54 ANGLING 



We have never known, of our own personal experi- 

 ence, very large flies do mucli execution. The con- 

 formation of most of the rivers in Great Britain and 

 Ireland, which contain salmon, is, in our humble 

 opinion, decidedly unfavourable to the employment of 

 such kinds of flies. Indeed, in many streams, unless 

 they are very much ruffled by heavy winds, the 

 expediency of using them becomes very questionable; 

 and for this single reason — if any angler look steadily 

 and attentively at a large fly when in the water, he 

 will discover that it does not lie evenly upon it, so as 

 to preserve the shape of a natural fly ; the hook is too 

 heavy for the superstructure of feathers, and hence the 

 fly rolls about in a very awkward and unnatural manner. 

 This, it will be readily admitted, defeats the great end 

 and object of fly-fishing — deception. 



The practice, however, in Ireland is, to use very 

 large and gaudy flies; and it is but natural to infer 

 that the general practice arises from a conviction of 

 their utility. O'Shaughnessy, of Limerick, has the 

 reputation of making those most used and esteemed in 

 this country. 



Mr. Hansard, in his work On Trout and Salmon 

 Fishing in Wales, recommends the following flies for 

 that particular country. 



For the Spring. — Wings, dark brown, mottled 

 feathers of the bittern ; body, orange silk or worsted, 

 with gold broad twist; and a smoky, dim hackle for 

 legs. 



For Summer. — Wings, the brown, mottled feather of 

 a turkey-cock's wing, with a few of the green fibres 

 selected from the eye of a peacock's tail feather ; body, 

 yellow silk and gold twist, with a deep blood-red hackle 

 for legs. 



Every fly-fisher who is experimentally acquainted 

 with salmon - fishing in Scotland must have often 

 observed what an immense variety of flies are commonly 

 used, and with almost equal success, by the numerous 

 anglers who throng the streams in that country in 

 the height of the fishing seasons, We have seen 



