FLIES AS FOOD 73 



I do not purpose to go into the entomology of the subject, 

 since that has been adequately dealt with elsewhere. 



It follows, however, that the Ephemeridae, the gnats and 

 some beetles, and possibly the alder, are the only flies which 

 have subaqueous stages calling for representation by the 

 fly dresser. The perfect stages of all the classes of insects 

 named may be dressed to be fished either dry or semi- 

 submerged, or even, so foolish at times is our quarry, 

 definitely submerged. 



I think, however, it should be the ideal of the sportsman 

 angler to take his trout, where he can do so, by means of 

 imitations, representations, or suggestions of its natural 

 food presented in the conditions in which the trout is 

 feeding on it. 



It is very usual to find writers declaring that to attempt 

 to represent or suggest the natural fly with sufficient 

 exactness to deceive the fish is absurd, and that one fly 

 will do as well as another, provided the size and something 

 of the modesty of nature be observed. I can only say 

 that thirty-seven years of fishing of chalk streams have 

 convinced me that this is not true of them, and that the 

 trout will, more frequently than not, refuse any but one 

 pattern which for the time being appears to them (though 

 it is not always obvious to the angler why it does so) to be 

 the natural fly on which for the moment they are feeding. 

 For instance, it is not very clear why, when the blue- 

 winged olive is rising at night, and the trout are taking 

 it on the surface, a large Orange Quill on a No. 1 or even 

 a No. 2 hook is accepted readily by them, but a large Red 

 Quill of the same size, dyed or undyed, will either be utterly 

 ignored or will put down the trout. The only difference 

 is the colour of the quill. Other instances of unlike 

 likenesses being taken are the taking of the Blue Quill 

 when the pale watery dun is on, the Gold-ribbed Hare's 



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