel very sure he would have 

 no desire to claim, especially if he were 

 to give advice in regard to fishing 

 American streams; while it is at least 

 possible that in the years that have 

 elapsed since 1889 he may have changed 

 or modified some of the views he then 

 expressed. As late as February 25, 

 1912, Mr. Halford said, in a letter to 

 the author of this book: "I note what 

 you say about the absence of rises on 

 your streams. I have had similar ex- 

 periences in England, and have, like 

 you, found it profitable to float a fly 



[15] 



