Practical Dry-Fly Fishing 



Is it not to the fact that many fly- 

 fishermen have learned the art in the 

 wilderness, where trout are not shy or 

 over-particular as to how the artificial 

 fly is presented to them, that the more 

 or less general truth of the statement 

 that "a real expert with the wet fly is 

 a much rarer bird than one with the 

 dry" is due? Is it not true that even 

 a partially "educated" trout is liable 

 to notice the unusual character of the 

 movements of a weak, flying insect 

 breasting heavy currents, and to be- 

 come suspicious of them? The larvae 

 of some aquatic insects, hatched in the 

 soil of the bed of the stream, or among 

 aquatic plants, after having reached 

 their full growth, seek the surface by 

 climbing up on the plants, or by swim- 

 ming; and when performing these acts 

 are often taken by the trout greedily. 

 But can it be denied that at any other 



[112] 



