82 THE DRY-FLY MAN'S HANDBOOK 



question in the most judicial frame of mind, I cannot 

 find that I have on any occasion been placed at a dis- 

 advantage by limiting myself to their use." I certainly 

 added that in some cases the natural appearance of the 

 artificial flies had appreciably conduced to an ameliora- 

 tion of sport, but this is a far less sweeping assertion 

 than that suggested by my critics. I think, perhaps, 

 that one of the conditions which appealed to me most 

 forcibly in reference to the new set of patterns was that 

 by its adoption the full outfit of the modern dry-fly 

 fisherman is reduced to thirty-three patterns, of which 

 certainly six are unnecessary at any time, excepting dur- 

 ing and immediately after the short rise of the mayfly. 

 In one respect my opinions have certainly become 

 modified by further experience 

 Fancy patterns. derived from continual obser- 



vation of the fish and their 

 habits, and from watching guests and friends fishing in 

 Hampshire and other waters. At an earlier stage of 

 my career I was, like many others, prone to think that 

 at times fish, both trout and grayling, were inclined 

 to tdke. fancy patterns. By the word fancy patterns 

 I mean artificial flies which are not imitations of any 

 hatural insects which the fish affect as food. Since 

 discarding all the old standards and substituting for 

 them the new set of patterns given in " Modern 

 Development of the Dry-Fly," I have gradually arrived 

 at the conclusion that seldom, if ever, is a trout tempted 

 by one of these monstrosities. It is true that they 

 kill at times, but when friends have scored with fancy 



