1 8 How to Fish for Salmon. 



" ' Why do you persevere in using that fly ? ' said I. 



" ' I hate all new inventions/ said Prejudice. 



" ( No doubt,' said I, and took a copious pinch of 

 rappee. 



" Obstinacy -, Credulity, and Prejudice looked hard 

 at me, but they could make nothing of it. 



" Dear, good, kind reader ! listen to Experience? 



And that is exactly what is necessary. In looking 

 back on the experience of nearly forty years' fly 

 fishing, I find that, in regard to the colour of the fly, I 

 cannot agree with Senior Angler. A bright fly on a 

 bright day, and dark fly on a dark day, is my rule ; 

 and in following it I have seldom or ever come back 

 with an empty creel. Salmon have very sharp eyes 

 both in bright and discoloured water. Here are 

 one or two instances. One cloudy, windy day, the 

 water slightly stained and the river pretty big, I and 

 a friend had been fishing alternately the pools and 

 runs of an excellent but small salmon river on the 

 west coast of Scotland, with the flies generally 

 in use, without any success, although the fish 

 appeared to be inclined to sport: on looking over 

 my fly book, I came upon a very dark fly, dressed 

 on a small hook, dark mohair body, mallard wings, 

 and black hackle. It was the only one of the kind 

 I had in the book. The first cast I rose and 

 hooked and landed a salmon of ten pounds, and in 

 two following pools I rose and killed two more 



