TO THE MAY-FLY.Thou art a frail and curious thing,Engender'd by the sun,A moment only on the wing,And thy career is done.Thou sportest in the evening beam,An hour, an age to thee,In gaity above the stream,Which soon thy grave shall be.Borton Wilford.
TO THE MAY-FLY.
TO THE MAY-FLY.
Thou art a frail and curious thing,Engender'd by the sun,A moment only on the wing,And thy career is done.
Thou art a frail and curious thing,
Engender'd by the sun,
A moment only on the wing,
And thy career is done.
Thou sportest in the evening beam,An hour, an age to thee,In gaity above the stream,Which soon thy grave shall be.
Thou sportest in the evening beam,
An hour, an age to thee,
In gaity above the stream,
Which soon thy grave shall be.
Borton Wilford.
Borton Wilford.
THE FLESH FLY.
The Flesh-fly, when the water is low and clear, is one of the most alluring flies that can be offered to the Trout, but great skill, care, and judgment are requisite in the use of it; in the hands of an expert angler, on a close hot day during the month of July, it is a sure and certain adjunct towards filling a pannier. The fish will take it when they will not look at an artificial; you will take as large fish with it as are to be had with any kind of fly, either natural or artificial. The flies are easily procured in shady places, in woods or fields, where cattle and horses have left recently made soil. After having struck them with a bundle of twigs and killed, or stunned, as many as will answer your purpose, put them into a horn, or anything suitable, so that they do not escape. Your cast line must be of a length proportioned to the size of the river or brook where you fish, as a general rule (if you wade in the water), about a little longer than the length of your rod,—let your cast line be exceedingly fine, and have attached to it three-quarters of a yard of the finest round silk-worm gut,—your hook should be No. 2, put your fly on by inserting the point of the hook under the head of the fly, and running it through the body, bringing it out at the tail—you need not make above two or three casts at a place, and follow the same rule as with the May-fly, viz., to let the fish turn his head downwards before you strike. Streams are the likeliest places where they have not time to scan the fly, in that curiously suspicious and shy manner in which they generally come to it in smooth water. However when they are in the humour they will take it anywhere if you can only contrive to keep out of sight,hie labor hoc opus est; this is the trouble and difficulty in a low water; and note, it is not worth while attempting to fish with the Flesh Fly on cold windy days, let the water be in ever such fine condition. Trout take this fly best when the temperature ranges somewhere about seventy Farenheit. This fly is often taken when the May-fly is refused.
THE COW DUNG FLY.
The Cow Dung Fly is a good and enticing fly, it is easily procurable, as its name intimates, on foil left by cattle: if the water is low and clear, with a brisk wind stirring, you may use it advantageously, because the wind usually carries great quantities of them upon the water, which induce the fish to rise. These flies are found from May to October; fish with them in the same way as the Flesh Fly; a No. 2 hook is quite large enough for them. Wherever you see a fish rise, when fishing with this or the Flesh Fly, you may count upon him as your own four times out of six, if you only contrive to make a light and dexterous cast, over the place where you observe the fish rise. Dapping or Dibbing, or perhaps more properly Dipping,—this is another method of using the natural flies, and a very killing way too; your rod for this fishing must be of a good length, with a stiff top; your line composed solely of good, fine, strong gut, must be about but not less than a yard in length,—put your flies on the same sized hooks, and after the same way as you are directed to adopt in the other method where a longer line is used. Having stationed yourself out of sight, behind a bush, tree or rock, let your fly drop gently on the surface of the water, keep lifting and letting it fall so as just to cause the slightest perceptible dimple on the water, and if there is a fish at all hungry in your locality, you are pretty sure to have him. If a good fish is hooked, let your winch line go, because he will struggle furiously when he feels the hook, and the hold might give way, provided you were too hasty and anxious to land him. In dibbing, almost any kind of fly will answer. The day suitable for this should be warm, and the water rather low and clear.
LIST OF PALMER FLIES FROM MARCH TO OCTOBER.
The following list of flies will take fish in all Trouting streams of Yorkshire, Durham, Northumberland, Cumberland and Westmoreland.
It is best to make your Flies in a warm room, or in warm weather out of doors,—your silk will then wax kindly, which is of great consequence in making Flies.
The three best winged Flies for Spring, are the Red Fly, Blue, Dun and Brown.
The three principal Flies forAutumnare the little Whirling Blue, Pale Blue, and Willow Fly.
February.—Red Fly.
March.—Red Fly, Dun Fly and Brown Drake.
April.—The same as March with the addition of the Grannam or Green Tail, and the Spider Fly.
May.—The Black Caterpillar, the Little Iron Blue, the Yellow Sally Fly, the Oak Fly and the Orl Fly.
June.—Sky Coloured Blue, the Cadiss Fly, the Blue Gnat, Large Red Ant Fly, Black Ant Fly, Little Whirling Blue, Pale Blue.
July.—Some of the same Flies as June, with the addition of the Wasp Fly, Black Palmer, July Dun, and Orange Fly.
August.—Small Red and Black Ant Flies, Willow Flies.
September.—Pale Blues, and Whirling Blue.
October.—Same as March, with the addition of the Dark and Pale Blues.
March.—1. The Dark Brown—dubbed with the brown hair of a cow, and the grey feather of a Mallard for wings. 2. The Great Whirling Dun—dubbed with squirrels fur, for wings, grey feather of mallard. 3. Early Bright Brown—dubbed with brown hair from behind the ears of a spaniel dog, wings from a mallard. 4. The Blue Dun—dubbed with down from a black greyhound's neck, mixed with violet coloured blue worsted, wings pale part of a starling's wing. 5. The Black Gnat—dubbed with black mohair, the wings of the lightest part of a starling.
April.—1. The Dark Brown,—brown spaniel's hair mixed with a little violet camlet, warp with yellow silk, wings, grey feather from mallard. 2. The Violet Fly—dubbed with dark violet stuff, and a little dun bear's hair mixed with it, wings from a mallard. 3. The Little Whirling Dun—dubbed with fox cubs fur, ash coloured, ribbed about with yellow silk, wings a pale grey feather from a mallard. 4. Small Bright Brown—dubbed with camel's hair, and marten's yellow fur mixed, wings pale feather of a starling.
May.—The Dun Cut—dubbed with brown hair, a little blue and yellow mixed with it, wings, woodcock, and two horns at the head from a squirrel's tail. 2. The Stone Fly—dubbed with dun bear's hair, mixed with a little brown and yellow camlet, so placed that the fly may be yellower on the belly and towards the tail than any where else, place two hairs from a black cat's beard, in such a way that they may stand upright, rib the body with yellow silk, and make the wings very large from the dark grey feathers of a mallard. 3. The Camlet Fly—dubbed with dark brown shining camlet, ribbed over with green silk, wings, grey feather of a mallard. 4. Cow Dung Fly—dubbed with light brown and yellow camlet mixed, or dirty lemon coloured mohair with the hackle of a landrail.[5]
June.—1. The Ant Fly—dubbed with brown and red camlet mixed, wings, starling's feather, pale. 2. Little Black Gnat—dubbed with black strands from an ostrich, wings, light feather from underneath starling's wing. 3. Brown Palmer—dubbed with light brown seal's hair, warped with ash coloured silk and a red hackle over the whole. 4. The Small Red Spinner—dubbed with yellow hair from behind the ear of a spaniel, ribbed with gold twist, a red hackle over the whole, the wings from a starling.[6]
July.—1. Orange Fly—dubbed with brown fur of a badger, warped with red silk, wings from dark grey feather of mallard, with a head made of red silk. 2. The Wasp Fly—dubbed with brown bear or cow's hair, ribbed with yellow silk, and the wings of the inside of starling's wing. 3. The Black Palmer—dubbed with black copper coloured peacock's harl, and a black cock's hackle over that, wings, blackbird. 4. The July Dun—dubbed with the down of a watermouse, mixed with bluish seal's fur, or with the fur of a mole, mixed with a little marten's fur, warped with ash coloured silk, wood-pigeon's wing feather for wings.—A good killer.
August.—The Late Ant Fly—dubbed with the blackish brown hair of a cow, warp some red silk in for the tag of the tail, the wings from a woodcock. 2. The Fern Fly—dubbed with the fur from a hare's neck, which is of a fern colour, wings dark grey feather of mallard. 3. The White Palmer—dubbed with white peacock's harl, and a black hackle over it. 4. The Pale Blue—dubbed with very light blue fur, mixed with a little yellow marten's fur, and a blue hackle over the whole, the wings from a blue pigeon.—A very killing fly. 5. The Harry Longlegs—dubbed with darkish brown hair, and a brown hackle over it, head rather large.
September.—The Peacock Harl—dubbed with ruddy peacock's harl, warped with green silk, and a red cock's hackle over that. 2. The Camel Brown—dubbed with old brownish hair, with red silk, wings dark grey feather from mallard. 3. The Late Badger—dubbed with black fur of a badger or spaniel, mixed with the soft yellow down of a sandy coloured pig, wings dark mallard. 4. The September Dun—dubbed with the down of a mouse, warped with ash coloured silk, wings feather of a starling.
October.—Same as March.
As I never fished for Trout in November, I attempt no list of Flies for that month. From Michaelmas to the middle of February, all anglers should refrain from killing Trout.
Moths Brown and White for Evening Fishing.—The Brown—from the feathers of a brown Owl, dubbed with light mohair, dark grey Cock's hackle for legs, and red head. White Moth—strands from an Ostrich, wings from a white Pigeon, a white hackle for legs, and a black head.—Hooks No. 2 or 3. Good killers at dusk on a Summer's evening.
LIST OF HACKLE FLIES FROM FEBRUARY TO NOVEMBER.
February.—Small black flies, made from Starling's breast or Black bird, with black or purple silk—hook No. 1. Inside and out of Woodcock's wing and yellow silk. Plover's breast or Dottrel's wing feather and yellow silk—hooks No. 1 or 2; red Cock's hackle and yellow silk.
March.—Inside of Woodcock's wing and yellow silk, No. 2 hook. Dark Woodcock, and dark orange silk, No. 2 hook. Dottrel and yellow silk, No. 2 hook. Dark Snipe and crimson silk, No. 2 hook. Dark Snipe and purple silk, No. 1 hook.
April.—Woodcock's as for March. Inside of Woodcock's wing and yellow silk, No. 2 hook. Freckled Snipe and yellow silk. No. 2 hook. Dark Snipe and crimson silk, No. 2 hook. Dottrel and yellow silk,—inside of Snipe's wing, and pale yellow silk,—hooks No. 2.
May.—All the above April flies are taken, also, Partridge's breast and yellow or crimson silk, very light Dottrel's or plover's breast and fawn coloured silk, Blackbird and purple silk, Blackbird and dark crimson silk, sea Swallow and primrose silk, inside of Woodcock's wing and crimson silk—hooks, 1 or 2 according to water.[7]
June.—Most of the above, to which add Dottrel and orange silk, Plover and light orange silk, dark Snipe and orange silk, Freckled Snipe and orange silk, freckled Snipe and crimson silk. Hooks No. 1 or two according to size of water. Dottrel's breast and yellow silk,—Hooks No. 1.
July.—Many of the above, with Sandpiper and yellow or purple silk, Plover's breast and crimson silk Wren's tail and orange silk, Dottrel and bright scarlet silk; Plover's back feather with gold twist and orange silk, Landrail and bright red silk, dark Snipe and sky coloured blue silk.—Hooks No. 1 or 2 at discretion. If the water is very clear, use hooks as small as possible.
August.—Some of the July flies for the first fortnight, with dark Snipe and green, Snipe's breast and purple silk, Dottrel and black silk, Landrail and red silk, dark Snipe or Starling's breast and red silk, Grouse hackle and bright scarlet silk.—Hooks 1 and 2 according to water.
September.—Some of the August Flies, with Landrail and yellow silk, pale blue from sea Swallow and primrose silk, pale blue from ditto and crimson silk,—Hooks 1 and 2.
October.—Inside of Snipe's wing feather and yellow silk, Woodpigeon's feather and pale yellow silk, dark outside feather of Snipe's wing and crimson or orange silk, outside feather of Dottrel's wing and yellow silk—hooks No. 1 or 2.
November.—Same Flies as February.
The Blue, Black and Dun Gnats are at times on the water from May to August, and when the fish are taking them they generally refuse the larger flies.
The Blue Gnat may be made thus: A blue feather from a Titmouse's tail for wings, body from pale blue floss silk, on a cypher hook, which means the smallest hook made; or the wings may be had from Heron's plumes, with same or primrose silk.
Black Gnat—Starling's breast and black silk, cypher hook; or black Ostrich strand and inside wing feather of Starling for wings.
Dun Gnat—from inside wing feather of a Landrail and fawn coloured silk—cypher hook.
Observe, that you may put more feather on your hackle flies in the Spring than in the Summer; when the water is low and clear, a very small quantity of hackle is sufficient, and it should by no means descend much, if any, below the bend of the hook.
In low waters, except when the blue, dun and brown drakes are on, the hackle flies will generally be found to kill better than the winged flies.
REMARKS ON THE MARCH BROWN OR DUN DRAKE.
The March Brown is well known to all anglers as a fly to which they are chiefly indebted for the greatest portion of their sport in the Spring, commencing as its name indicates in March, and continuing the whole of April and into May. They appear on the water each succeeding day about eleven in the forenoon, and retire about half-past two p.m. Few rivers or brooks produce March Browns that are exactly alike;—I mean with regard to the same shade of colour, even in the same river there are frequently darker and lighter flies. For the lighter one I recommend the hen pheasant's or brown owl's wing feather, dubbed with hare's ear and yellow silk; for the dark, the tail feather of a partridge, a brown red hackle underneath the wings, and dark orange silk, or a woodcock's feather for wings, and a dark red hackle with dark orange silk,—kills exceedingly well. When the water is low and fine, I consider your chance of killing fish far greater with two, than three of the large spring flies. If you put the brown, and blue dun on your stretcher, three quarters of a yard apart, you will find your cast will be much lighter with the two than three; this plan also holds good in reference to hackle flies, provided that you know what the fish are taking.
SELECT LIST OF VERY KILLING FLIES, BOTH PALMERS AND HACKLES.
If these flies do not answer, it is very rare that you will succeed with any other. They are suitable for all the rivers and brooks of Yorkshire, Durham, Westmoreland and Cumberland; about thirty years experience has convinced me of their entire excellence, and probably the ingenuity of man cannot devise any to supersede them.
Palmers for March, April, and first week in May,—The March Brown or Dun Drake,—The Blue Dun,—Early Bright Brown.
May.—The Dun Cut,—The Cow Dung Fly, and also the March Brown and Blue Dun are on the waters in late seasons to the middle of the month.
June.—Little Black Gnat,—The Brown Palmer,—Little Red Spinner—and Alder Fly.
July.—The Wasp Fly,—Black Palmer,—July Dun.
August.—The Late Ant Fly,—The Pale Blue.
September.—The September Dun,—The Camel Brown and Willow Fly.
October.—Blue Dun, Pale Blue, and Dun Drake.
Note.—If there are no Flies on the water when you begin to angle, try a Palmer till you find what Flies the fish are taking. One Palmer and two small hackle Flies on your stretcher give a tolerable good chance.
Note.—If there are no Flies on the water when you begin to angle, try a Palmer till you find what Flies the fish are taking. One Palmer and two small hackle Flies on your stretcher give a tolerable good chance.
LIST OF HACKLES AND SILKS TO SUIT.
(GOOD KILLERS.)
For March and April.—Dark Snipe and crimson silk,—Dark Snipe and Purple silk.—Hooks No. 1 and 2.—Outside feather of Woodcock's wing and dark orange silk.—Inside feather of Woodcock's wing and yellow silk.—Dottrel's back or neck feather and yellow silk.—Hooks No. 2 or 3.
May.—Inside and outside feathers of Woodcock's wing, with orange and yellow silk,—Starling or Blackbird's breast and black silk,—Freckled Snipe and yellow silk,—Dark Snipe and crimson silk.—Hooks No. 1 and 2.
June.—Blackbird and orange silk,—Plover and orange silk.—Dottrel's breast and yellow silk,—Freckled Snipe and crimson silk,—Partridge's breast and crimson or yellow silk,—Dark Snipe and yellow silk,—Freckled Snipe and orange silk,—Sandpiper and purple or yellow silk.—Hooks No. 1 or 2.
July.—Light Dottrel and scarlet silk,—Inside of Landrail's wing and yellow silk,—Blackbird and dark red silk,—Feather from neck of a Grouse and scarlet silk,—Plover's breast and bright yellow silk,—Sandpiper and purple silk.—Hooks No. 1 or 2.
August.—Most of the July hackles for the first fortnight, to which add dark Snipe and green silk,—Snipe's breast feather and purple silk,—Dottrel and black silk,—Landrail and red silk.—Hooks No. 1 and 2.
September.—Some of the August Flies with Landrail and yellow silk,—pale blue from Sea Swallow's wing and yellow or primrose coloured silk,—pale blue from Sea Swallow and crimson silk.
October.—Same as March,—with inside of Snipe's wing and yellow silk,—Woodpigeon's feather and yellow silk,—Dottrel and pale yellow silk.—Hooks No. 1 or 2.
I deemNovemberlike February, not worth a list.
A LIST OF FLIES THAT WILL, OR AT LEAST ARE LIKELY TO KILL, IN ALL TROUT STREAMS.
FLIES FOR MARCH.
1. Dark Blue,—one of the earliest. 2. Olive Blue,—March and April,—a good Fly in cold weather. 3. Red Clock,—April and March. 4. Little Brown,—March and April, the dark first, then the lighter,—good on warm days. 5. Blue Midge,—early in Spring and late in Autumn. 6. Great Brown, or March Brown,—March, April and first week in May. 7. Yellow Legged Blue,—from the latter end of March to the end of April, on cold days, particularly in April.
FLIES FOR APRIL.
1. Dark Blue,—yellow or Dun Midge from middle of April to middle of May. 2. Spider Legs,—end of April and May,—kills best in a wind. 3. Land Fly,—end of April till towards the end of May 4. Green Tail or Grannam, from six in the morning till eleven again in the evening, when the Browns are off. 5. Ash Fly,—from April to the end of June,—a good killer on windy days.
FLIES FOR MAY.
1. Grey Midge,—the latter end of April and all Summer. 2. Yellow Sally Fly,—all May. 3. May Brown,—latter end of May till latter end of June. 4. Pale Blue,—from middle of May and all through June,—good in the evenings. 5. Yellow Fly,—the greatest parts of May and June,—kills best on cold windy days. 6. Little Stone Blue,—from the middle of May till the Autumn. 7. May or Stone Fly,—if the weather is genial, the last week in May, and continues through June.
FLIES FOR JUNE.
1. Hawthorn Fly,—all June. 2. Little Dark and Pale Blue,—the dark during the middle of the day, the light in the evening. 3. June Dun,—about the middle of June,—suits showery weather. 4. Twitch Bell,—continues till the middle of July,—best in the evening,—Stone fly.
FLIES FOR JULY.
1. Little Olive Blue,—the greater part of July and August 2. Black and Red Ant Flies,—in July, August and September. 3. Little Blue,—July and August,—best in the middle of the day.
FLIES FOR AUGUST.
1. August Brown,—comes on about the latter end of July, continuing through August and till the middle of September. 2. Light Blue,—August, September and October,—a capital Fly on cold days. 3. Orange Stinger,—hot days in August. 4. Grey Grannam,—showery days in August and September.
FLIES FOR SEPTEMBER.
1. Light Olive Blue. 2. Small Willow Fly. 3. Large Willow Fly,—September and October.
FLIES FOR OCTOBER.
1. Blue Bottle and House Fly. 2. Small Olive Blue. 3. Dark Grey Midge.
HOW TO DRESS THE ABOVE.
FOR MARCH.
1. Dark Blue,—dark feather inside of Waterhen's wing; body,—dark red brown silk, black hackle for legs—tail two strands of the same. 2. Olive Blue,—feather of Starling's wing, body light olive silk, and red hackle. 3. Red Clock,—wings and legs red; Peacock's brown herl, and bright red silk for body. 4. Little Brown,—feather from inside of Woodcock's wing, red copper coloured silk for body, and brown hackle for legs. 5. Blue Midge,—feather of Waterhen's neck,—lead coloured silk for body, grizzled hackle for legs. 6. Great Brown,—feather from the hen Pheasant's wing,—dark orange silk for body, brown red hackle for legs,—tail do. 7. Yellow Legged Blue,—feather from inside of Teal's wing, or lightest part of Starling's wing,—straw coloured silk for body, legs yellow hackle,—tail do.
FOR APRIL.
1. Dark Blue,—same as March. 2. Dun Midge,—lightest part of a Thrush's quill feather,—pale yellow silk, ribbed with light orange,—legs yellow hackle. 3. Spider Legs,—rusty coloured feather from Feldfare's back,—lead coloured silk for body, grizzled hackle for legs. 4. Sand Fly,—ruddy mottled feather of hen Pheasant's wing,—reddish fur from Hare's neck, ribbed with light brown silk,—ginger coloured hackle for legs. 5. Green Tail or Grannam,—wings inside of hen Pheasant's wing,—body lead coloured silk, with Peacock's green herl for tail,—legs ginger hackle. 6. Inside of Woodcock's wing,—body orange coloured silk neatly ribbed,—hackle from a grouse for legs.
FOR MAY.
1. Grey Midge,—feather from Woodcock's breast,—body of pale yellow silk. 2. Yellow Sally,—pale yellow feather,—body yellow silk,—legs yellow hackle. 3. May Brown,—ruddy grey,—feather from Partridge's back,—olive coloured silk ribbed with light brown for body,—legs, hackles of an olive colour, tail do. 4. Pale Blue,—Sea Swallow for wings,—yellow pale silk for body, ribbed with sky blue,—pale yellow hackles for legs,—tail do.,—Little Stone Blue,—feather from Blackbird inside the wing, or Swift,—brown silk for body, brown hackle for legs. Stone Fly,—Mallard's feather from the back,—very large for wings,—two strands of yellow, and one of drab,—Ostrich herl neatly ribbed,—tie with brown silk.—horns and tail, black cat's whiskers.
FLIES FOR JUNE.
1. Little Dark Blue,—inside of Waterhen's wing,—lead coloured silk for body, legs yellowish dun hackle, tail Rabbit's whisker. 2. Pale Blue—light part of Starling's quill feather for wings, pale yellow silk for body, pale yellow dun hackle for legs and tail. 3. June Dun—a feather from Dottrel's back, hackled on a body of blue Rabbit's fur and drab silk, dun hackle for legs. 4. Twitchbell—inside of lightest part of Starling's quill feather for wings, brown hackle for legs, brown Peacock's herl for body.
FLIES FOR JULY.
1. Little Olive Blue—Feather of Starling's wing dyed in onion peelings, lead coloured silk for body, ribbed with yellow, dun hackle for legs, stained like the wings, Rabbit's whiskers for tail. 2. Little Black Ant—feather of a Bluecap's tail for wings, black Ostrich herl dressed small in the middle for body, brown hackle for legs. 3. Red Ant—Lark's Quill feather for wings, cock Pheasant's herl from tail for body, red hackle for legs. 4. Little Blue—Bullfinch's tail feather for wings, dark blue silk for body, dark blue hackle for legs, tail do.
FLIES FOR AUGUST.
1. August Brown—feather from hen Pheasant's wing,—fern coloured fur from Hare's neck, ribbed with pale yellow silk,—grizzled hackle for legs,—tail do. 2. Light Blue,—inside of Snipe's wing,—body light Drab silk,—tail and legs grizzled hackle. 3. Cinnamon Fly,—feather from Landrail,—orange and straw coloured silk for body,—ginger hackle for legs. 4. Light Blue,—inside of Snipe's wing,—light drab silk for body,—legs and tail grizzled hackle. 5. Dark Blue,—feather from Waterhen inside the wing,—reddish brown silk for body,—legs and tail brown hackle. 6. Orange Stinger,—taken from middle of August to the end of September—feather from Starling's quill,—the head brown—the tail orange silk,—for body and legs, furnace hackle. 7. Grey Grannam,—dark feather from night Hawk or brown Owl,—red Squirrel's fur and fawn coloured silk for body,—ginger hackle for legs.
FLIES FOR SEPTEMBER.
1. Light Olive Blue,—Dottrel's wing,—body pale white French silk,—legs and tail pale blue hackle. 2. Dark Olive Blue,—wings inside of Waterhen's wing,—body lead coloured silk,—black hackle for legs,—tail Hare's whiskers. 3. Small Willow Fly,—wings inside of Woodcock's wing feather,—body mole's fur and yellow silk,—brown hackle for legs.
OCTOBER.
1. House Fly,—lark's quill feather,—light brown silk,—ribbed with dark Ostrich herl for body,—legs grizzled hackle. 2. Small Olive Blue,—wings Starling's feather stained with onion peelings,—yellow silk for body,—legs olive stained hackle. 3. Dark Grey Midge,—wings dark grey feather of a Partridge,—body brown silk,—legs grey Partridge hackle.
RED PALMER.
Body greenish herl of Peacock,—ribbed with gold tinsel,—wrapt with red silk,—red hackle over all.
BLACK PALMER.
Body dark Peacock's herl,—ribbed with gold tinsel,—green silk, black, brown or red hackle over all.
MAY FLIES.
THE YELLOW, GREY, AND GREEN DRAKES.
These flies, which are known as May flies, afford great sport. Trout and Greyling are so partial to them that they refuse all others during the time they are on the water, but they are not common to all rivers. The Driffield, Derwent and other Yorkshire streams, have them in great abundance. The best chance with the artificial May fly, is when there is wind stirring sufficient to cause a pretty considerable curl on the water. TheYellow Drakemay be made in this way,—a Mallard's back feather dyed yellow; for wings, Cock's hackle dyed yellow; underneath the wings to make them stand upright, yellow camlet, ribbed with brown silk for body; tail, two hairs from Squirrel's tail.Grey Drake,—wings from Mallard's back feather, black Cock's hackle underneath; body sky blue camlet ribbed with copper coloured Peacock's herl; tail from Squirrel.Green Drake,—same as yellow except the wings, which must be from a Mallard's feather dyed a yellowish green.
I have not deemed it requisite to introduce any illustrations of flies, because I cannot conceive that any really beneficial results are obtainable by merely showing the difference on paper between natural and artificial flies. Catch the natural fly, imitate it as closely as possible; put your made fly into a tumbler of clear water, then if the size and the prevailing colours as to body and wings resemble your copy, you are all right. This appears to me the best comparative illustration.
I beg to suggest to those who have opportunity and leisure, that they might at the cost of a little trouble, make a collection of all the flies that come on the waters, where they are accustomed to angle. They are easily caught and preserved, and if classed according to the months during which they were found, would be useful and interesting to themselves and friends, if only to refer to when manufacturing flies.
HOW TO MAKE A HACKLE FLY.
Take a hook of the required size, between the finger and thumb of your left hand, with the point towards the end of your finger, place the gut along the top of the shank, and with the silk bind them tightly together, beginning half way down the shank, and wrap the end, take two turns back again which will form the head of the fly; lay the feather along the hook, the point towards your left hand, and take three turns over it with the silk, clip off the points of the feather, and bind it neatly round till the fibre is consumed, bring the silk round the root of the feather to bind to the end of the tail of the fly. Cut off all superfluities and fasten off by the drawn knots, then with a needle trim the fibres and your fly is made.
TO MAKE A WINGED FLY.
Have your materials ready, wings silk &c., of the colour you require, then take a hook between the forefinger and thumb of your left hand, with the point towards your forefinger, place the gut at the top of the shank, and with the silk bind them tightly together, bind all tight within two or three turns of the shank of the hook. Take the feather for wings, lay the feather's point the proper length between your finger and thumb along the hook, and take two or three turns over it for the head of the fly, and bind the gut between the second and third fingers of your left hand, and with the scissors clip off the root end of the feather, wrap the silk back again once under the wings, setting them upwards; with the point of the needle divide equally the wings crossing the silk between them. Lay the hackle for legs, root end towards the bend of the hook, wrap your silk over it and so make the body of your fly, then take the fibre end of the hackle, rib the body of the fly neatly with it, till you reach the silk hanging down, wind the silk twice or thrice over the hackle, fasten with the usual knots, and your fly is complete.
MATERIALS REQUIRED FOR MAKING WINGED AND HACKLE FLIES.
In the manufacture of winged flies a great variety of feathers are required. Procure those of a Mallard, Teal, Partridge, especially the tail feathers; also, the wings of a Starling, Jay, Landrail, Waterhen, Blackbird, Fieldfare, Pheasant Hen, Pewitt's Topping, Peacock's Herl, green and copper coloured, black Ostrich herl, Snipe, Dottrel, Woodcock and golden Plover's wings, the tail feathers of the blue and brown Titmouse, and also Heron's plumes. Dubbing is to be had from old Turkey Carpet, Hare ears, Water Rat's fur, Squirrel, Mohair, old hair cast from young cattle, of a red, blue, brown, black and fawn colour from behind a Spaniel's ears, and from the fur of a Mouse, and note, Martin's fur is the best yellow that can be had. In regard to Silks be careful to suit the colour of the silk (at least as much so as you possibly can,) to the hackle you select for dubbing with. Thus with a Dun hackle, use yellow silk; a black hackle, sky blue; a brown or red hackle, red or dark orange do.
The above selection of silks and dubbing are for Palmers and winged flies generally. It is a good plan however to take and wet your dubbing previous to making use of it, because when dry it may appear the exact colour you need, yet wetted quite the reverse. To acquire an accurate knowledge of any dubbing, hold it between the sun and your eyes. Mohairs may be had of all colours, black, blue, yellow and tawny, fromfeuille mortea dead leaf, and Isabella which is a whitish yellow soiled buff.
TO MAKE A PALMER FLY.
Take a length of fine round silk worm gut, half a yard of silk well waxed, (wax if possible of the same colour,) take a No. three or four hook, hold it by the bend between the forefinger and thumb of the left hand, with the shank towards your right hand, and with the point and beard of your hook not under your fingers, but nearly parallel with the tips of them, then take the silk and hold it about the middle of it with your hook, one part laying along the inside of it to your left hand, the other to your right; then take that part of the silk which lies towards your right hand between the forefinger and thumb of that hand, and holding that part towards your left tight along the inside of the hook, whip that to the right three or four times round the shank of the hook towards the right hand, after which take the gut and lay either of its ends along the inside of the shank of the hook, till it comes near the bend of it, then hold the hook, silk and gut tight between the forefinger and thumb of your left hand, and afterwards put that portion of silk into your right, giving three or four more whips over both gut and hook, until it approaches the end of the shank, then make a loop and fasten it tight, then whip it neatly again over both silk, gut, and hook, until it comes near to the end of the hook, make another loop and fasten it again; now wax the longest end of the silk again, then hold your Ostrich strand, dubbing on whatever you have selected, and hook as at first with the silk just waxed anew, whip them three or four times round at the bend of the hook, making them tight by a loop as before, then the strands to your right hand and twisting them and the silk together with the forefinger and thumb of the right hand, wind them round the shank tight, till you come to the place where you fastened, then loop and fasten again, then take your scissors and cut the body of the Palmer into an oval shape, that is, small at the head and the end of the shank, but full in the centre; don't cut too much of the dubbing off. Now both ends of the silk are separated, one at the bend, the other at the end of the shank, wax them afresh, then take the hackle, hold the small end of it between the forefinger and thumb of your left hand, and stroke the fibres of it with those of your right, the contrary way to what they are formed; hold your hook as at the beginning, and place the point of the hackle on its bend with that side growing next to the Cock's neck upwards, then whip it tight to the hook, but in fastening, avoid if possible, tying the fibres; the hackle now being fast, take it by the large end and keeping that side which lies to the neck of the Cock to the left hand, begin with your right hand to wind it up the shank upon the dubbing, stopping every second turn, and holding what you have wound tight with the fingers of your left hand, whilst with a needle you pick out the fibres unavoidably left in; proceed in this manner till you come to where you first fastened, and where an end of the silk remains; then clip off the fibres of the hackle which you hold between your finger and thumb close to the stem, and hold the stem close to the hook, afterwards take the silk in your right hand and whip the stem fast to the hook, and make it tight: clip off the remaining silk at both bend and shank of the hook, and also all fibres that start or don't stand well, and then your fly is complete.
GOLDEN PALMER.
Take the hair of a black Spaniel for dubbing, ribbed with gold twist, and a red hackle over all.
SILVER HACKLE PALMER.
The same dubbing as for the Golden Palmer, silver twist over that, and a brown red hackle, and note, when you make Golden or Silver Palmers, and when whipping the end of the hackle to the head of the hook, do the same to the twist whether Gold or Silver, first winding on the dubbing, observing that they lie flat on it, then fasten off and proceed with the hackle, or you may wind the hackle on the dubbing first, and rib the body with either of the twists afterwards. Palmers may be made so as to suit all waters by making them of various colours and sizes, and it is a good plan to fish with a Palmer until you know to a certainty what fly is on the water. Hackles for Palmers should consist of red, dun, yellow, orange and black, they should not by any means exceed half an inch in length. A strong brown red hackle is exceedingly valuable. Any person who can make a Palmer will make winged flies without difficulty.
TO MAKE HACKLE FLIES.
Select a feather the colour you want, and whose fibres are of the length suitable for the size of the fly you wish to dress. Strip off all superfluous fibres, leaving on the stem of the feather no more than you require for your fly, then having previously waxed about half a yard of fine silk of whatever colour you deem best, take your gut or hair and hook into your left hand, lay the gut inside the shank of the hook nearly down to the bend, then whip the gut and hook, at the end of your hook together, then lay your feather the reverse way from the top of the feather on to the gut and hook, make fast the feather with your silk, then wind your silk on the hook as far as you intend the fibres to extend, holding the hook, gut and silk in your left, with your right wind the fibres down to the silk and make all fast, then wind the remaining part of the gut and hook as far as nearly the bend of the hook with your silk, and fasten; wind your silk back again to the feather, make all fast, cut off the remains of the silk, smooth down the fibres, press them between your finger and thumb, and having arranged them to your mind, the fly is completed. Instead of carrying the silk back again to the feather from the bend of the hook, you may finish there, if you prefer doing so. I prefer the former. Making hackle flies is such an easy matter, that any person with any ingenuity and attention, may soon become a proficient in fabrication of them, and by diligent observation as to the size, colour, and peculiarities of the great variety of natural flies, which make their appearance on the water at particular seasons and hours of the day, he will at all times be enabled to pursue his diversion with the best chance of success. Nature best followed best secures the sport.
WORM OR BOTTOM FISHING.
You may take Trout in February with the worm if the weather is mild, and continue to do so until the end of October. It is a most alluring and destructive bait, and requires more skill to fish it properly than is generally supposed. After rain, when rivers or brooks are somewhat beyond their usual bounds, a well scoured lob worm will take the best of fish. For worm fishing you must have a yard of good gut attached to your cast line, which line ought to be of the same thickness from the gut to the loop of your reel line, your hooks may be a trifle larger in the Spring than in the Summer, and should be tied on to the gut with good strong red silk; two No. 4 or 5 shot corns, partially split, and then fastened upon the gut about five or six inches from the hooks, and from two to three from each other, are generally sufficient in a strong water to sink your worm to the requisite depth, but in low and fine waters, use two of No. 6, and sometimes one will be sufficient. In worm fishing never attempt to fish down, but always up a stream, and when you are aware that you have a bite, slacken your line a little in order to give time to the fish to gorge, then strike quickly, but not too hard, and land your prize without delay; you need not make more than two or three casts in one place, because if there is a fish he will in those casts either take or refuse your bait. In summer when the water is low and fine, and the thermometer about seventy-five Farenheit, capital sport may be had with well scoured Brandlings, perhaps this sort of fishing isnulli secundus, inferior to none in the exercise of skill and ingenuity. The immortal Shakespeare, must surely have fished the worm in clear waters, for he says, "the finest angling 'tis of all to see the fish with his golden fins, cleave the golden flood, and greedily devour the treacherous hook." In the Spring you must give your fish more time before you strike them than in the Summer; because having been sickly and altogether out of order, and not yet having recovered his usual strength and activity, he bites but languidly, and does not gorge so quickly as when in prime condition. When you find Trout pulling or snatching at the worm, which may be termed runaway bites, and when in fact they neither take it nor let it alone, it is a sign they are full, and the best plan to effect a capture under such circumstance is to strike that moment they touch your bait, for if you do not succeed by a snap, but allow them time, they will only play with it for a few moments, and then finally leave you in the lurch. In concluding my observations on worm fishing, I can with confidence affirm that it is, as a bait for Trout, the most destructive and certain agent the angler (taking the season through) can make use of. The author of Don Juan certainly did not flatter a worm fisher, one part of his assertion however is undoubtedly true, the worm was at one end, but it did not necessarily follow, that a fool was at the other. His poetic and satirical lordship probably never saw Trout taken with the worm in a clear stream, if he had I think he would have been satisfied that there was nothing foolish about it. Osbaldiston in hisBritish Field Sports, under the head ofAllurements for Fish, recommends the gum of ivy, he says, "take gum ivy and put a good deal of it into a box made of oak, and rub the inside of it with this gum; when you angle, put three or four worms into it, but they must not remain long, for if they do, it will kill them, then take them and fish with them, putting more into the worm-bag as you want them. Gum ivy flows from the ivy tree when injured by driving nails into it, wriggling them about and letting them remain for some time; about Michaelmas is the best time to procure it. Gum ivy is of a red colour, of a strong scent, and sharp pungent taste." When fish are disposed to feed, you need not use gum ivy; the attractions of a bright and clear scoured worm are quite sufficient without any such adjunct.