and pan fish. I
remember one very pleasant experience that happened in northern
Maine three years ago. There is a small, deep, spring fed lake of
about ten acres in area, completely surrounded by wilderness; this
lake had been stocked with, Rainbow Trout and closed to all fishing
for five years. I was fortunate in being there about two months after
it had been opened to fishing and was invited to try my luck, after
first being advised that although some very nice catches were regularly
being taken on a Streamer Fly fished deep, also on live bait and worms
with a spinner, no one had even been able to take fish on the surface.
I arrived at this lake about one hour before dark, and it was one of
those evenings when the water was actually boiling with rising trout.
In fact never before or since have I seen so many fish breaking water
at the same time. I immediately made up my mind to take fish on the
surface. I began fishing with a small spider, and changed fly after fly
for the next half hour with the same results as had been experienced by
other dry fly fishermen. In desperation and with darkness fast approaching
I tied on a size 4 Grey Bug and cast about thirty feet from shore. The Bug
hit the water with quite a splash and didn't even as much as put down one
fish, and several continued to {53} rise from within a few inches to a few
feet from where the Bug landed. I waited a couple of minutes and gave the
Bug a little twitch, nothing happened, again I twitched and again nothing
happened. I began to believe I was stumped when again the Bug was moved
ever so slightly for the fifth time, and remember this was at least seven
minutes after it first hit the water. A fish struck. In a few minutes I
landed a 2 1/4 pound Rainbow. Before darkness had brought the day to a
close I had landed three more beautiful Rainbows averaging 2 pounds
each. I had never since had the opportunity to fish in this beautiful
little lake. Some day I hope to return, and again try, and I believe
succeed in taking these beautiful Rainbow Trout on the conventional
dry fly. However, this one little experience proved conclusively to
me the absolute necessity of patience in fishing Floating Bugs.

FLOATING BUGS:
THEIR CONSTRUCTION
(SEE DIAGRAM 9)

First let us begin by making the most simple; that is, one that has the
Body, Wings, and Tail, all of the same material and color. Follow the
illustrations carefully and even your first attempt will be a
maste