FOREST AND STREAM 
203 
upon both the water and weather conditions ex¬ 
isting at the time the fly is displayed and, in addi¬ 
tion, the coloration of the fly and its size. 
Therefore, there are four factors that the 
angler must consider whenever fly-fishing for 
trout; namely, the condition of the water, the 
condition of the weather, the color of the fly and 
^ its size, in order that he may select one or more 
flies which can quickly be seen by the trout. In 
the early spring it will be found that on most 
waters larger rather than smaller flies will prove 
successful in the long run and, in fact, in the 
great majority of cases. 
When the water is roily or discolored and the 
weather is rainy, cloudy or hazy, bright and light 
colored flies can best be seen by the trout. On 
the other hand, when the water is clear and the 
weather is clear and sunshiny, dark and medium 
colored flies will prove more attractive. 
If white and black are classed as colors in fly 
coloration, then the White Miller is the typical 
light fly, the Black Gnat is the typical dark fly 
and the medium colored or neutral fly is best 
represented by the Hare’s Ear or Wickham’s 
Fancy. 
Light-Colored Flies are those that have a de¬ 
cided lightish shade, and where white, light blue, 
light gray and light yellow predominate. Such as 
the Coachman, the Royal Coachman, Lady of the 
Lake, Reuben Wood, Yellow May, Dorset, Gray 
Drake, Deer Fly, Jenny Lind, Fern, Beaverkill, 
Gosling, and Blue Dun. 
Medium-Colored Flies are those which are 
more neutral in shade, having no very marked 
leaning to either dark or light colors. Such as 
the Professor, Queen of the Water, Alder, Gray 
Hackle, Grizzly King, Light Cow Dung, August 
! Dun, Hamlin, Lake Green, Brown Coughlan, 
Royal Governor, Alice, Cinnamon and Marston’s 
Fancy 
Dark-Colored Flies are those that have largely 
black, dark brown, dark green, red and indigo in 
their makeup and their general aspect is of a 
dark shade. Such as the Montreal, Cahill, Great 
Dun, Hawthorn, Furnace, Wasp, Carmen, Silver 
Gnat, Silver Doctor, Silver Spot, Governor, Dark 
Stone, Blue Bottle, Black June and Silver Horns. 
For the wet-fly angler in the early spring flies 
tied on number 8 hooks are the best for “all 
round trout fishing” but on some few waters flies 
tied on number io hooks are a better size; and 
for use on most lakes and still water more success 
is often obtained with flies tied on number 6 
hooks. I would not advise, on any waters, the 
use of flies smaller than number io or larger than 
number 6 and seldom will a number io fly prove 
as successful as the two larger sizes mentioned. 
For dry-fly fishing flies tied on number 9, 10, 11, 
12 and 13 hooks are the best, preferably the three 
larger sizes, although some dry-fly anglers pre¬ 
fer flies tied on number 14 and 16 hooks; but in 
the early spring the greater success will be had 
by the use of the larger sizes. 
The wet-fly anglers should feel deeply indebted 
to their brothers, the dry-fly men, for developing 
the art of artificial fly making to such an extent 
that to-day many of the flies are real imitations 
of the natural flies found upon our trout waters. 
While there are many trout waters (notably 
those of Maine, Canada and the West) where 
trout will not rise to a dry-fly if it is presented 
to them strictly according to the dry-fly man’s 
code, yet they will accept that same fly if fished 
by a wet-fly angler upon and just under the sur¬ 
face of the water and played as a wet-fly; and 
oftentimes the dry-fly will prove more success¬ 
ful under those conditions than many of the old 
patterns generally used by the wet-fly fisherman 
in those waters. 
At no time during the open season for trout is 
it so difficult to make a proper selection of flies 
to meet the ever changing conditions governing 
fly-fishing as in the early spring or for the first 
three weeks of the season. 
It is during this period that the “flood stage” 
of the streams greatly affects trout, creating in 
them a “state of unrest” which makes them shy 
and but “transient dwellers” in any place, because 
the swollen waters and changed conditions have 
driven them away from their customary habitat. 
Trout dislike unusual conditions; they, like 
people, seek to dwell in places that are to their 
liking and when such places are greatly disturb¬ 
ed or changed, from any cause whatsoever, they 
“roam” and are then poor risers to flies, either 
real or artificial. 
This is one of the reason why the early spring 
fishing on streams is so uncertain and the right 
selection of flies so difficult to make with much 
likelihood of success, even when every little de¬ 
tail of the existing conditions are carefully ob¬ 
served. But it is just this uncertainty which 
makes the sport of angling so attractive and the 
pleasure is the greater, when good judgment, 
patience and perseverance in the application of the 
art of fly-fishing brings success to reward the 
angler’s efforts. 
“No living man can say,” writes a well-known 
angler, “when upon unfamiliar waters, what fly 
will prove most alluring. The greater his ex¬ 
perience the more tentative does he consider his 
first efforts. 
“Every stream has its own peculiarities not 
only as to the most successful fly, but as to the 
habits of its trout as well.” 
Having given some reasons for using a cer¬ 
tain kind and size of flies for early spring fish¬ 
ing, I will now give the names of some of the 
flies that find a resting place in my own fly-books 
when not in use and which have proved to be 
good flies for use on the streams, ponds and 
lakes of the New England and Middle States. 
These flies are all to be had either snelled or 
eyed, just as the fancy dictates; but from an 
economical standpoint, if no other, it is preferable 
to use eyed flies for they will last longer and 
remain in better condition than snelled ones. 
Wet Flies. 
* Professor. 
* Brown Hackle. 
* Black Gnat. 
* Silver Spot. 
* Coachman. 
* Yellow May. 
Light Cow Dung. 
Grizzly King. 
Gray Hackle. 
Montreal. 
Light Tip Montreal 
Silver Doctor. 
Royal Coachman. 
White Miller. 
Beaverkill. 
March Brown. 
Queen of the water 
Blue Bottle. 
Abbey. 
Governor. 
Dry Flies. 
Hare’s Ear. 
Greenwell’s Glory 
Pale Evening Dun. 
Silver Sedge. 
Hofland’s Fancy. 
Wickham’s Fancy. 
Black Gnat. 
Coachman. 
White Miller. 
Red Ant. 
March Brown, 
Little Yellow May 
Blue Quill. 
Jenny _ Spinner. 
Whirling Dun. 
Welchman’s Button 
Yellow Bumble. 
Soldier Palmer. 
Red Spinner. 
Iron Blue Dun. 
*If the angler is limited to but a few different pat¬ 
terns those flies marked with a star make a very good 
and serviceable lot. 
Remember that the greatest skill is shown by 
the angler who persuades the trout to rise to his 
fly when they are not feeding or they are in a 
“state of unrestand it is then he experiences 
the greatest pleasure and satisfaction if success 
rewards him for he then knows his selection of 
flies, both as to kind and size, has been wisely 
made. 
The saying, “Oh! He is a lucky fisherman!” is 
one that beginners as well as old-timers at fly¬ 
fishing would do well to discount as having no 
meaning nor significance for, after all, success in 
fly-fishing is not a question of luck. It is rather 
the result of judgment and knowledge in knowing 
how to select the proper fly for the particular 
occasion and then knowing how to place and play 
the fly so as to make it prove most attractive as 
well as acceptable to the trout. 
It matters not at all what trout waters the 
angler fishes if he has the true and kindly spirit 
of Izaak Walton, the Master Angler of years 
ago; for then every stream and lake has its own 
peculiar and delightful charms in which the angler 
revels while angling, with either the wet or the 
dry-fly, to fathom their piscatorial secrets. 
'Of all sport, I know of none that seems to de¬ 
velop in the individual such a kindly spirit, such 
a full appreciation of all living things, and such 
an absorbing love for the many and varied charms 
of “the open” as fly-fishing. 
May the season of 1915 prove a joy and pleas¬ 
ure alike to all anglers from the youngster, who 
fishes the small brooks with his “Alder Pole” and 
angle worm to “The Expert,” who casts his all 
but perfect fly with the finest of split bamboo 
rods on the larger waters. 
“So help me, he was- 
