132 THE WAY OF A TROUT WITH A FLY 



some particular insect, or not, at least is sufficient to attract 

 the attention and excite the rapacity or tyranny of the 

 trout if it does not appeal to his appetite. This was the 

 Devonshire theory that produced that priceless, but, alas ! 

 vanishing, strain of Old English blue game fowls. 



We now come to the down-stream methods. Here we 

 find the considerations which apply to across-stream 

 methods present in even greater force, because the re- 

 sistance of the rod-top, which holds the line as it swings 

 the flies across the current, brings the current to bear upon 

 the flies far more strongly than is the case when the angler 

 is fishing across and up. For this reason, flies for this 

 type of fishing should be dressed with a specially " good 

 entry," so as not to skirt. Winged flies should have the 

 wings low and fitting close over the back, and hackled flies 

 should have good sharp cock's hackles, or, if hackled with 

 hen's hackles or soft hackles, should have them supported 

 by a wad of dubbing behind the hackle at the shoulder, 

 so as to get the maximum of work out of them. By the 

 across and down-stream method the top dropper may be. 

 made to dib more readily than by any other, thus imitating 

 either spinner or sedge ovipositing. 



To sum up, the fly dresser must think how and where 

 his fly is to be used when he dresses it, and hackle it accord- 

 ingly. 



THE SPADE FEATHER. 



It has often been a matter of surprise to me to notice 

 what trashy feathers so many professional dressers use for 

 the whisks of their trout flies, and that one practically 

 never sees the best feathers for the purpose used. 



It is not suggested that stiff and bright hackles are 

 always necessary for whisks. A soft feather has advan- 

 tages for a sunk fly intended to represent a nymph. But 



