21 



they are feeding on, dash at it instantaneously, and 

 find out the mistake when it is too late. What is of 

 far greater importance than the exact representation 

 of the natural fly is, that when the artificial falls on 

 the water there should be nothing else occurring at 

 the same time to scare the fish. The motion of the 

 arm, the flash of the rod, the bungling of the casting- 

 line, or pitching the fly on the water in an unnatural 

 manner, all tend to make trout rise short, or not rise 

 at all. 



In determining what colours to use it is desirable 

 to look at both natural and artificial specimens 

 through water from underneath, as they then appear 

 quite different to what they do when viewed out of 

 water. The late John Hammond, of Winchester, 

 designer of the Hammond's Adopted and Wickham's 

 Fancy, once showed me this through a clear- 

 bottomed decanter. 



The following list of flies will be found in the 

 greater part of the United Kingdom, although they 

 may be called by different names in different 

 localities, the chief variation being in size rather 

 than colour or shape ; and it is always desirable to 

 use artificial flies of the size of the natural ones 

 which are to be found in the locality you are 

 fishing : 



Red Spinner, March Brown, Blue Dun, Alder Fly, 

 Hofland's Fancy, Stone Fly, Gr annum, Wickham's 

 Fancy, Oak Fly, Sedge, Green Drake, Grey Drake, 

 Coachman, Black Palmer, Red Palmer, Coch-y-bonddhu t 

 Red Ant, July Dun, Black Gnat, White Moth. 



I am convinced that, with the above assortment of 

 flies, there are not many days in the season but that 



