I want to sing the praises of the blue-winged olive. As 

 a sport-providing fly it can give the May fly several stone 

 and a beating. From mid-June to the end of the season 

 there is scarcely an evening when it may not put in an 

 appearance. When it does put in an appearance there is 

 always a chance of a big fish. When it puts in an ap- 

 pearance in quantity there is the chance of a big basket, 

 and all the fish in the basket big. 



The hour of the hatch is usually late. A sprinkling of 

 blue-winged olives will go down almost unregarded while 

 the light lasts, but in the gloaming, after a pause, the 

 fly will sometimes hatch out in quantity, and at once 

 every big fish in the river will be busy gulping them 

 down. 



It is at this point the angler needs to be careful about 

 his fly. He must be sure what the trout are doing. At 

 one time the trout will be nymphing, and the only way 

 to take them will be with a sunk, sparsely-hackled, dark 

 brown olive pattern. At another time, maybe later in the 

 same rise, the trout will be taking subimago. Then, ac- 

 cording to my experience, a large Orange Quill, No. i size, 

 is fatal. At times, however, I have killed well with a fly 

 of the same size dressed thus: 



166 



