LOCAL FANCIES. 1 97 



streams should be somewhat larger than those used 

 for the main streams, to enable the fisherman to land 

 his prey safely and quickly, as, where the water is 

 turbulent and confined, the fish have greater chances 

 of breaking away. Often the least leniency will be 

 rewarded by an entanglement with sticks or roots of 

 trees ; playing in these circumstances is, therefore, not 

 to be considered for an instant. The flies here alluded 

 to are suitable for discoloured waters generally, the 

 hook, hackle, and wing being somewhat larger to 

 withstand rough usage. The same order of land and 

 water insects appear upon all running waters contain- 

 ing trout or grayling, no matter where situated ; 

 nevertheless, some anglers will persist in presenting 

 upon all and*every occasion, a wonderful fly or two 

 which is said to kill upon that river only. For our part, 

 we may state, that we never make any distinction in our 

 list of flies, no matter what river we may cast over. 

 We have often heard the phrase " Your flies are too 

 large for this water," or " Your flies are too small to 

 kill here, sir." Upon some Welsh and Scottish 

 streams, the fly-fishers use unduly large flies, whilst 

 upon clear spring waters, the local flies are excessively 

 small, and in this case invariably hackled. Both large 

 and small flies are objectionable when they do not 

 correspond with the " naturals " frequenting the water. 

 We can testify from our own experience, that the 

 flies, irrespective of locality, are the same as regards 

 size upon every river in England, Wales, or Scotland; 

 even those upon mountain lakes, situated in some 

 cases at great elevation, are similar, in their season, 



