HOW TO DRESS FLIES 39 



dressed hitherto without. My reason for 

 using it so freely is because this is the 

 only way to produce a peculiar effect 

 which is seen in certain flies when viewed 

 from under the surface of the water ; and 

 as this is how they must appear to the 

 trout, it is best to imitate this effect as 

 nearly as possible. 



The bodies of many flies are covered 

 with short hairs. When these flies fall 

 on the water, .an air bubble adheres to 

 these hairs, and, seen from below the 

 surface, produce a brilliant metallic effect, 

 with the colour of the body showing 

 through in places. Ribbing the body of 

 the imitation with tinsel reproduces this 

 effect accurately. 



The appearance of the natural fly on 

 the water, when seen from below, may be 

 observed by placing a small mirror at the 

 bottom of a large bowl full of water. I 

 have used one of those small round mirrors 

 which were sent about some time ago as an 

 advertisement for something, 1 forget what. 

 If the fly be placed on the surface of the 

 water over this mirror, its reflection will 

 show what the fly looks like to the trout. 



