IN THE MATTER OF FLIES 



winged flies, or even in flies with no wings at all; 

 and many become settled in the conviction that 

 the hackles, palmer-dressed or otherwise, are the 

 only killing bugs for black bass. 



There is, however, — and fortunately, — a large 

 class of black-bass fly-fishermen who, when at 

 work on the stream, observe the conditions exist- 

 ing upon it and fish in accordance therewith. 

 These anglers, as a rule, believe more in the effi- 

 cacy of the manipulation of a cast of flies than in 

 color or form, not ignoring the fact, however, 

 that as the evening closes the minuter forms of 

 insect hfe gather in greater numbers over the sur- 

 face of the water. In fact, it is not an uncom- 

 mon incident to see black bass " gnatting " in the 

 gloaming. In doing this the fish does not rise 

 abruptly to the surface, but may be seen a few 

 inches under the water, and when a " no-see-um " 

 floats down, the bass comes quietly up, with only 

 a gentle disturbance of the water, and sucks it in. 



Standard Dressings Best 



It is safe to assert that all the makes of the 

 standard dressings, tied on Nos. 4 to 7 Sproat 

 hooks, will kiU black bass when they are feeding; 

 always, however, bearing in mind that the closer the 

 action of the artificial fly is made to resemble 

 the struggles of a drowning insect the fuller will 



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