The Dry Fly and Fast Water

From my earliest boyhood I have been devoted to the fly fisher's art and not a season has passed without having the pleasure of casting a fly. During the early years I fished my flies wet or sunk. I had read about the dry fly and knew that England was its place of origin. The use of the dry fly on streams in this country has not been common.Many expert wet fly anglers in this country use a floating fly but most only on water where they consider it may be more effective than the wet fly - usually upon the quiet surface of a pool or on flat, slow water. For many years I was one of those who firmly believed that only the smooth, slow stretches of a stream could be fished successfully with the dry fly. Experience, however, has taught me that the dry fly, skillfully handled, is applicable to any part of a swift stream short of a perpendicular waterfall. It is not my purpose to contend that the dry fly is more effective than the wet fly, although I do believe that, under certain conditions, the dry fly will take fish that may not be taken in any other manner. I do contend, however, that a greater fascination attends its use. All game birds are pursued with the same weapon, but the more difficult birds to kill have the greater attraction for sportsmen; and my predilection for the dry fly is based on the same principle.