Fig.12.
Tie the point of the hackle in at the head as inFig. 12, cut off projecting point, and wind it on with the pliers in close turns towards the head. Three or four turns will be found ample as a rule. Tie in the end with the tying silk and cut off the part which remains over. Now draw down the fibres of the hackle which project upwards, cutting off those which will not stay down. The fly should now appear as shown inFig. 13.
Fig.13 (left) andFig.14 (right).
Fig.15.
The wings should be taken from corresponding quill feathers from opposite wings of the bird. These are split up the middle with scissors, and a piece from the side with the longest fibres taken. The piece of quill attached must now be cut at regular intervals, and each piece between these cuts will serve as a wing (seeFig. 15). Take two of these pieces, one from each feather, and place them together, with their concave surfaces toward each other. Place them, one on each side of the hook, with their lower margins a trifle lower than the body of the fly, tie them in at the head, cut off the projecting part with the quill, and finishoff the head. The head should now be varnished, taking care to clear the eye of the hook, and the fly will appear as shown in the illustrations of imitation Alder and Caddis-flies.
There is another way of preparing wings which is much better, as it makes the ends of the wings round, though it is more difficult. This was first shown me by Mrs. Richardson of Kingston-on-Thames.
The feather is taken and the lower part of the fibres stripped off, till a part is come to suitable for making a wing. A portion of fibres sufficient for making a wing is then separated from the fibres above and bent carefully downwards. If the fibres are stroked very gently between the thumb and first finger, they will arrange themselves, so that their ends present a rounded edge instead of a point. This portion of fibres is then grasped firmly between the thumb and first finger near the quill, and detached therefrom by pulling it smartly downwards. The other wing is prepared in a similar manner from a feather of the opposite wing of the bird.
Diptera and Perlidæ.
In imitations of Diptera and Perlidæ the body and hackle are put on in the same way, except that the hackle should be allowed to project sideways as well as downwards; for as the wings are horizontal in these flies, the fibres which project sideways will not interfere with the position of the wings, as they would do in the Alder and Caddis flies. The body and hackle, when put on, should therefore appear as shown inFig. 14.
Fig. 16.
The wings of these flies are perhaps the most difficult of any to put on. To put on wings which diverge from each other as in the Blue-bottle, two portions of the quill feathers from opposite sides, prepared as described for the Alder and Caddis flies, should be laid upon each other, as shown inFig. 16. The hook should then be taken in the left hand, and held by the bend between the first and second fingers, withthe head pointing towards the right. The wings are then laid flat on the body with the right hand, and held there firmly with the left thumb. The wings are now tied in, the quill and part of the fibres attached cut off close, and the head finished off. The illustration of the imitation Blue-bottle, etc., shows its appearance when finished.
Those Diptera whose wings lie, when at rest, one over the other (as in the case of the Cow-dung), my reader will see that I have represented in my imitations, with their wings spread to a certain extent. This is because I have seen that, in the natural fly, when it falls on the water, the wings are most often in this position.
In Perlidæ, whose wings lie one over the other, the wings should be put in the position they occupy in the natural fly, instead of across each other, and the fly will appear when finished like the illustration of the imitation Yellow-Sally.
The dressings which I have found most successful will be described with each fly. It will be noticed that I have put tinsel on many of the flies which have beendressed hitherto without. My reason for using it so freely is because this is the only way to produce a peculiar effect which is seen in certain flies when viewed from under the surface of the water; and as this is how they must appear to the trout, it is best to imitate this effect as nearly as possible.
The bodies of many flies are covered with short hairs. When these flies fall on the water, an air bubble adheres to these hairs, and, seen from below the surface, produce a brilliant metallic effect, with the colour of the body showing through in places. Ribbing the body of the imitation with tinsel reproduces this effect accurately.
The appearance of the natural fly on the water, when seen from below, may be observed by placing a small mirror at the bottom of a large bowl full of water. I have used one of those small round mirrors which were sent about some time ago as an advertisement for something, I forget what. If the fly be placed on the surface of the water over this mirror, its reflection will show what the fly looks like to the trout.
Another, and perhaps a better, way to observe the appearance of the fly from below the surface is to put it on the water in a large glass aquarium. It can then be observed by looking up at it through one of the sides of the aquarium.
It is better to use tinsel in dressing these flies than wire, as wire does not reproduce the metallic effect of the air bubble on the body of the natural fly.
PLATE II
ARTIFICIAL FLIES
Swan Electric Engraving C⚬.
Drawn from flies tied by Mrs. J. R. Richardson, of Kingston-on-Thames (dressed from the Author’s models).
1,2.Blue-bottle.3,4.Green-bottle.5,6.House-fly(slightly enlarged).7,8.Curse (Black).9,10.Curse (Dun).11.Curse (Badger).12.Black Gnat.13,14.Yellow Sally.15,16,17.Willow-fly.18.Alder-fly.19.Oak-fly.20,21.Cow-dung-fly.22.Hawthorn-fly.
The Alder is a fly which hitherto has taken a position in the dry-fly fisherman’s estimation very much inferior to that which is its due. Almost every writer on the subject says that it is but rarely found on the water. It is naturally not found there so often as the flies which are hatched out in the water, but I have notwithstanding frequently seen them on the water in fair numbers. The proportion of Alders which get on the water is probably very small if compared with those which do not; but as the fly is in some places extremely numerous, even this small proportion becomes in those places a large number.
A practical proof that they do frequently fall on the water is the avidity with whichthe trout feed upon them, and I have almost always found them in the stomachs of trout when they have been numerous at the water-side. I have also often dropped a natural Alder on the water and seen it taken by a trout.
Many will probably think that I have mistaken one of the Caddis-flies for the Alder, but I can assure them that this is not the case. I have always, with regard to the Alder especially, made a very careful examination of the flies at the water-side, and, as every one knows, even a cursory examination of the fly with a magnifying-glass puts an end to all doubt as to its being an Alder or Caddis-fly, even if the knowledge of entomology possessed by him who examines is but small. The peculiar hump-shape of the wings when at rest also makes an Alder easily recognisable.
I believe that the great reason that the imitation Alder is not so successful as it should be, is because the wings are generally put in an absolutely impossible position. This is not the fault of the fly-dressers, as all writers on the subjecthave put the wings in this position, a position into which they could not get in the natural fly without the intervention of external violence.
I have, in observing this fly when it has fallen on the water, seen its wings in the position of rest as often as not. In fact the only other condition in which I have seen it, is when it has been buzzing violently, apparently with the object of raising itself from the surface. Of course the easiest, and in fact the only possible position in which the wings can be accurately imitated, is the position of rest.
Another mistake in the imitations usually sold, is in the materials used in the dressing. The body is made very fat, with peacock herle; while in the natural fly it is decidedly thin, and of a dark brown colour. The wings are made of brown speckled hen’s quill feathers or bustard, which are of a very much richer brown than the wing of the natural fly, and lastly the hackle is much too profuse and goes all over the fly. The following dressing of the Alder I have found to be most successful, both in my hands and in those of other fishermen.
Body.Very dark brown floss silk, carried well on to the bend of the hook, and there made a trifle thicker. I have at times found it very successful when ribbed with narrow gold tinsel (00 size).
If the body be covered with thin india-rubber, it will be found to give the fly a most effective appearance.
Hackle.Three or four turns of a black cock’s hackle, put on as described in Chapter III.
Wings.From quill feathers of woodcock’s wings taken from opposite sides. The woodcock’s feathers have a somewhat shiny appearance; and as they are also the nearest in colour to the general colour of the Alder’s wings, I think they are the very best feathers to use. I have described the position in which to put the wings inChapter III.
Hook.No. 2—4, new size.
(PlatesI. andII. show the natural Alder and the imitation as it should appear when finished.)
Every fisherman knows the Caddis-worm, which is the larval form of the Caddis-fly. As the number of different species of Trichoptera is very large, there are many different sorts of Caddis-worms. Some of these make cases which they fix to rocks; most of them however have cases which they drag about with them, and retire into it when any danger approaches. These cases vary much in shape and the materials of which they are made. Some species are however, as a rule to be found in almost every water. They are extremely interesting to watch, though, if they are accidentally introduced into a hatching trough containing trout ova, they will destroy the eggs. Caddis worms are taken freely by trout, and I have frequently found them,contained in their cases, in the stomachs of trout.
The Caddis or Sedge flies, as I have pointed out, are a very numerous family, and most of them are taken very readily by the trout. These flies, when on the water, generally have their wings in the position of rest. Notwithstanding this fact, the wings of the imitation Sedges are always put in an upright position, while the position of the wings at rest in the natural flies is practically the same as in the case of the Alder, though the lower edges of the wings do not, as a rule, come quite so low in relation to their bodies.
The Grannom(Brachycentrus subnubilus, Curt.).
This fly is extremely numerous on many of the streams in the South, and is so well known to the fisherman that a description is almost needless. It appears about the middle of April, and lasts five or six weeks, though Ronalds says that he has found them in the stomachs of trout as late as August.
The bunch of eggs which the female carries at the tail is best represented by winding on some bluish-green floss silk or wool at the end of the body, which should be carried well down on the bend of the hook, as shown in the illustration of the imitation fly.
Body.Light coloured fur from hare’s face, with green floss silk or wool at the tail. If ribbed with narrow gold tinsel is sometimes more successful.
Hackle.Light ginger, or, better still, a hackle dark in the centre and light ginger at the ends.
Wings.The lightest-coloured feathers from a partridge’s wings.
Hook.No. 1—3, new size.
(PlatesI. andIII. give illustrations of the natural and artificial Grannom.)
The Sand Fly(Limnephilus flavus, Steph.).
Mr. Halford points out in hisDry-Fly Entomology, that Ronalds was mistaken in calling this fly the Sand-fly, as the true sand-fly is one of the Diptera. I take it, however, that in either case this is but a popular name; and as almost all formerwriters on the subject seem to have described the Sand-fly as being a common Caddis-fly, I think that in adhering to the old name I shall avoid confusing the fisherman.
This fly is one of the most useful of all the Caddis-flies, as it is hatched out in April, and lasts almost all the season. There are several other Caddis-flies which come out later in the year, that resemble it very closely both in colour, shape, and size. The wings are of a yellow ochre colour, barred with brown, the body is covered with short hairs of a light fawn colour, and the fly is about the same size as, or a little larger than, the Grannom.
The dressing given below, if slightly modified, will serve for several of the other Caddis-flies which come out later in the season.
Body.Light-coloured fur from hare’s face, ribbed with orange silk. If ribbed with narrow gold tinsel is sometimes more successful.
Hackle.Light ginger.
Wings.The part of quill feather of a hen pheasant’s wing that is yellow, barredwith brown, or a similarly barred part of the quill feather of a woodcock.
Hook.No. 1—3, new size.
(Illustrations of the natural and artificial fly are given in PlatesI. andIII.)
The Red Sedge(Anabolia nervosa, Steph.).
There is a Caddis-fly which appears on the water about the beginning of June, and which I have seen in great numbers as late as the middle of October, that does not seem to have obtained a popular name among fishermen.
Its wings are very much like those of the Alder in shape and veining, and the fly is nearly the same size, though perhaps it is, on an average, very slightly smaller. Here, however, the resemblance ends. Its anterior wings are of a light reddish-brown colour, and are more transparent than are those of the Alder. The body is also shorter in proportion to its wings, and is closely covered with light yellow hairs, which, on the darker background of the body, gives it a greyish-yellow appearance.
This fly is taken freely by both trout and grayling, and I have seen dace feeding on it greedily.
Body.Lightest yellow fur from the water-rat, spun on black silk.
Hackle.Light red.
Wings.The peculiar shape and colour of the wings are best represented by the tip of a feather covering the roots of the quill feathers in the wing of the landrail. These feathers are of a reddish brown colour, and are found near the upper edge on the outer surface of the wing. The most superficial and reddish feathers are the best. These feathers should be taken from opposite wings, and prepared by stripping off some of the fibres so that they may appear as shown in the illustration of the artificial fly onPlate III.Plate I. gives an illustration of the natural fly.
Hook.No. 9—4, new size.
The Welshman’s Button(Sericostoma collare, Pict.).
This fly is very numerous in some places, and is taken readily by trout. The bodyof the imitation is generally made of peacock herle, but this makes it much too thick. The fly generally appears early in June.
It is said that this fly is often mistaken for the Alder, but it should be easy to discriminate between them. In the Alder the anterior wings are smooth, broad and strong, in the Welshman’s Button they are covered with hairs and narrow. This fly is usually smaller than the Alder.
Body.Reddish brown wool, ribbed with narrow gold tinsel.
Hackle.Yellow centre with black ends.
Wings.From reddish quill feather of landrail.
Hook.2—4, new size.
The Cinnamon Fly(Mystacides longicornis, Linn.).
There are a large number of small Caddis-flies which are very much alike in appearance. The anterior wings are long and narrow, and are brown barred with dull yellow. They hover in great numbers by bushes and trees overhanging the water,and are taken readily enough by trout. I have chosen theMystacides longicornisas being one of the commonest and most typical. An illustration of the natural fly is given onPlate I. and of the artificial onPlate III.
Body.Light fur from hare’s face.
Hackle.Ginger.
Wings.Narrow piece from well barred quill feather of hen pheasant.
Hook.No. 0—2, new size.
The Caperer(Halesus radiatus, McLach.).
This fly, which is well known to fishermen and appears as a rule in August, is one of the largest Sedge-flies. Its wings are mottled brown and covered with hairs. Several other Sedges somewhat resemble it. (Illustrations of the natural and artificial flies are given on PlatesI. andIII. respectively.)
Body.Brown fur from hare’s face.
Hackle.A badger hackle, the light parts of which are of a pale dull yellow colour.
Wings.From the dullest mottled quill feather of a hen pheasant.
Hook.No. 3—5, new size.
There are many other Caddis-flies, but the following dressings, perhaps slightly modified to imitate certain flies more closely, will be found to cover most of them.
1.Body.White wool, ribbed with narrow silver tinsel.
Hackle.Pale ginger.
Wings.Brown quill feather of landrail.
Hook.No. 0—3.
2.Body.Hare’s face, ribbed with narrow gold tinsel.
Hackle.Brown ginger.
WingsandHookas No. 1.
3.Body.Pale yellow wool, ribbed with narrow gold tinsel.
Hackle.Coch-y-bondu.
Wings.Speckled quill feathers of pheasant’s wing.
Hookas No. 1.
Imitation Perlidæ, or Stone-flies, are more used in the North in wet-fly fishing than by the dry-fly fisherman of the South.
The best known species is the Stone-fly proper, but this fly does not seem to abound in the South, though I have found isolated specimens at Heathfield in Sussex on two occasions.
This fly is therefore omitted, and the Willow-fly and the Yellow-Sally only are described.
Perlidæ, unlikeDiptera, have four wings. As, however, the anterior wings cover the posterior when at rest, it is as a rule only necessary to make the imitation with one pair of wings.
This posterior pair of wings in the Perlidæoften materially changes the colour of the anterior pair when they are at rest. Thus in the Willow-fly, though the anterior pair of wings are of a brownish colour, they appear of a dark slaty hue when the fly is seen crawling about. An illustration of natural fly is given onPlate I.
Willow-fly(Leuctra geniculata, Steph.).
This fly comes on late in the season. In September and October it is taken freely by the trout and grayling. It is similar in shape to the Stone-fly of the North.
This fly has almost always been made buzz. Ronalds mentions in hisFly Fisher’s Entomologythat it may be made with wings, but does not say anything about their position. I do not think that the hackle fly is a really good imitation of the natural insect, and it is quite possible to put the wings of the imitation in the same position as those of the natural fly.
It will be seen that there are on Plate II. three illustrations of the imitation Willow-fly. One of these has its wings in the position of rest, the manner of dressingwhich I have described in a previous chapter.
The other, which has its wings partially spread, I owe to a suggestion from Mr. G. E. M. Skues.
The posterior pair of wings are put on first, and the anterior afterwards. As the mode of procedure is practically the same as in the Blue-bottle, with the addition of another pair of wings, I need not enter into further detail.
The Willow-fly, when it falls on the water, has its wings sometimes in one and sometimes in the other of these positions.
Body.Light brown fur from water-rat, ribbed with narrow gold tinsel.
Hackle.Ginger.
Wings.Darkest starling’s quill feathers. The wings should be made narrow.
Hook.Nos. 00—1, new size.
(Illustrated,Plate II.)
The Yellow Sally(Chloroperla grammatica, Poda).
This fly appears in May and June, and though it is said to be occasionally takenby trout, does not seem to be relished to any great extent by them. The wings should be placed one over the other as in the illustrations of the imitation fly given onPlate II.
Body.Light brown water-rat’s fur, ribbed with yellow silk.
Tail.Two brown fibres from pheasant’s wing.
Hackle.Partridge hackle, dyed olive.
Wings.Quill feather of white hen, dyed olive.
Hook.Nos. 1—2, new size.
The order Diptera, or two-winged flies, includes more species which at times serve as food for trout and grayling, than any other order which includes species of so-called flies.
Though naturally many other species than those whose imitations I describe here will be found on the water, I have tried to include those which are most commonly found, without burdening my reader with too many.
The several patterns of imitations of small Diptera (curses) will, I believe, be found to represent most of the commoner species found on the water, at least sufficiently accurately to deceive the trout sometimes, though when the fish are feeding upon these tiny flies, it is very probable that they will refuse all imitations, for many species which serve them as food are too small to imitate.
Blue-bottle and Green-bottle
The Blue-bottle and Green-bottle, though perhaps some of the commonest of flies, are but little used by the fly-fisherman. The success met with in using the natural fly is very small. The reason for this want of success is the position in which the wings of the imitation are put by the fly-dresser. In this case, like that of the Alder, the fault does not lie with the fly-dresser, as the writers on fly-dressing direct that the wings should be put on in the same position as those of every other fly—that is, in an upright position. Any one, as I have said before, on the most casual observation must realise that the wings of a Blue-bottle and the wings of a May-fly do not lie in quite the same position in relation to the body.
There are many Diptera which come under the names of Blue- and Green-bottles, but as they are very similar in appearance it is only necessary to vary the size, as the trout are probably not sufficiently scientifically educated to discriminate between the different species. The commonest species of Diptera which are included under the popular names of Blue- and Green-bottles, are theCalliphora erythrocephala, Mg., andLucilia cæsar, Linn., of which illustrations are given on the Plate ofNatural Flies.
August and September are the best months for these flies, though they come out much earlier. They seem, however, to fall upon the water much more frequently later in the season. They are also very good flies for grayling in October. As I have already said, of the many different species which I have ventured to include under the name Blue-bottle, the commonest at the water side isCalliphora erythrocephala. This fly is also found in towns. The Green-bottle, however, which I have chosen to represent all the others as being the commonest at the water side is a country fly,Lucilia Cæsar. Some species ofLucilia, the bodies ofwhich are generally green, are found in towns.
Blue-bottle—
Body.Fine dark blue chenille or dark blue Berlin wool, ribbed with silver tinsel. (I have found the fly very successful when ribbed with light blue silk as well as the tinsel.)
Hackle.Black.
Wings.Transparent wing feather of starling.
Hook.Nos. 2—4, new size. (No. 3 best all round.)
Green-bottle—
Body.Bright green peacock herle, ribbed with silver tinsel.
Hackle,WingsandHook. Same as Blue-bottle. (IllustratedPlate II.)
House-fly
There are many small Diptera which frequent the water side, which to the ordinary eye are apparently House-flies. They resemble them so closely, in fact, that many could not be discriminated from them except by an entomologist.
I have, therefore, ventured to put them all under the heading of “House-fly.” The only difference which will ever have to be made in the dressing given below is in the body, and very rarely in the hackle; but these modifications must be left to the fisherman, who must judge for himself according to the flies he finds by the water.
I do not remember ever having met a fisherman who had used an artificial House-fly for trout. Trout however do feed on them; and in this case I can bring other evidence than my own.
Ronalds describes an experiment he made in order to test the trout’s power of taste; and in this experiment he used House-flies, to which he applied various condiments, including red pepper. Though his object was not to prove that trout fed readily on House-flies, I think he proved that they did so.
Probably the commonest of these small Diptera which is to be found by the water isMusca corvina, Fab., which is the country cousin of our well-known House-fly, though, indeed, many of the flies which frequentour houses are not the true House-fly (Musca domestica). The maleMusca corvina, whose portrait is given on Plate I., has a body which appears to consist of alternate stripes of yellow and brown. The female, however, has a uniformly dark body. Of the other flies, very similar in appearance to House-flies, the bodies vary in colour; but if made of a yellowish or dull brown, sometimes ribbed, it will generally prove like enough to nature, to deceive the trout.
Body.Yellow ochre-coloured Berlin wool, spun on black silk. Ribbed with silver tinsel and dark brown according to circumstances. (The exact shade is easy to see on the under surface of the natural fly. The under surface of the fly is the surface seen by the trout.)
Hackle.Coch-y-bondhu.
Wings.Transparent quill feather of starling.
Hook.Nos. 00—1, new size.
(Illustrations of imitation, Plate II.)
Cow-dung Fly(Scatophaga stercoraria, Linn.).
This fly appears as a rule in February, but I have seen it on warm days in January, in fairly large numbers. It lasts all the year till the frosts set in. Those cow-dungs which appear early in the year are not so large as those which appear later. The body is covered with short hairs which gives it a velvety appearance. The thorax is large and also has a number of hairs upon it. In order to imitate this large thorax, it is necessary to have more room on the hook above the hackle and wings than in other flies to leave room for a turn of the chenille, of which the body is made, just below the head of the fly. This will be seen in the illustrations of the artificial fly on Plate II.
The body of the male is a bright yellow colour, that of the female is greenish. The male is rather larger than the female. These flies, which on windy days particularly, frequently fall on the water, are often taken very freely by the trout.
Though when at rest the wings are flat upon each other, as shown in the illustration of the natural fly in Plate I., they often, when the fly falls on the water, are spread out slightly; so in the imitation it is best to put them in the position shown in the illustration of the artificial fly.
Body.Yellow or greenish yellow chenille ribbed with gold tinsel.
Hackle.Ginger.
Wings.Light landrail, or brownish starling.
Hook.0—2, new size.
Black Gnat(Bibio johannis, Linn.).
The black Gnat is found on almost all waters. It is extremely numerous in some places, and is taken very readily by the trout.
These flies are not really Gnats; but as they are commonly called Gnats by the fishermen, I have kept to the old name.
Bibio johanniscomes out in June. The body is black in both the male and female, the wings in the male are almost colourless, while the wings of the female are dark. The head of the male is also largerthan the head of the female. Both the male and female have a dark oval-shaped patch about the middle of the anterior margin of the front wing.
Both these flies are taken greedily by the trout when they fall upon the water.
I have found the following dressing the best:—
Body.Peacock quill dyed black, or black silk.
Hackle.Cock starling’s hackle, stripped on one side.
Wings.(Male) From most transparent part of quill feather of starling. (Female) From brown tipped starling’s tail feather.
Hook.No. 000—0, new size.
An illustration of the imitation fly is given onPlate II.
Hawthorn Fly(Bibio marci, Linn.).
Bibio marciis commonly called the Hawthorn-fly, and was described under this name by Ronalds. It is, speaking broadly, first cousin to the Black Gnat, though it is very much larger. It appears at the end of April or the beginning of May. The bodyis black, and the wings show the oval patch in theB. johannis; but as the fly is larger, in theB. marciit is more noticeable. As only the male seems to rove about to any extent, it is just as well to imitate the male only.
Body.Black Berlin wool, ribbed with silver tinsel.
Hackle.Black.
Wings.(Male) Transparent part of quill feather of starling.
Hook.No. 1—3, new size.
An illustration of the natural fly is given onPlate I., and one of the imitations onPlate II.
Curses
There are several other small Diptera which at times appear on the water in swarms. These are known to the fishermen as Curses or Smuts. They are often so small that there is no hook made small enough upon which to tie imitations of them. However, as every fisherman knows, when the trout or grayling are feeding on these flies, it is generally impossible to get them to take the imitation of any otherfly, it is worth while trying to imitate them on the smallest hook made. This is an 000, with a short shank. As it is extremely difficult to put wings on these flies, hackle patterns may be tried, but the winged patterns are the best.
Once, when out fishing, I had a very aggravating experience with some tiny Curses. I had been fishing all the morning and had caught nothing. At about two o’clock I saw several good fish rising, but they would not look at my fly. I observed a fair number of light Olive Duns on the water, but both the imitation of this fly and several fancy patterns I tried proved equally useless.
At last I seated myself on a fence close to a clump of willows, lighted a pipe, and began watching a fish which was rising a few yards higher up, not far from the bank on my side of the river. The water was perfectly clear, and when the fish rose I could see him distinctly. He was a grayling of between half and three-quarters of a pound, and rose four or five times in the minute. There were a lot of Smuts on the water, which from where Iwas, looked very dark if not black. These the fish rose at regularly, but he let several Olive Duns pass by unnoticed.
The only Curses I had in my fly-box were black; and as those he was feeding upon appeared to be black, I put one on my cast and floated it over him several times. But though he once took a natural Smut floating within an inch of my fly, my fly he would not take.
I then went further down the bank and caught some of the Smuts that were on the water. They were of a mottled dun colour, and the black effect was only produced by their shadow or reflection (which I could not determine) when they were on the water.
Of the flies in my box that which came nearest in general effect to these Curses was a green insect (dun hackle and peacock herle body) tied on an 000 hook. This I put on my cast and floated over him. He rose to it, and as he rose I could see him distinctly. When within a few inches of my fly, however, he stopped short, turned aside, and took a natural Smut that was floating past. I tried him then with anolive quill, a Wickham, and a red tag; but he would have none of them. I had to give him up in despair, though I believe if I had had a dun-coloured Smut he would have taken it.
The dressings of Curses given here will, I think, be sufficient to include the commoner Curses so numerous on most waters, especially during the hottest part of summer and autumn.
The number of different small Diptera which are found on the water is so great that any attempt to classify them in a work which is meant only for fishermen would be out of place. I have therefore limited myself to giving these imitations—
Curse No. 1(Black):—
Body.Black silk or black quill, with a turn of the narrowest silver tinsel at the tail.
Hackle.Black.
Wings.Most transparent part of starling’s quill feather.
Hook.000 short shank.
(Illustrated,Plate II.)
Curse No. 2(Dun):—
Body.Thinnest part of natural brown ostrich.
Hackle.Dun (hen’s)
Wingsandhookas No. 1.
(Illustrated,Plate II.)
Curse No. 3(Badger):—
Body,wingsandhookas No. 2.
Hackle.Cock’s badger hackle.
(Illustrated,Plate II.)
Curse No. 4(Red):—
Body.Peacock quill dyed to a crimson lake colour.
Hackle.Black.
Wingsandhookas No. 1.
Nos. 2 and 3 should be made also without the fluff being stripped off the quill, which in this case should be used just as peacock herle is used.
The Oak-fly(Leptis scolopacea, Linn.).
This fly, notwithstanding its popular name, is found on many other trees, and I have seen it in places where there were no oak-trees near. It kills very well, andis in season from April to July. The body is long and tapered, and the segments of the abdomen are, in the male, of a brilliant orange colour, with black markings upon them, as shown in the illustration of the natural fly onPlate I. The wings are brown.
Body.Reddish orange Berlin wool, ribbed with black silk, and narrow gold tinsel.
Hackle.Coch-y-bondhu.
Wings.From sixth or seventh quill feathers of landrail wings.
Hook.New size, No. 2—3.
(Imitation illustrated onPlate II., Figs. 3 and 4.)
The Winged Ants, which are the newly hatched insects, appear about the middle of July. The time at which they appear, however, varies very much. They appear in swarms, and when one of these swarms gets near or on the water, the fish feed greedily upon them. They have four wings, the anterior pair being somewhat longer than the body. These wings, when at rest, do not fold neatly over each other, and as the insect is clumsy in its flight, even a slight breeze is sufficient to drive many of them out to the water.
The Ant I have seen most frequently on the water is a large Red Ant, but smaller Red Ants and winged Black Ants are also frequently seen. The position of the wings in relation to the body easiestto imitate is shown in the illustration of the imitation of the Willow-fly, which has four wings.
The Red Ant is frequently used early in June, though the natural insect is not seen so early. The imitation, however, frequently meets with success, though it is improbable that the trout takes the imitation for the natural insect, especially as the wings are always put on in a vertical position.
The bodies of all the Ants should be made fat towards the bend of the hook, and carried well on to the bend.
As the body of the Ant is very shiny, parts of it, when the light falls upon it, have a very brilliant appearance; therefore I have recommended the use of tinsel.
Red Ant—
Body.Red-brown (burnt sienna) silk, thin on the shank and fat towards and on the bend of the hook, ribbed with gold tinsel.
Hackle.Red.
Wings.Transparent part of a starling’s quill feather.
Hook.0—2.
Black Ant—
Body.Black silk, ribbed with silver tinsel.
Hackle.Black.
Wings.As Red Ant.
Hook.0—1.
“Of the caterpillars, spiders, and other creatures which are supposed to fall from the trees into the water, and into the trout’s mouth, and of the consequent advantage of trees projecting over a stream; of the sapient advice, both verbal and written, to cultivate vegetation overhanging the river, because it increases the supply of natural food; of the statement that fish under trees are invariably in the best condition, anglers have heard from time immemorial. My advice is, cultivate your trees, because they are of advantage as giving shelter to the fish. Not a single example of these tree windfalls has been found in the hundreds of autopsies which I have made, and all the caterpillars andspiders that fall from the trees in a mile of water would not suffice to feed a single pound trout for a single day. They may therefore be discarded from consideration.”—Halford’sDry-fly Entomology, page 138.
I read this passage with extreme surprise, as it absolutely contradicts my personal experience. After thinking the matter over carefully, and trying to make out how it was that Mr. Halford, in the hundreds of autopsies he has made, has never come across a caterpillar, I realised how dangerous it is to make a dogmatic and sweeping statement with the evidence of personal experience only to fall back upon.
As recently as June, 1897, when fishing with Dr. Charles R. Watson and Mr. A. D. Home, I made with them a series of six autopsies of trout caught consecutively in one morning. The smallest number of caterpillars found in one of these six autopsies was five, and the greatest, twelve. These trout were all caught under oak trees overhanging the water, which were at that time swarming with small caterpillars, most of these caterpillars being of a brilliant emerald green colour.
In the afternoon of the day on which I am writing this, Colonel Walker showed me a peculiar sort of knife which he carries when out fishing, for the purpose of making autopsies on trout. I naturally took advantage of this occasion to increase my evidence, and asked him if he had ever found caterpillars in the trout he caught. He told me that in certain places, in the early part of the summer, he almost always found caterpillars in the stomachs of the trout he caught under trees overhanging the water.
This experience of his exactly coincides with my own, though the six consecutive autopsies described above without my other similar experiences is a fairly strong piece of evidence. I am therefore inclined to believe that there is some good to be gained in following the sapient advice, verbal and written, to cultivate vegetation overhanging the river, beyond its advantage as giving shelter to the fish.
I will narrate the circumstances which first led me to use the caterpillar as adry fly, as they may, I think, interest my reader.
I was lying on the bank by a large pool on a stream, and saw a little green caterpillar hanging from the branch of an oak tree, apparently trying in vain to pull himself up the thread by which he had so foolishly lowered himself, till he was uncomfortably near the surface of the water. I watched him, lazily thinking in a dreamy manner how very unkind it was of the trout to keep on rising, and yet not look at my fly. They were evidently feeding on something, but what it was I could not make out. The little green caterpillar was getting gradually nearer to the water, and I was beginning to think that the poor little chap would meet with a watery grave, when just as he touched the water a trout came up and grabbed him.
Little green caterpillars were evidently what the trout were feeding upon, and that was the reason that I could not catch one with a fly. I watched the branches of the oak tree overhanging the water for some time, and saw several caterpillarsfall in and meet with the same fate. The next thing I did was to catch a caterpillar, scrape the fly dressing off my hook, and put him on it instead. I caught several trout in this way, but found that it was almost impossible to cast any distance without shaking off the caterpillar. After much trouble caused by this difficulty, which was very trying to the temper, as the caterpillars always seemed to come off the hook at the most critical moment, and having got a fairly good basket, I found it was time to return. That night I managed to make some fairly good imitations of the little green caterpillar to use on the morrow, instead of the natural ones. These imitations met with success, and since that time I have been able to improve on the dressings then used.
I have found many different kinds of caterpillars in the stomachs of trout, but small green ones of various sorts were decidedly the most numerous. The species I have most frequently found is, I believe, the larval form of theTortrix viridana. I have never found a large caterpillar in a trout, though I have caught trout withimitations of them used as dry flies. I give the exact dressing of the green caterpillar; but the other dressings must be left to the discretion of the fisherman for alterations, as there are so many sorts of small caterpillars, some of them being extremely rare in one place and common in another.
Should the fisherman wish to see the sort of caterpillar commonest where he is fishing, he must seek them himself. Those only are useful which are on the trees overhanging the water. If there are oak trees the caterpillars will probably be green, and many kinds of caterpillars will be found which have rolled themselves up in the leaves of the tree upon which they live. I have no doubt that this imitation caterpillar will be looked upon as a poaching implement, but it is or should be used as a dry fly, and to use it successfully requires as much skill and power of observation as does the use of any imitation of a fly used in a similar manner.
How to make an Artificial Caterpillar.—A small piece of cork 1/32 of an inch thick, or less, and nearly twice the length of thehook, must be cut into the shape shown inFig. 17. Next take a piece of quill rather longer than, and about the thickness of a large pin, from a tail or wing feather of a starling. This quill makes the foundation of the body. Split the thick end of the quill far enough to embrace two-thirds of the shank of the hook, and then tie it on the hook as shown inFig. 18. Now fold the piece of cork, with the broad end towards the eye of the hook, over the shank of the hook and the quill, tying it in as shown inFig. 19.