Sketches and diagrams showing the relative positions of the wings to the body in the various natural flies. Figs. 2, 4, 6 and 8 show sections through αβ in Figs. 1, 3, 5 and 7. In Figs. 2, 4, 6 and 8 α = anterior wings; β = body; γ = posterior wings.
I have on many occasions watched the behaviour of an Alder when it has fallen on the water. At first it moves its wings rapidly, but soon stops, to begin again, however, when it has rested. This is repeated time after time, but after each succeeding struggle, the interval of rest becomes longer. In many cases, however, the fly hardly struggles at all.
In observing many other flies which had fallen on the water, I have seen the same sequence of events occur, though some flies struggle to raise themselves from the surface much more than others, as in the case of the Blue-bottle.
The first trial that I made of a fly dressed with the wings in the natural position was with an Alder. To make this trial complete, I purchased some Alders, dressed according to the most approved patterns, from three well-known firms of tackle makers. When I got to the water-side the trout were rising freely, and the banks were literally swarming with Alders. I saw a trout take one which had fallen on the water, so it was evident that the Alder was the fly to use. I began with the flies I had purchased, and cast over a trout which was rising under a tree. He would not look at it, and the same happened with the flies of the other two makers when I cast over two other trout. I then tried one of my own, and got a fish at once. He did not take it in a half-hearted manner, but was hooked right in the back of the tongue. I then tried the other flies again without success. When, however, I went back to my own fly I hooked the first fish I cast over.
Imitations of other flies made with the wings in the natural position have served me as well as did my imitation of the Alder, though I was not inclined to try the ordinary patterns so freely on every occasion as I was at the first trial. I have, however, several times caught a rising fish on one of my imitations when he had refused the ordinary imitation not two minutes before.
My reader will of course think that these experiments, being carried out by myself, are hardly a conclusive proof of my theory, as, however impartial I might wish and believe myself to be, I must be naturally biased in my own favour. I quite realise that this is a natural doubt, but fortunately others besides myself have tried my flies.
Mr. Herbert Ash put them to an even more severe test than I did myself, and has kindly permitted me to give his experience. I give an extract from a letter written by him and published in Land and Water on October 23rd, 1897, as I think it is a very pertinent testimonial to the practical success of my theory.
“I put up a cast of three Alders, two being the shop-tied patterns which I usually used, and the third, which I put on as a first dropper, being Mr. Walker’s. I landed eight trout in about an hour and a half, and each of those fish took Mr. Walker’s fly.”
“Now, although I used three flies, I was fishing up stream and dry, my object being to test the new mode of tying the Alder, and I found that while the fish rose boldly at the first dropper, not one took any notice of the other flies.”