248 PLEASURES OF ANGLING. 



He had the red and I had the blue. An ordinary 

 fish-hook, a penknife and a few twists of silk did 

 the business. The extemporized fly was made up, 

 adjusted, cast and taken as quickly as I have told 

 the story, and far more successfully. The red and 

 blue flannel lure, and the half score of trout I took 

 with it, dissipated all my fine fancies about gor- 

 geous flies, and ultimately reduced my fly-book to 

 a half dozen varieties suitable for spring or sum- 

 mer, shady or sunny days and shallow or deep 

 water. But even these are practically reduced to 

 two or three, notably the brown and black hackle, 

 the red ibis, the miller for evening, and, for very 

 swift, deep water, a large purple and red nonde- 

 script. And yet I would advise all experts to keep 

 a well-filled fly-book. It is a pleasure to experi- 

 ment, and the educated eye takes delight in look- 

 ing at the variety of colors, shapes and forms 

 which the skilled workman in fly-art has provided 

 as lures for the speckled beauties. 



