EX MORTUA MANU 85 



trout's gullet containing nymphs and larvae only) to lead 

 me to experiment systematically with nymphs really 

 imitating the natural insect, and to prove that, notwith- 

 standing the weight of authority to the contrary, the arti- 

 ficial nymph will kill, and kill well, when the trout are 

 taking natural nymphs, or even merely not exclusively 

 occupied with surface food. 



Now to those who prefer to catch their trout with caviare 

 only, I have nothing to say except that it restricts their 

 chances, and it seems a dull game compared with that of 

 catching them by simulation of what they are feeding on 

 at the time. It is, however, at least a comprehensible 

 theory, like barring the anchor stroke in billiard matches. 

 But to anglers on wet-fly rivers, and to those chalk-stream 

 anglers not exclusively devoted to caviare, I would ask: 

 Has not the time come when the under-water fly should be 

 habitually presented not only under water like a nymph, 

 but as an effective imitation of a nymph? I am 

 aware that a book called " Fly Fishing: Some New Arts and 

 Mysteries" (Dr. J. C. Mottram) has set out an interesting 

 method of nymph fishing. I do not wish to be under- 

 stood as disparaging his flies or his methods in any way, 

 as I have never tried them. In theory they seem to me 

 to have the defects of rigidity, density, and dulness of 

 colouring, and a tendency to fall heavily when cast, by 

 reason of absence of hackle. Moreover, they are used 

 dragging. In practice these matters may be of no con- 

 sequence. My own very encouraging experiments have 

 in the main been made with dubbed bodies containing 

 more or less bright seal's fur ribbed with gold wire or silver 

 wire (thus being full of light), and with just enough short 

 soft hackle to help to break the fall of the hook on the 

 water. But whatever method of dressing is adopted, I, 

 at least, urge the systematic and general working out of 



