The Classic Guide To Fly Fishing H. Cholmondeley Pennell

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Introduction
1 - On Hooks, Tackle, and Fishing Gear
2 - Salmon Fishing with the Fly. Also a Few Notes on Fly Fishing for Sea Trout
3 - Fly Fishing For Trout and Grayling; or ‘Fine and Far Off’
4 - Chalk-Stream Fishing with the Dry Fly, and May-Fly Fishing



Firsteditionpublished1885

Thiseditionfirstpublished2015

AmberleyPublishing

TheHill,Stroud

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Contents

Introduction

1-OnHooks,Tackle,andFishingGear

H.Cholmondeley-Pennell

2-SalmonFishingwiththeFly.AlsoaFewNotesonFlyFishingforSeaTrout

MajorJohnP.Traherne

3-FlyFishingForTroutandGrayling;or‘FineandFarOff’

HenryRalphFrancis,M.A.

4-Chalk-StreamFishingwiththeDryFly,andMay-FlyFishing

H.S.HallandFredericM.Halford

Introduction

Inconsequenceofthegrowingartfulnessofmanoroffish,orboth,anglinghas

cometobenearlyaswideafieldforthespecialistasdoctoring.

So begins Henry Cholmondeley-Pennell in his prefatory note to Fishing: Salmon and

Trout.Thisisarevisededitionoftheoriginal1889text,initiallyreleasedwiththeobject

of producing a ‘modern encyclopaedia to which the inexperienced man, who seeks

guidance in the practice of the various British Sports and Pastimes, can turn for

information.’Containedwithinareaneclecticcollectionofessays,anecdotesandguides

writtenbysomeofthemostprominentflyfishersoftheday.

Henry Cholmondeley-Pennell (1837-1915), whose work makes up the bulk of this

revised edition, was a renowned British naturalist, editor and occasional contributor to

Punchknownforpublishingpoetryandmanyvolumesoncoarse-flyanddeep-seafishing.

ThemostnotableamongsthistitlesBadmintonLibraryofSportsandPastimes:Fishing.

With contributions from other authorsandThe Modern Practical Angler: a complete

guidetoflyfishing,bottom-fishing&trolling.

MajorTraherne,widelyregardedasbeingoneofthemostinnovativeflytiers(and

thusfishers) ofalltime,provides a seminalessaythatdraws heavilyonaccountsofhis

own experience in salmon fishing; and is ‘induced to do so in the hope that it may be

instructive to gentlemen who are inexperienced in the art, and also to a certain extent

interestingtotheanglingpublic.’Inhistime,MajorTraherneheldanumberofrecordsfor

salmoncatchesinthelate1800’safterfishingsomeofthebestriversinIreland,Scotland,

andNorway.In1864hecaught165fishinfifteendaysontheNamsenRiverinNorway;a

recordthatstillstandstodayand,itissaid,isunlikelyevertobebeaten.

HenryRalphFrancis(M.A.),whowaseducatedatBrentford SchoolandSt.John’s

College,CambridgebeforebecomingJudgeoftheDistrictCourtsfortheNorthernDistrict

ofNewSouthWales,presentsaninspiringpersonalaccountofhisanglingexploitsin‘Fly

fishingForTroutandGrayling;or‘FineandFarOff’.SoonafterleavingBritainin1858,

he took a prominent role in the promotion of the National Mutual Life Association of

Australia after its formation in 1869, at which he was later a director. Following

deteriorationinhishealth,hewentonleaveofabsencewithoutsalaryfrom11December,

recuperatinginTasmaniabeforereturningtoEnglandinherehemadehislivingwriting

abouthishobbyofflyfishingandAustralia.

Elsewhere, the noted angler and  fly fishing  author Frederic Michael Halford

(known also by the enigmatic pseudonym ‘Detached Badger’) writes with the British

author and angling innovator on the relative merits and pitfalls of spinning and bait-

Fishingforsalmonandtrout.

The Classic Guide to Fly fishing is a re-mastered edition of one of the first ever

‘manuals’ofthesport,onceconsideredtobea‘bible’forcontemporarygamefishermen.

TheEditor

OnHooks,Tackle,andFishingGear

Arsestcelareartem

The saying goes ‘A good workman never finds fault with his tools,’ but if by this it be

meant that he can work as well with bad tools as with good, or produce equally

satisfactoryresults,thenitsayslittleforthesagacityofthosewhomadetheproverb.Itis

especially in the more artistic descriptions of work that the importance of good tools is

apparent. The fly-fisher is a workman in a highly artistic school, and, if he is to do his

workthoroughlywell,histools,thatis,histackle–rods,hooks,lines,etc.mustbeofthe

verybest.

Therearestillsome‘happyhuntinggrounds’scatteredthroughouttheBritishIslands

on which ‘the shadow of the rod or glitter of the bait’ has but seldom fallen, small

mountain lochs and moorland streams wherein fish are so guileless and simple in their

habitsthattheywillrisewithdelightfulconfidingnessatthemostrudimentaryspecimen

oftheartificialfly,offeredtothemintheleastattractivemanner.SuchspotsIhavemet

with where it took weeks to impress upon its trout the melancholy fact that ‘men were

deceiversever,’andwheredayafterdaytheveriestbunglermightfillhiscreel,and,for

thatmatter,hispocketsandhiswadingboots,withtheunsuspectingfario,whichcameup

gailytohisflies,threeorfouratatime,inblissfulignoranceandapparentlyundiminished

numbers. Such spots, however, are becoming rarer year by year. Even the most

sequestered waters are now sought after, and generally found out, by the indefatigable

touristorthe lessees of thesportingrights; and the inhabitantsofsuch waters, however

unwillingtobetaught,arereceivingthebenefitsofasortof‘compulsoryeducation’thatis

graduallyopeningtheireyestoseverallittlethingsgoingoninthewickedworldaround,

withwhichitistotheiradvantagetobeacquainted.

Thereare,ofcourse,andprobablyalwayswillbe,degreesofadvancementin‘trout

knowledge.’ThestreamsofScotlandandIrelandcannever,inourtimeatleast,befished

tothesameextentasthoseofEngland,andespeciallyofoursoutherncounties.Anditis

very fortunate that it should be so, for many a man whose trout-fishing experience has

been attained principally amongst the Scotch and Irish lakes and rivers, and who, not

unnaturally, perhaps, considers himself a highly artistic performer, would be literally

‘nowhere’ifsuddenlytransferredwiththesametackleandmodeoffishingtothebanksof

theItchen,theTest,ortheDriffieldBeck.Insteadoffindingcomparativelyfewtroutand

thoseunderfed,andpredisposedtoatleastregardhislurewithafriendlyeye,hewould

seeawaterliterallyteemingwithpamperedand,therefore,highlyfastidious,fish,whom

hisfirstappearanceonthebanksentflyinginadozendifferentdirections,andwho,when

his saturated nondescript did happen to pass over their noses, moved not a responsive

muscle,andbytheirattitudeconveyedthegeneralideaofwhatLordRandolphChurchill

wouldcallineradicablesuperciliousness…

Butthesearetheproductsof‘centuriesofcivilisation,’andtheultimateoutcomeof

thetheoryofthesurvivalofthefittest.

Inregardtosalmonaswellastrouttheprincipleofthe‘highereducation’alsoholds

good, although not quite in the same degree as in the extreme cases above referred to,

inasmuchassuchabodes ofblissinregardtosalmonhaveunfortunatelylongceasedto

existcitherintheBritishIslandsoranywhereelsewithincomfortabletravellingrangeof

CharingCross.Everyyeartherentofasalmonrivergoesup;alreadyitisbutlittleless

thanthatofagrousemoor,andwhatitmayeventuallycometo,ifwearenotallruinedin

themeantime,dothnotyetappear.

Naturally,thosewhopaysodearlyfortheirmileorhalf-mileofsalmonwatermake

up their minds to get the utmost possible out of it in the way of sport. The pools are

assiduously fished whenever the water is in ‘possible’ condition. Often they are fished

over two or three times a day, and sometimes by two or three different rods; and the

consequenceisthat,atanyrateafterhavingbeeninthefreshwaterforsomelittletime,

andsuccessfullyresistedthefirstseductionsthrowninhisway,thesalmonbecomesmuch

moreshyandwary,andunlemptablebyflyorbaitunlesspresentedinthemostenticing

fashion.

Tothis end the refinementofeverypartofthefishinggearisoneoftheprincipal,

indeed,the chiefmeansLikehis‘star-stoled’ cousinofthechalkstreams, he scrutinises

with a practised glance the object which is glittering before his eyes; and, however

attractivemaybethelure,ifthe‘lineofinvitation,’assomeonecallsit,withwhichitis

presentedbecoarseorclumsy,orofflattenedand,therefore,non-transparentgut,itisten

toonethathewill‘declinewiththanks.’Inshort,as‘fineandfaroff’mightbetaken,in

thecaseofthetroutfisher,asthepasswordtosuccess,so‘neatnessandstrength’should

betheshibbolethofthesalmonfisher.

Imakenoapology,therefore,fordwellinginsomedetailuponeachitemofthefly-

fisher’sequipment,andmoreespeciallyonthatwhichconstitutesthealphaandomegaof

thewholematter,namely,theHook.

HOOKS

Fish-hooks,astheyhavecomedowntousfromantiquity,andarerepresentedinboneor

bronze in our museums and collections, appear to have been steadily improving from

century to century, until in our own day the art of hook- manufacture, per se, may be

consideredtohavereacheditsultimate‘possibilities.’

Apart,however,frommereexcellenceofmaterialandworkmanship,thetimeisnow

apparentlyripe for a sweeping change – so far, at least, as regards hooks used in fresh-

waterfishing–achangenotofdetailbutofprinciple:theprinciplethatis,ofconstructing

thehookwithametaleyeorloop,attheendoftheshankbywhichthelineisattached

(knotted on) direct to the hook itself instead of by the old-fashioned process of gut

lappings or gut loops. Consequently hook-making maybe regarded to this extent as at

presentinatransitionstate;andtheanglingworld–thetroutanglerespecially–isequally

passingthroughasortofinterregnumbetweentheoldsystemandthenew.

Therealisationandcompletionoftheeyed-hookprinciplewassuretocomesooner

or later, for an age which is ‘nothing if not mechanical’ could not but in the end rebel

againstthecrudeandunscientificmethodofprocedurebequeathedtousbyourancestors,

andadoptedwithscarcelyaprotestbygenerationaftergenerationofsucceedinganglers.

Theeyed- hooksystem was, in fact, the one great perfectionment in fly fishing that yet

remained– in spite of previous incomplete orpartiallysuccessful attempts –practically

unaccomplished;andrecognisingthemagnitudeofthetask,aswellastheimportanceof

itsachievement,ifachieved,Ihave forsomeyearspastthrownallmyenergiesintothe

attempt,withresultssofareminentlyencouraging.

Theideaitself,ofsomesortofplanofattachmentdirecttothelinebymeansofmetal

eyes or loops forming part of the hook, is by no means new. Mr H. S. Hall, whose

charmingcontributionstothesepageswillbereadwithinterestbyalldryfly-fishers,was

my immediate predecessor and pioneer on the somewhat thorny, though by no means

untrodden,track;andlongbeforehim,bothduringthepresentcenturyandstillearlier,a

perceptionoftheadvantagestobeattainedbyasystemofattachingthehookdirecttothe

linehasbeenpresenttothemindsofseveralwritersonanglingandhookmanufacturers,

amongstwhomMessrsWarner,ofRedditch,areentitledtomosthonourablemention.But

whatImeanbysayingthattheperfectingoftheideayetremainedtobeaccomplishedis,

that,howeveringeniousoradmirableinthemselves,theseattemptsandessayshavefailed

intheoneall-importantrespectofactuallysolvingtheproblem;ofsolvingit,thatis,by

producing such a system of hook-eyes and attachments as would obviate the various

inherent difficulties and objections, and bring the invention into general practical use

amongstanglers.Success–asIthinkitisnowbeingperceived–depended,infact,quite

asmuchontheperfect’simplicityandstrengthoftheknotbywhichtheattachmentisto

bemadeasonthemetaleyeorloopitself.

This‘loop’might,theoretically,beeitherturnedupwardsordownwards,or‘needle-

eyed’–thatis,drilledperpendicularlythroughtheendofthehook-shankliketheeyeofa

needle;andinthefirstissueofthesevolumeseachsystemwasfullydiscussed,withthe

argumentsproandcon.Atpresent,however,itwouldappear–sofar,atleast,asthetackle

makersmaybesupposedtofeelthepulseoftheanglingandflyfishingworld–thatthe

arguments adduced in the earlier issues of this book, or other causes, have so far

influencedpublicopinioninthematterthat–firstly–eyedhooksarerapidlycominginto

more general use, primarily amongst trout-fishers; and – secondly – that only my own

patterns of hooks with the eyes turned down enjoy any considerable or increasing

popularity.Ishalltherefore,inthepresentrevisededition,omitasfarasmaybereference

to argumentative or controversial matters, now possessing little beyond an ‘academical’

interest, and limit the scope of the following pages to explaining my own Eyed-hook

systeminitsmostrecentdevelopment,asapplicablebothtosalmonandtroutflies.

TOBEGINWITHSALMONFLIES

Althoughinthecaseofthesalmonfly–whendressed,thatis,inthemoreordinaryway

withagutloop–theparamountandself-evidentadvantagesfortheeyed-hookprinciple

thatmaybeclaimedinthecaseofthe troutflydonotpresentthemselves,yetthereare

several points, and those not unimportant ones, in which the metal-eyed salmon hook

offersadistinctadvanceover‘lapped-on’hooks.

Take,forinstance, probablythemostobviouspoint,thequestionofdurability.The

lifeoftheold-fashionedsalmonfly,whethertiedonastrandofgutoronagutloop,is

measuredbythatofthewaxedlappingthatbindsthegutorgutlooptothehook-shank–

theperiod,inother words, during which the wax retains its adhesiveness; and this, it is

wellknown,itdoesnotdoformorethanalimited–and,moreover,anuncertainlylimited

–time.Thehookandtherestofthefly,onthecontrary,whenpreservedfrommothand

rust,areforpracticalpurposesindestructible,andifeithershouldhappentogiveoutthe

factiseasilydiscovered,anddoesnotinitsdiscoveryentaillosingthebestfish,perhaps,

oftheseason.Thepleasureofpossessingandkeepingupagoodstockofsalmonfliesis

sadlyalloyedbythereflectionthatafterafewyearsprudencewouldcounseltheirbeing

consignedtothenearestdust-hole.

Again, as regards the comparative neatness of the two systems, the verdict would

probablybeinfavourofthemetaleye,althoughthedifferenceisbuttrifling.

There are no disadvantages of any kind that I am aware of as a set-off to the

foregoingadvantages,andtherefore,weighingimpartiallythetwosystems–gutloopsv.

metalloops–itwouldseemthatthebalanceinclinesinfavourofthelatter.Asobserved,

however,thefactthat loops of some sort are in practice already very general in salmon

flies,makesthequestionoflessimmediatelycriticalimportancetothesalmon-fisherthan

tothetrout-fisher,inwhosecasethechangefromlapped-onfliestofliesattachedbyan

eyedhookisnothinglessthanarevolution…Buttofinishfirstwiththesubjectofsalmon

hooks.

Intheoriginaldesignoftheturn-downeyedsalmonhook,itwasalleged–nodoubt

with some show of reason – that, from imperfections almost necessarily incident to

manufacture on a large scale, the pointed ends of the taper forming the loop were

occasionallyleftsosharp,orincompletely‘closed’astofraythegutoftheattachingknot

atthispoint;andinmynewestpatternsitwillbeseenthisiseffectuallyprovidedagainst

bythetaperedendofthewire,formingtheeyeorloop,beingre-turneduptheshankfor

somenotinconsiderabledistance.Thisgivesaperfectlysmoothandevensurfaceofmetal

eyefortheguttoworkagainst,anditsshapeoffersatthesametimespecialconveniences

tothefly-dresser.

Thepointofimportancetoberecollectedindressingflieson thesehooks,whether

forsalmonortrout,isthatthe‘neck,’betweentheheadoftheflyandtheloop,shouldbe

leftcleartoreceivethegut.

Ithasbeenobservedthatmyoldturn-downeyedpatternsofhooks,bothsalmonand

trout,appeartobesteadilypushingallotherformsofeyesandloopsoutofthefield–and

thisnotwithstandingtwoverydecidedblemishes.Onedefect,sofarassalmonhooksare

concerned,hasjustbeendescribed,withitsremedy;theotherwasinherentintheprinciple

not only of my own turn-down eyed patterns, but in a still greater degree in the older

modelsofhookswitheyesturnedup.Thedefectis–orratherwas–thatthelinedidnot,

andcouldnot,occupyaplaneabsolutelylevelwiththatofthehook-shank.

In the turn-down eyed hook the inaccuracy was of course reversed. The deflection

wasconsiderablylessthanthataboveillustrated;stillitwasadecideddefect–oneofits

resultsbeing(inthecaseofmyownhooks)toundulynarrowthe‘gape’ofthehook,and,

in the turn up eyed hooks, to unduly widen it. That this must inevitably be the case, a

glanceatthelastdiagramwillshow.

Toovercomethedifficulty,Itriedmanyexperiments–indeed,Ibeganexperimenting

on my own hooks almost as soon as the pages containing their original patterns were

published – 1885, I think. It was really, however, a new principle, rather than a new

pattern,thatwaswanted;andIonlydiscoveredwhatIwasinsearchofafterawearisome

successionof‘modifiedsuccesses,’andanaccumulationofabortive‘notions,’takingform

inallunimaginableshapesoftwistedandcontortedsteel.However,atlastIdiddiscover

it, and having committed the folly of ‘publishing’ my old turndown eyed hook before

getting it protected, I took the new one straight away to the Patent Office, and

subsequently put the model into the hands of Messrs Wm. Bartleet & Sons, of Abbey

Mills, Redditch, who soon turned out a sufficient quantity to try practical conclusions

with,theresultsofpracticefullybearingoutthedeductionsoftheory.

Theprincipleembodiedinthenewhooksis,ineffect,thebendingoftheshank-end

firstupandthendown,intosomethingliketwosides,sotospeak,ofatriangle,ofwhich

onesideisformedbythehook-eye,andtheotherbytheturned-upendoftheextremityof

thehook-shank.Theeffectofthisistobringthelineexactlyintoaplanewiththehook-

shank, whilst at the same time retaining all the advantages, in neatness and facility of

attachment,etc.,oftheoriginalturndown eye,togetherstickthefullnaturalgapeofthe

hookbend–andnomore.

ThenewpatentIhaveonlyhithertohadappliedtomyownspecialbendsofhooks–

the‘Pennell-Limerick’and ‘Pennell-Sneck’bends(see illustrations); butit is, ofcourse,

equallyapplicabletoalltheotherhook-bendsofcommerce,severalofwhichareshownin

the engraving a page or two on. Some or all of these will, I hope, be obtainable at the

tackleshopsbeforethisvolumeisissued.Topreventfraudandtoensurethebonafidesof

the hooks sold as mine – many spurious and defective imitations of my earlier hook

having,Iamsorrytosay,beenmadebyunauthorisedfirms–Ihavealsoobtaineda‘trade-

mark,’ and arranged that every packet of thehooks shall bear such trade-mark with my

signature,andsoaffixedtoeachpacketthatitcannotbeopenedwithoutthelabelbeing

tornordestroyed.

NewPatentSalmonHookwithUp-TurnShankandDown-TurnedEye.

Oftheforegoinghooksallthelargersizes,intendedprimarilyforsalmonandgrilse

flies,from No. 8 upwards,‘New’scale(No.7upwards,‘Old’scale), are made with the

wireofthelooporeye‘re-turned’uptheshank,asalreadyexplained.Sizes8to10‘new’

scale(7to5‘old’scale),inclusive,aremadebothwithandwithoutthere-turnedeyes,so

as to suit either light or heavy fishing; and from No. 8 ‘new’ scale (No. 7 ‘old’ scale),

inclusive,andupwards,thehooksaremadedoubleaswellassingle.

Eventually, no doubt, all the smaller sizes will be manufactured both single and

double, as the increase in the use of small double hooks for many descriptions of flies,

includingordinarytroutflies,wherenoonewouldformerlyhavethoughtofusingthem,is

another comparatively recent advance in the science of fish-hooks. I have no doubt

whatever that, especially for the smaller sizes of salmon hooks, the double pattern has

considerableadvantages,andIhearthatonsomerivers,theTweed,forexample,theyare

completelydrivingthesinglehooksoffthewater.Itisobvious,indeed,thattheygreatly

increasethechancebothofhookingandofholdingafish;andagainstthesmalladditional

weight,whichmaybeaslightinconvenience,perhaps,incasting,istobesetthefactthat

theextraweighthastheeffectofmakingtheflyswimsomewhatdeeper,whichinsalmon-

fishingisagenerallydesirableresult.

Theonlycorrectmodeofattachingsalmonandgrilsehookswithre-turnedeyes,as

wellasthedoublehooks–inbothofwhichtheeyeismadeextralargeforthepurpose–

isbythe‘in-and-out’fastening,securedwithaslipknot,doubleorsingle,herereferredto

asthe‘slip-knot’attachment.

‘Pennell-Limerick’Hooks,NewPatternwithTurn-DownEyesandUp-TurnedShanks.

Although a ‘single slip’ knot is all that will usually be found actually necessary,

especiallywiththesmaller-sizedgrilsehooks,yeteveninthiscase–andstillmoreinthat

of the larger-sized salmon hooks – a ‘double,’ instead of a ‘single,’ slip knot makes

‘assurancedoublysure.’Indeed,Imyselfalmostinvariablyusethedoubleslipknot,and

recommend its adoption for all hooks of a size too large, or with eyes too large for the

‘JainKnot’attachment(hereinafterdescribed) – andfor all hookswith ‘re-turned’eyes.

The‘doubleslip’(figuredinthelastcut)makes,whenartisticallytiedonalargehook,a

fastening quite as neat as, if not, indeed, actually neater than, the single slip; and is in

manywayspreferable.Thefollowingverbalinstructionsmayperhapsassist the tyro, in

attachinghiscastinglinetoaturn-downeyedsalmonhookforthefirsttime.

Takethehookbythebendbetweenthefingerandthumbofthelefthand,withthe

eyeturneddownwards(inthepositionshowninthediagrams;then–thegutbeingfirst

thoroughlywellsoaked–pushtheend,withacoupleofinches,downthroughtheeye,B,

towardsthepointofthehook;thenpassitroundovertheshankofthehook,andagain,

from the opposite side, downwards through the eye in a direction away from the hook-

point.[Thegutendandthecentrallinkwillnowbelyingparallel]Makethedouble-(or

single-)slipknot,A,roundthecentrallink,C,andpullthesaidknotitselfperfectlytight;

thendrawtheloopbackuntiltheknot,A,pressestightlyintoandagainstthemetaleyeof

the hook, B, where hold it firmly with the fore-finger and thumb-nail of the left hand,

whilst with the right hand – and ‘humouring’ the gut in the process, so as to clear the

hackles,etc…Thecentrallinkisdrawntight,thustakinginthe‘slack’of‘theknot.When

finished,cutthesuperfluousgutendoffnearlyclose.

Totieadoubleslipknot:firstmakeasingleslipknot,A,and,beforedrawingclose,

passthegutend,B,asecondtimeroundthecentrallink,C,andthenagainthroughtheC

loop,AwhentheknotwillbelikeAinthediagramofdoubleslipknot.Tocompleteit,

pulltheendofthegut,B–gradually,andverytightly–straightaway:inaline,thatis,

withthecentrallink,C.

Theslipknotisalsothebestforattachingthecastinglinetoflieswithgutloops,and

shouldbetiedinthesamemannerasthatdescribedforaturn-downeyedhook.

Thesameknot,forbothgutormetalloops,mayalsobeproducedinanothermanner

–whenthe loop is largeenough – viz., bytyingattheendofthecastingline (separate

from the hook) a ‘noose,’ with a slip knot (drawn tight), and afterwards passing from

above, through the loop or eye, the ‘apex’ of the noose thus formed. The noose is then

openedoutandpassedupwardsoverthewholesfly,‘lasso-wise’;theknotisdrawntoits

placeintheloopasalreadydescribed,andthe‘slack’takenin.

Turn-DownEyedSalmonFlyAttachedbySlipKnot.

Thereisamodeofattachingcastinglinestogut-loopedsalmonfliesverycommonly

employedonaccountofitsfacilityofmanipulation,andthesavingoftroubleandtimein

changing flies. In consists in tying a knot at the end of the gut, and then passing the

knottedendfirstthroughtheloopfrombelow,and,aftergivingitoneturnroundunderthe

loop,finallypassingtheknottedendunderthecentrallink,anddrawingthelattertight.It

isin fact a‘jam knot’ plus the knot at the end of theline. Excellently well asthis knot

answersforhooksofthesmallersizeswitheyesturneddown,ashereafterdescribed,it

doesnotandnevercanmakeathoroughly‘ship-shape’knotforasalmonfly,inasmuchas

thelatterwhenthusattachedinvariablyhangs–andtherefore,ofcourseswims–outof

the horizontal: in other words, head downwards. If, on the contrary, the gut is passed

through the loop from above and the turn taken over the loop, an opposite but equally

inelegant effect is produced; the fly ‘cocks up,’ and might swim in almost any position

conceivable, except the horizontal. There are several variations of this fastening; but I

cannotsaythatIevermetwithoneentirelysatisfactoryforsalmonflies.Thebestknotfor

gut-loopedflies,orfor plain hooks withgutloops, twisted or single, is, ‘farand away,’

thatalreadyrecommended–theslipknot.

The ‘Pennell-Limerick bend hooks,’ before figured, p. 11, are also made plain (as

shownover leaf)fortheconvenienceof those whomaystillpreferthe old‘lapping-on’

system.

Thebendofallthesehooks,whichisavariationofexistingrecognisedbends,isone

thatIthinkwillcommenditselftothepractisedeyewithoutmuchargument.Thebendhas

beendesignedtocombineinamechanicalformthethreegreatrequisitesofpenetration,

holdingpower,and‘flotation.’Thelast-named,whichsoundsratherIrish,isaquestionof

thegeneralcontouroftheshank.Itwillbeseeninthediagramsthatthehookshankitself

–orratherthatpartofitonwhichtheflyistied– is very nearly straight, whilst in the

Limerick bend the shank is commonly slightly more curved, or, as it is termed, hog-

backed, which when exaggerated, as it frequently is in the so-called Limerick hooks,

supplied by the fly-tiers, has the effect of preventing the fly swimming or floating

perfectlystraight,and,indeed,whenthestreamisstrong,anexcessive‘hog-backedness’

willnotunfrequentlycauseitactuallytospin.

Itmaybeaddedthat, as the greatest strain is alwaysbornebythetop angle of the

bend, such angle should be formed, not ‘square,’ but in the strongest shape known to

mechanics,viz.,acurve(orthesegmentofacircle)sharperormoregradualaccordingto

theotherconditionsdesiderated.

IfitshouldappearthatIamattachingundueimportancetominutedetails,letitbe

borneinmindthat‘thewholeartandparaphernaliaofanglinghavefortheirobjects,first,

to hook fish, and, secondly, to keep them hooked.’ The difference in the penetrating

powersaloneofdifferentbendsofhooksissomethingenormous;betweentheextremesof

goodnessandbadness(Iamnotspeakingnowof‘monstrosities’)itamountstocertainly

notlessthanahundredpercent.

‘Pennell-Limerick’Bend,TaperedShanks.

TROUTHOOKS

EyedHooksfortroutflies,andthegeneralideaofattachingthemtotheendofthecasting

linedirect,arenot,asalreadypointedout,inanycorrectsenseofthetermnovelties,eyed

hooks having been alluded to as early as Hawker’s edition of ‘Walton’s Angler,’ temp.

1760.Nogreatattention,however,appearstohavebeenpaidtothesubjectofEyedTrout-

hooks until comparatively recent times, when the question – confined, at the particular

periodtowhichIamreferring,toturn-upeyes–wasventilatedatconsiderablelengthin

thecolumnsoftheFieldandtheFishingGazette byMr Hall. Thiswas followed in the

latter journal by a lively controversy on ‘needle-eyed’ hooks, initiated by myself; and

finallyIinvented,andpublished,theturn-downeyedhook,ofwhichsomuchhassince

beenwritten,forandagainst,bypartisansoftheoldandthenewschools.

IhavealreadyexplainedwhyIfeelreleasedfromthenecessityofreprintingherethe

argumentsproandconthese various systems –viz., that to judgeby the success ofmy

ownturn-downeyedhooks,andtheopinionsoffly-fishersandtacklemakers,sofarasI

amabletogatherthem,thatsystemisinrapidcourseofsupersedingallothers.Ifthisis

the case with the original imperfect patterns, how much more likely is it to be so now,

when, by the introduction of the up-turned shank, the hook has been, so to speak,

perfected…

Toreturn,therefore,tomytext.

Theconsiderationsalready adduced in regardto the proper formof a largesalmon

hookholdgood,caerisparibus,andwithincreasedcogency,inthecaseofasmalltrout

hook, where of course the mechanical difficulties, first of hooking, and secondly of

keepinghooked,areenormouslyincreased.Theyareincreased,infact,exactlyintheratio

ofthesizeofthehookascomparedwiththesizeofthefish’smouth…anumber000is

clearlymuchsmallerinproportiontothemouthofalargetroutthananumber17or18is

to the mouth of a well-grown salmon. The exact calculation I leave to the curious in

figures.Mysystemofeyedhooksis,however,applicabletoalltheordinaryhook-bends

withoutexception,sothatthosewhopreferoneortheotherofthemtominecanrejectthe

patternadyetadopttheprinciple.

The fly-fisher who is sufficiently interested in the subject of hooks to read this

chapteratallwill,Iassume,havereadtheprecedingpageswhichdeal,undertheheadof

salmon- hooks, with what I may call the ‘natural theory’ of my system. I need not,

therefore,goagainoverthesameground.Itmay,nevertheless,bewelltoillustrate,ona

smaller scale, more appropriate to trout-flies, the very important question of over- and

under-draftinthesehooks.

Thegeneralhangesinconstructionbetweentheoldandnewformsofthehookwill

perhaps be most readily understood by contrasting some of the smaller sizes of each,

including the sneck-bend form in which the patent is also manufactured of the sizes

shown.

Fig.1.OriginalTurn-DownEyedHook,withdraft-linebelowtrueplaneofhook-shank;Fig.2.Turn-EyedPattern,with

draft-lineaboveplane;Fig.3.NewBentUp-TurnShankandturn-downeyedhook–correctdraft-line.

OldPatternofTurn-DownEyed‘Pennell-Sneck’HooksandNewPatternDittowithUp-TurnShank.

OldPatternofTurn-DownEyed‘Pennell-Limerick’Hooks.

NewPatternDittowithUp-TurnShank.

Ihaveusedbothbends–theLimerickandtheSneck–withnearlyequalsuccess,but

myinclinationisrathertopreferthesneckpatternforsmallriverflies,andalsoforlake

brown-trout flies; and the Limerick for anything larger, including sea-trout flies, and of

coursesalmonflies.

Thefollowingdiagramsshowtheappearanceoftheupturnshankandturn-downeye

asappliedtofourofthemostordinarybendsofcommerce.

RoundBend,Kirby,LimerickSneckHooks.

‘Pennell-Limerick’HookswithPlainShank.

‘Pennell-Sneck’HookswithPlainShank.

Itmay,perhaps,bewellforconvenienceofreferencetorepeatherethesmallersizes

ofLimerickhookswithplainshanks,‘un-eyed’(upperfigures,‘old’or‘Redditch’scale;

lowerfigures,‘new’scale), as well as thetapered-shanksneck-bendhooks,whichlatter

aremadewithpointsbothstraightand‘twisted,’or‘snecked.’

Thediagramsrepresenttwolakefliestiedonthetwodifferentbends,–thatonthe

sneckbendthe‘HackleRed’forbrowntrout,andthatontheLimerickthe‘HackleClaret’

forsea-trout.Theformulasfordressingthese,withsomeotherpatternsofmyHackleflies

forsea-andbrown-trout,whichIhavefoundverysuccessful,aregivenfurtheron.

LakeFliesDressedonPatentEyedHookswithUp-TurnedShank.

Asmallstreamtroutfly(‘Furnacebrown’)onasneck-bendisalsofigured.

Thegreatthingindressingallfliesontheseeyedhooksistoleaveclearthe‘neck,’as

showninthediagrams,toreceivethejamknot.Thelengthofthehook-shankisspecially

designedtoallowofthis.

Thegreatadvantage–ifImayventuresotospeakofmyownsystem–possessedby

theturn-downeyedhookoverallotherformsofhookswhatsoeverwitheyesorloops,is

thesupremesimplicityandrapidityofitsattachmentto,anddisengagementfromtheline

bymeansoftheJamKnot.Infrom10to15secondsoneflycanbetakenoffandanother

substituted; and that with unfailing certainty and malgre whatever the elements may

operatetothecontrary.

Theengravingbelow–enlargedforthesakeofreadierillustration–exemplifiesthe

principle of the Jam Knot attachment before the line is drawn tight – the tightening, of

course,producingthe‘jam.’

‘FurnaceBrown’DressedonaPatentSneck-BendUp-TurnShankEyedHook.

PrincipleoftheJamKnotonaBareHook,Magnified.

Inpracticethejamknotisproduced‘automatically,’andissoperfectlysimple,and

quickinmanipulationthat,asIsay,Icantieitcompletein15seconds.Theveriesttyro

oughttomasteritsprincipleatthefirstattempt,andafterafewessaystieitbythewater-

sidealmostasrapidlyasIcanmyself.

The fly being held in the left hand with the metal eye (A) turned upwards, 3 or 4

inchesofthegutlinearepushedthroughitfrombelow.Theflyisthen‘letgo’andaslip

knot (C) made with the gut-end (C), round the line (D). [This is the point at which the

processisseeninthecut.]Theslipknotisnotdrawnquitetight,butleftasshown–just

openenoughtopasscomfortablyoverthemetaleye.Theflyisnowtakenagainwiththe

left hand, and the line pulled steadily by the right, until – aided when need be by the

thumbandfinger–thenooseoftheslipknotpassesoverthemetaleyeofthehook,when,

onthelinebeingpulledtight,thejamknotformsitself;andtheprocessiscompletedby

cuttingoffthewastegut-end1towithin½or¼ofaninch,accordingtothesizeofthefly

andfinenessofthegut.Thefinerthegutthelongershouldbetheendleftover.

Thereisnoadvantagewiththejamknotincuttingofftheguttooclose,asthefree

gut-end which should be left over mingles naturally with the hackles of the fly. After

cuttingoffthewastegutitisconvenienttonipthefreeenddownwiththethumbnailin

the direction of the hook-bend. This may be repeated whenever the flies are examined,

which,ofcourse–aswithordinarygut-flies–theyshouldbeatintervals,toseethatthe

guthasnotfrayedatallatthehead,andalsothatthefreeendhasnotbyanyaccidentbeen

drawninorshortenedtothe‘unsafe’point.

Duringthelastfewyears,includingthepresentseason,1889,Ihavecaught,Ishould

say,atleastathousandwhiteandbrowntrout,weighingfromafewouncesuptothreeor

four lbs., in both stream and loch, with flies dressed on the turn-down eyed hook, and

attached by the jam knot – sometimes on traces fine even to thefineness of ‘Bullmer’s

gossamer gut’ – and I cannot call to mind a single instance in which the knot has been

provedtohavefailed.Moreover(ahinttothenovice)fliesthusattachedveryrarelyflick

off.

Withsmallfliesthesimplestway,whenthegutbecomesfrayedattheheadbywear

andtear,istocutorbreaktheflyoffclose,disengagethewasteendfromtheeyeofthe

hook, and re-knot. With larger flies and stout gut the jam can generally be loosened by

merelypushingthegutbackwardsthroughtheeye,butthisisamatterofunimportance,as

ineithercasetheoperationisonlyoneofafewseconds.

Theperfectingof the jam knot forthe trout-fly was theingeniousdiscovery of Mr

AlexanderJ.Campbell,andwithoutitIdonothesitatetosaythatthegeneralacceptance

of the system of turn-down eyed hooks which I am now sanguine enough to hope for,

could never have been anticipated. The inconvenience – trifling though it was in

comparisonwithpreviousmethodsofattachingeyedhooks–oftyingthejamknotinthe

presenceof the fly-wings and hackles,was originally one of the serious obstacles tobe

overcome. This ‘knotting-on difficulty’ has, in fact, hitherto had a large share in

preventingtheadoptionoftheeyed-hookprinciple.

Now,however,thatthisdifficultyhasbeeneffectuallyovercome,andaperfectform

ofattachmentaswellasaperfecthookarewithinthereachoffly-fishers,theresultcan

hardlybedoubtful.Indeed,theadvantagesofattachingtheflydirecttothecasting-lineare

so obvious, and the disadvantages of the old lapped-on gut system so self-evident, that

onlyoneresultcouldwellfollow.Amongstthesedisadvantagesitmaybeinstanced:

Thatwhenoncethe‘guthook’artificialflygets‘wornatthehead’–whichinactual

workverysoonoccurs–itbecomesthenceforthworthless.

And when another fly is substituted, the gut must be soaked first (in practice

generallyinthesalivaofthemouth)toenableittobeproperlyknottedon.Ifthissoaking,

orsucking,benotthoroughlydonetheflywillmostlikelywhipoff.

Buteven afterproperlyknottingthe twogutlinkstogether,it istentoone that the

linkonwhichtheflyorhookislappeddoesnotcorrespondwiththatattheendoftheline:

itistoothick,ortoothin;toodark,ortoolight.Fromthisresultsalineardisfigurement,or

aninharmoniousnessoftint(orboth),attheverypointwhereaperfecttaperandcomplete

uniformityofcolourareofvitalconsequence.

Thesearesomeofthemostsalientdefectsofthesystem,almostuniversallyadopted

untilthelastfewyears,oflappingonhooksandfliestoseparatestrandsofgut.Ofminor,

butstillseriousdrawbacks,mustbereckonedthedifficultyofcarryingaboutasufficient

supply of ‘gut hooks’ – or still more of flies – of all needful sizes, and the destructive

effectsoftimeuponthecontentsofthe‘storebox.’Apartfrom‘moth,’thishappenspartly

owing to the ‘rotting’ of the gut at the point of contact with the steel hook shank, and

partly to the desiccation (drying up) of the wax on the lapping by which the gut is

attached.

And all these defects – defects inherent in the principle of lapped-on hooks, and

whichcannotbegainsaid–areatonceovercomebytheneweyed-hooksystem.

Itistothatsystem,then,towhichIreferwhenIsaythatbyitallthedisadvantages

attaching either to the artificial fly or plain hook lapped on separate strands of gut are

entirelygotridof.

Byknottingontheflyorhookdirecttothemainline(‘gut-trace,’‘collar,’‘casting-

line,’‘bottom-line,’‘foot-line’)theflyorhookthathasbecomewornattheheadcanbe

removed,andinafewsecondsre-attachedtothesamealreadywell-soaked,well-tapered,

andevenlytintedline;thereafterremainingasserviceableasever.

Theminordrawbacksalludedtooftheoldsystemarealsoobviatedbythenew,as

thenecessaryselectionoffliesandhookscanbekeptinstockforyearswithoutanyfear

ofdeterioration.Theeconomyinthematterofspace,bothinthestock-boxandfly-book,

is, moreover, considerable. As many flies or hooks as are required for a day’s fishing

couldbecarried,Imightalmostsay,inthewaistcoatpocket.

Published testimonies to the success of the eyed-hook principle generally are too

numeroustoattempteventogiveasummaryofthemallhere.MrH.S.Hall,oneofour

verybestclear stream fly-fishers, who haslatelywritten an ably- practicalessayon the

‘Dry Fly,’ has, it is well known, given his entire adhesion to eyed hooks, with which,

indeed, his name has been long identified. Mr Frederic M. Halford, author of the lately

publishedcharmingmonographon‘FloatingFliesandhowtodressthem,’andalsoofa

subsequentexhaustivetreatiseon‘DryFlyfishing,’isanotherapostleofthenewcult.His

firstchapterisdevotedtoeyedhooks,andtheopeningsentencerunsthus:

But before many years are passed the old-fashioned fly, dressed on a hook

attached to a length of gut, will be practically obsolete, the advantages of the

eyed hook being so manifest that even the most conservative adherents of the

oldschoolmust,intime,beimbuedwiththismostsalutaryreform.

After enumerating several of the more obvious advantages already noticed, Mr Halford

continues:

Flies dressed on eyed hooks float better and with less drying than those

constructedontheoldsystem…Anotherand,inmyopinion,paramountbenefit

is,thatattheveryearliestsymptomofweaknessatthepointofjunctureofthe

head of the fly and gut (the point at which the maximum wear and tear takes

place)itisonlynecessaryinthecaseoftheeyedflytobreakitoffandtieon

afresh,sacrificingatmostacoupleofinchesofthefineendofthecast;whilein

thecaseofthehookongut,theflyhasbecomeabsolutelyuselessandbeyond

repair.Itmustalsoberememberedthatwitheyedhookstheanglercanusegut

ascoarseorasfineashemayfancyfortheparticularday,whilewithflieson

gut he would require to have each pattern dressed on two or three different

thicknesses.

Of course books on fishing (I do not refer to catch-penny productions, or to trade

circulars)donotappeareveryday,oreveryyear,andthoseIhavequotedfromare,sofar

as I know, the most recent, and therefore authoritative, on subjects the importance of

whichhasonlylatelybeguntoberecognised.

CASTINGLINES

NexttotheflyanditsetceterascomestheCastingLine,involvingmattersconnectedwith

the selection, knotting, twisting, staining, etc. of gut. The best gut is the longest and

roundest,and the mosttransparent;an observation whichapplies equally to salmonand

troutgut–naturalanddrawn.Forpracticalpurposesthesedesideratamustbeconsidered

inconjunction with, if not, indeed, made subordinate to,the question of the finenessor

strengthofthegutinproportiontothefishingforwhichitistobeused.Togetsalmongut

which fulfils all the conditions pointed out is becoming yearly a matter of greater

difficulty,and,Imightalmostsay,offavour.

Aperfecthankofsalmongutcanonlybeobtained,asarule,bypickingthestrands

outofanumberofotherhanks,which,ofcourse,makestheseconsiderablylessvaluable.

Sixpenceastrand–Ihaveknownashillingastrandpaid–forpickedsalmongutisnotat

allanunusualor,indeed,unreasonableprice,havingregardtothedifficultyofobtaining

gutof really superior quality,and the all-importantpartit plays ina sport which,if not

quite so expensive as deer stalking or grouse driving, is certainly becoming rapidly a

luxurythatonlyrichmencanhopetoenjoy.Astherentofasalmonriver,tosaynothing

ofincidentalexpenses,mayprobablybereckonedatseldomlessthanthreefigures,itis

reallythesoundesteconomytobegrudgenoexpenseconnectedwiththetackle,rod,etc.,

upon which the sport obtained for all this outlay depends. Moreover, as regards gut, I

believethatthebest,and,consequently,themostexpensive,is,inthelongrun,actually

themosteconomicalifpropercarebetakenofit.Athoroughlywell-madecastinglineof

carefullypickedsalmongutwilloutlastthreeorfourmadeofinferiorstrands,andduring

all its ‘lifetime’ will be a source of satisfaction. The breaking dead weight strain of a

strandofthestoutestsalmongut,round,smooth,andperfectineveryrespect,oughtnotto

belessthansomewherebetweenfifteenandeighteenpounds.

Whyinthecaseofsalmongut,asinthatofallothercommodities,thedemanddoes

notproducethesupply,itisdifficulttosee.Caterpillarsoughttobeeasilycultivatedone

wouldsay.Thinkofthenumberofstrandswhichmightbeproducedbytheinhabitantsof

asinglemulberrytree!

Millionsofspinningworms

Thatintheirgreenshopsweavethesmooth-hairedsilk.

IstatedtobefrequentlypaidinMarseilles–thisgutbeing,itappears,principallyexported

toConstantinople.Somesamplesofthe1884crop,testedbymyfriendMrR.B.Marston,

broke at a dead strain of seventeen pounds. A writer under the signature of ‘Creel,’

mentionsthatsomethirtyyearsagotherecouldbefoundinthemarketasuperiorclassof

salmongutnowsaidtobeunprocurableowingtothetotalextinctionofthesilkwormthat

producedit.‘Sincethistime,’hesays,‘wehavemorethanoncebeeninformedthatanew

breedofsilkwormhasbeenraisedandencouragedintheSouthofFrance,introducedfrom

Japan,possessingallthefeaturesoftheformerfineandstronggutwhichfromitsabsence

hascausedthelamentofmanyaveteransalmonfisher.’

Intheselectionofgut,aimfirst,asChittysays,inhis‘FlyFisher’sText-book,’‘at

thatwhichisperfectlyround,’towhichendthebestassistancetheeyecanreceiveisfrom

the thumb and forefinger, between which the gut should be rolled quickly; if it is not

roundbut flat,thedefectbythis processwillbeatonce discovered.Nexttoroundness,

colourlessnessandtransparencyarethetwopointsofmostimportance;andlast–though,

assomefishermenwillperhapssuggest,notleast–comesthequestionoflength.Chitty,

abovenamed,givesforsalmongut–‘thepartused’–‘sixteentoeighteeninchesatleast.’

Icanonlysay–Iwishwemaygetit!Inthesedegeneratedaystentotwelveincheswould

benearertheordinaryattainablemark,andfortroutgutaninchortwomore,saythirteen

tofourteen,or,inexceptionallygoodstrands,fifteeninches.

‘Drawngut,’asit is called,issimplygut thathasbeenartificiallyscrapedorfined

downbybeing‘drawn’throughaholeofacertaingaugeormeasure.Forthispurposea

steelplate is used havingseveralholes orgaugesdiminishinggradually in size, and the

‘face edges’ of which are quite sharp. The gut is put through the holes in succession

beginningatthelargest,andendingwiththesmallest,whenithasofcoursebecomeofthe

desiredfineness.Theappearanceofthegutafterundergoingthisprocessisnot,however,

socleanandtransparentastheundoctoredmaterial,andthoughitlooksbeautifullyfine–

and, indeed, is so – it commonly frays and wears out very rapidly when exposed to

moistureorfrictionofanysort.Drawngutis,however,extensivelyusedformanyofthe

finersortsoffishing,bothwithflyandbait.FormyownpartIprefertopayalmostany

price,sotospeak,forthenaturalgutwheneveritcanbeobtainedoftherequisitefineness.

This,however,isnotalways.

KNOTTING

There is a kind of ‘endless’ knot with which the casting lines prepared in some tackle

shopsarejoinedthatseemsforordinarypurposestobeaboutperfection;buthowthisknot

istiedisatradesecretwhichIhavefailedtofindout.Decidedlythebestaswellasthe

simplestknot‘opentothepublic’andonewhichisequallyapplicabletothefinestandthe

strongest gut, is what is known as the single (and double) fisherman’s knot (sometimes

called ‘water knot’), varied in the case of salmon gut, for heavy work, in the way

describedpresently.

Fig.1.SingleFisherman’sKnot.

Theguthavingbeenthoroughlywellsoakedbeforehand(intepidwaterbest)–which

is, of course, a sine qua non in all gut knottings – the two ends of gut, A, A, are laid

paralleltoeachother,beingheldinthatpositionbetweenthefirstfingerandthumbofthe

lefthandin the position inwhich they are tobe joined. Ahalf-hitchknot, it, is, is then

made by the right hand with the end of each strand alternately round the strand of the

other,and eachseparatelydrawntight,the twoseparatehalvesofthe knot beingfinally

drawncloselytogetherandtheendscutoff.

Ithasbeenpointedoutthatthesinglefisherman’sknot–variedasIhavedescribedin

the case of salmon lines – is all that is required for any description of gut knotting. I

should,perhaps,however,makeanexceptiontothisstatement.Inthecaseofdrawngut,

andalsoinnaturalgutofexceptionalfineness,theextremelimpnessofthestrandsmakes

the single fisherman’s knot very liable to ‘draw’ if the ends are cut at all close, as they

shouldbeonthescoreofneatness.Insuchcasesitis,therefore,bettertomaketheknot

withtwodouble,insteadoftwosingle,half-hitches;theend,thatis,withwhicheachhalf-

knotistiedispassedtwiceinsteadofonceroundthecentrallinkandthroughtheloop,in

themannershownintheengraving.

Thisisthe‘double’fisherman’sknot.Withveryfineguttheincreaseinthesizeofthe

knotissosmallasnottobeworthconsidering,whilsttheincreaseofstrengthobtainedis

ofimportance.

Fig.2.DoubleFisherman’sknot.

Exceptforsalmonfishing,ifadrop-flyisuseditisnotabadplantopasstheendof

the gut-link of the fly between the two strands of the joining gut and between the two

halvesoftheknotbeforedrawingthelatterclose.Thedrop-flywillthenstandoutatright

anglestothecastingline,aresultwhichitisdesirabletoattain.Asingleknottiedinthe

linkofthedropflyattherequireddistanceoutsidetheknotinthecastingfinepreventsits

slipping.

Another and still simpler attachment for the drop-fly, which in practice I usually

adoptasbeingmuchthequickest,is,withadoublehalf-hitch(koftheknotinfig.2),to

knot on the drop-fly – fly uppermost – to the casting line (fig. 5). On this knot being

pulledtight,andslippeddownasfarasthenextjunctureontheline,itwillbefoundto

answerexceedinglywell,althoughthepointofjunctionisonewhichwillalwayshaveto

becarefullylookedatfromtimetotime,asthefrictionofthedrop-flyknotisapttofray

awaythelinktowhichitisattached.ForsalmonfishingInevermyselfuseasecondfly,

unlessbyanychance theriverorlakeIamfishingbe alsotenantedbywhitetrout,and

then,ofcourse,theflyisacomparativelysmallone,forwhichthelast-namedattachment,

fig.5,willanswereverypurpose;orslightlybetter,perhaps,theflymaybeattachedabove

one of the knots with a loop, as shown in fig. 6; or, stronger still, as in fig. 7, an

attachmentwhichalsogivesthemaximumstand-out-at-right-angleinclinationtothefly,

andtheprincipleofwhich,asappliedtocastinglineswiththeordinarysplice,fig.8.

Nothing can well be more clumsy than the knots usually employed in joining the

strandsofasalmoncastingline,andtheirinefficiencyinthematterofstrengthisonapar

withtheirunsightliness.IntheBookofthePike,1865,Igavediagramsandexplanations

ofthebufferknotabovereferredto,inwhichtheobjectionablefeaturesoftheoldmethod

ofsplicingaregotridof,whilstaverygreatadditionalstrengthisobtained.Totieit:lay

thetwostrandssidebysideandproceedinexactlythesamemannerasalreadydescribed

fortyingthesinglefisherman’sknot,withtheexceptionofthefinaldrawingtogetherof

thetwoseparatehalf-hitches.Insteadofdrawingthesetwohalf-knotstogetherandlapping

downtheendsontheoutside,aswastheoldmanner,drawtheknotsonlytowithinabout

three-sixteenthsor one-eighth of an inch of each other, as shown in the engraving at A,

andlapbetweenthemwithlightwaxedsilk,or,stillmoreartistic,withveryfine(soaked)

gut.This‘betweenlapping’relievestheknotitselfofhalfitsduty,andonanysuddenjerk,

suchasstriking,actsasasortof‘buffer’toreceiveanddistributethestrain.Tiedinthe

old-fashionedwayIfindthat,onapplyingasteadypull,asalmongutcastinglinebreaks

almostinvariablyattheknot.TiedinthemannerIsuggestitwillprobablybreakatany

otherpointinpreference.

DropFlyAttachmentsforTroutCastingLines.

Fig.6.;Fig.8.;Fig.7.

Fig.9.TheBufferKnotforSalmonGut.

MajorTraherne,whosealmostunequalledexperienceasasalmonfisherentitleshis

opiniontotheutmostweight,wroteasfollowsonthebufferknotforsalmoncastinglines:

NotlongagoIfondlyimaginedIhadinventedaplanforuntyingthelinksofa

castinglinewithoutknots,andwasonmywaytotheFishingGazetteofficeto

unfoldmysecret.MyfriendMrCholmondeley-Pennellhappenedtoaccompany

meonadifferentbusiness,andonmylettinghimknowwhatminewasturned

roundandsaid,‘Mydearfellow,Iamverysorryforyou,butIbroughtthatout

years ago in the Modern Practical Angler,’ and as we were passing Farlow’s

shopatthetimehetookmeinandsoonconvincedmethathewasright,andthat

hisprincipleandminearethesame,althoughdifferentlycarriedout.Therefore,

althoughIcanlaynoclaimtobetheinventorofthe‘bufferknot,’Icanhonestly

saythatIhadneverseenorheardofitbefore.

Itisimpossibletoinventabettermethodoffasteningguttogetherthanthat

which makes the fastening the strongest instead of the weakest part of the

castingline,anditissurprisingtomethatthismethodhasnotbeenadopted.

I am glad to see that this knot is at last being adopted, after being some twenty years

before the angling public; and though ‘I say it that should not say it,’ Major Traherne’s

franktestimonyinfavourofitssuperiorityasappliedtoextrastoutsalmoncastinglines

(orforgutspinningtraceswhereextrastrengthisrequired)doesnotgoatallbeyondthe

fact.Ifsalmonfishersreadingthischapteracquirenothinginreturnbuttheknowledgeof

thisoneapparentlytriflingpieceofinformation,theirtimewillnothavebeenwasted.

Thedifferencebetweenmyoriginalknot,asabovedescribed,andthevariationofit

alludedtobyMajorTraherneisverytrifling;suchasitis,however,Iamofopinionthatas

regards neatness and simplicity of manipulation my knot is distinctly preferable, and I

have lately had letters from Major Traherne saying that he has come to the same

conclusion.

Exceptfor salmon,and thennot whentheyrundecidedlysmall,no lappingof any

sortisrequiredinanypartofthecastingline.Thelappingthatusedtobeappliedatthe

tackleshopsgivesnoadditionalstrengthwhatsoever,whilsttheeffectistoexaggeratethat

whichmustalwaysbeadisfigurement.

Forcastinglinesofallkindssinglegut,tapered,istheonlymaterialthatIeverthink

ofemploying,andIfinditquitestrongenoughwhenobtainedofthebestquality.Between

thetopofthecastinglineandbottomofthereel-line,however,itwillgenerallybefound

convenient– always in the case ofsalmonlines–tointerposeacoupleof feet or so of

somethickermedium,andforthispurposetwistedtaperedgut‘points,’astheyarecalled,

with the lengths neatly spliced (not knotted) together, can now be obtained. The old-

fashioned ‘points’ made in separate lengths, and joined with a huge unsightly knot, are

distinctlyobjectionable.

This twisted ‘intermediary’ materially increases, I think, the ease and nicety of the

castinthecaseofbothtroutandsalmonlines..Thethickendofthetwistedpointshould

beneatlylappedontotheendofthereel-line,andismostconvenientlyterminatedbya

knot,assmallasmaybe,whichisattachedtotheloopofthegutcastinglinebyasortof

modified‘jam,’readilyadmittingofdetachment.Forverylighttroutorgraylingfishing,a

few strands of stout salmon gut, tapered, may be substituted for the twisted point, the

castinglinebeingknottedonbytheordinaryfisherman’sknot,andcutapartattheendof

theday,or–whereanextrafinelytaperedreel-lineisemployed–bothgutandtwistmay

bedispensedwith.

STAINING

All sorts of stains are recorded by different authors and adopted by different fishermen

accordingtoindividualtasteandfancy.Iusedpersonallytofancywhatisknownasthe

red water stain for rivers where the water took a darkish or porter-coloured tint after a

fresh, and for ‘white’ waters a light bluish or cloud colour. I am by no means clear,

however,thatinthecaseofthefly-fisherthereisanysufficientwarrantyforthisnicetyof

refinement,if,indeed,itbearefinementatallinthepropersenseoftheword.Whenwe

seeaporter-colouredwaterweforgetthatwearelookingdownfromabove,whilstthefish

we wish to catch is, in all probability, looking up from below, and that our line being

‘flotant’ is but a few inches below the surface of the water. The result is that when he

comesup totakethefly the stratumofwaterinterposedbetweenthegutand theskyis

really, when viewed by the human eye at any rate, almost colourless. It is the depth of

water which produces the depth of colour. The same thing again applies to the clear

streamswhichafterafloodbecomemerelyslightlythickenedwithmudandnevertakethe

redorbog-waterstainunderanycircumstances.

Inorderasfarasmightbetosatisfymyownmindastowhatpracticallywasthebest

stain,Iarrangedanexperimentinwhichtheactualconditionsofthefloatinglinewereas

nearlyaspossiblereproduced–substitutingmyowneyeforthatofthefish.Aglasstank

wasobtainedwithaglassbottom,andIfoundthatwithaboutthreeinchesofwaterinit

thedifferencebetweenwaterstainedwithteaorcoffeetoaboutthesameextentasthered

water of a river, or slightly clouded to represent the waters of a chalk stream, was, for

practical purposes, nil, and, after trying various experiments, the general conclusion

appeared to be that the stain which was most like the colour of the sky was the least

visible;also,thattheverylighteststainwasbetterthanadarkone,andthatinthecaseof

perfectlysoundcleargutnostainatallseemedpracticallytoberequired,asthenegative

colour, or rather approximate colourlessness, of the gut harmonised, on the whole, very

wellwithmostkindsofskytint.

Probablyalightink-and-water,or‘slate,’stainisasgoodasany,takingonedaywith

another.Toproduceit,mixboilingwaterandblackink,andsoakthegutinit–rinsingit

thoroughly when it has attained the desired colour. This, indeed, is a precaution that

should never be omitted in staining gut, which is otherwise apt to lose itstransparency.

Whentoodarkastainhasbeengivenitmayreadilybereducedinintensitybysoakingthe

gutincleanboilingwater.

For the common ‘red water stain’ an infusion of tea leaves, boiled down until a

teacupfulofblackteainaquartofwaterbecomesapint,givesanicecleantransparent

tint;or coffeethat has beenpreviously charred in a frying-pan and ground, willanswer

insteadoftea.

Whenthegutisnotentirelyroundandclear,or,inotherwords,is‘stringy’itisvery

aptto have a sort of gloss, and, when the sun is shining upon it, glittering effectin the

water, which is highly undesirable. In such a case I have tried, with apparently good

effects,slightlyrubbingdownthegutwithdryishcobbler’swax.Thisalsohastheeffect

ofmakingthegutflotant–ahintforthe‘dry-fly’.

IonceatLochLevenmetwiththefriendofafly-fisherwhoneverusedtostaingut,

buttookoffthe glitter by simply pulling itoncethrougha piece of fine emery paper…

Thisisdrawngutwiththe‘chilloff.’

For dressing flies, where gut is used in the bodies, Judson’s aniline dyes, kept by

most chemists, will produce any sort of stain required. The directions are given on the

bottles, but I recommend the use of only one-half the proportion of water. Some of the

stainsproducedbytheanilinedyes,however,destroythetextureofthegut.

Hair, which I cannot recommend for any sort of fly fishing, and which when used

shouldbetakenfromthetailofastallion,isseldomstained,beinggenerallypreferredof

thenaturalbrownishtint.If,however,itisrequiredtostainitforthepurposeoffly-tying

orotherwise,theanimalgreasinessmustbefirstremovedbyslightlyboilingthehairina

‘mordant’obtainedfromanounceofalumdissolvedinapintofwater.Thisisalsoagood

preparatorymordantforfeathersbeforetheyaredyed.

The length for the casting line itself, shown by general experience to be the most

convenient,isaboutthreeyards.Inthecaseofsalmonfishingwithasecondfly,orlake

troutfishingwiththreefliesandadouble-handedrod,anextrafoot–making,say,tenfeet

inall – is sometimes added,but it may be safely said thatfifty 3-yard casting lines are

made for one over that length. Where eyed flies are used, which have of course no

separatelinkofgutbelongingtothem,thecastinglinebecomespracticallyalinkshorter.

I rarely myself use more than two flies in trout or any other fishing – except

occasionallywhenexperimentingonthebestfliesforanewwater–andthereforethree

yardsisanampleallowance.Notthat,as‘BoxandCox’expressesit,Ihaveany‘violent

animosity or rooted antipathy’ to three flies, but that for ordinary purposes I find two

preferable.Twofliescanbecastbetterthan three;twofliescanbe ‘worked’betterthan

three;twofliesarenotsoliabletoentanglementsasthree;andwhentheydoget‘mixed’

thetangleisless inextricable. By ‘working better,’ whatImean is that whilst theupper

dropper,which,asecondortwoafterthecast,hangs–orshouldhang–clearoftheline,

and,barring the fly, nearly clear of the wateralso, – and whilst the tail fly isof course

alwaysswimmingclear,thelowerorseconddropper,bytheactionofdrawingintheflies,

getsofnecessitymoreorlessmuddledupwiththecastingline(whichthenoseofarising

fish is very likely to strike), and cannot be worked, like the top dropper, cross-line or

‘otter’fashion,dribblingalong,thatis,amongsttheripples.

Theargumentappliesalsotoriverfishing,thoughperhapsinasomewhatlessdegree

inasmuchastheactionofacurrent–oftennearlysmooth–doesnotlenditselfsoreadily

to the artistic working of the dropper as the streamless and generally wind-wrinkled

surfaceofalake.

Allthis,however,isfairlyaquestionofpracticeaswellastheory,and,asIsay,many

excellentfly-fishers – perhaps a majority – prefer three flies to two. Their contention is

thatitgivesagreaterchanceofthefliesbeingseen,andagreaterchoicetothefishwhen

hedoesseethem.

Passingfromtheguttothereel,orrunningline,Ifindsowideafieldopenbeforeme

thatIdespairofbeingabletodojusticetothenumberlessdifferentdescriptionsoflines,

dressedandundressed,silk,hemp,hair,andwhatnot,whichcompeteforthefly-fisher’s

favour.When I served my apprenticeship to the craft almost everybody used a line

composed of a mixture of silk and hair, and this has still some votaries left, amongst

whom,however,Iamdecidedlynotone.Ithad,infact,onlyonegoodquality,lightness;

perhapsIshouldsayhalfagoodquality,becausethelightnesswhichisofadvantageinthe

waterisagreatdisadvantageincastingagainstthe wind.For therest, this silk-and-hair

linepossessesprettynearlyeverydrawbackthatcanwellbecombined.Themomentitis

not-tightly stretched, in other words, that it has a chance of kinking, or crinkling up, it

promptlydoessotheprotuberantpointsofhairimpartadisinclination,almostamounting

sometimestoapositiverefusaltoallowitselftopassthroughtherodrings,whilst,even

under the most careful treatment, it gets rotten, or so much weakened as to be

untrustworthy,aftertheshortesttermofservice.Somuchfor‘silk’and‘hair.’

Hair by itself may be dismissed in a very few words. As contrasted with the silk

mixture,itpossessesitsvirtuesinagreateranditsfaultsinaminordegree.Itisstillmore

flotantinthewater,wherealsoitismuchlessvisible,anditnevergetsrotten.Butasaset-

offthedifficultyofcastingagainstthewindandthefrictionintherod-ringsare,ofcourse,

exaggerated. On the whole, although I have used reel-lines entirely made of brown

horsehair for trout fishing in calm and bright weather with considerable satisfaction, I

decidedly prefer a dressed – i.e. waterproofed – line, whether silk or hemp, which is

suitableforwindyaswellascalmweather,andwhichwithpropercarewilllastquitelong

enoughforallpracticalpurposes.

Forsalmonfishing,ofcourse,linesmadeofhairorofsilkandhair,wouldbeputout

ofcourtononegroundalone,namely,awantofsufficientstrength.

Withregard to the question of hemp or silk, I must say that when the ‘Manchester

TwineCottonSpinningCompany’firststartedtheysentmesomelines,bothdressedand

undressed, which were exceedingly perfect, and which I believe, after fourteen years’

occasionalservice,tobestillas strongasever– in fact,sostrongthat ontryingoneof

themjustnowwithbothhandsafriendofminefailedtobreakit.Thisline,however,is

whatistermed‘cable-laid’–twisted,thatis,inthesamemannerasaship’scable–the

principleofwhichisthatwhilstthecableitselfistwistedfromrighttoleft,theseparate

ropesofwhichitiscomposedaretwistedfromlefttoright.Theresultofthisisthatthe

twotwistscounteracteachotherintheirmutualinclinationtokink,andwhenwetted,the

cable,insteadofswelling,hardensandcontracts.Oftheplaitedhemplinesissuedbythe

samecompanyIhavenothinggoodtosay,neitherdidanyofthedressingsofthosethatI

haveseenproperlyaffecttheirobject,andiftheydidsotemporarily,myexperienceisthat

theywouldnotstand.

InthecaseoftheparticularlinetowhichIrefer,nosemblanceofdressingofanysort

nowremains,ordidremainafterthefirstfewmonths,or,perhaps,weeks,ofreal‘service

in the field,’ on any part of the line which had come into actual use. The strength,

however,wasandis,Ithink,bulkforbulk,unequalledbyanylinesthatIhavemetwith

madeof silk.Thelatter,however, possess thegreatadvantageoftaking thedressing,or

waterproofing, perfectly, and admitting afterwards of a smoothness and polish which

facilitateverygreatlytherunningoutandthereelinginoftheline.

Thesedressedsilklinesalso,ifnotabsolutelysostrongasthosemadeofhemp(and

they have improved of late years), can be made quite strong enough for all practical

purposes. I say advisedly ‘can be made,’ because I have found the most unexpected

differencesinthestrengthofdifferentso-calledsilklinesofthesamethickness,andwhere

theyhavebeensaidtobeofthesamemanufacture.Thebestroughandreadymethodof

testingistotakeafootortwoofthelinebetweenthehandsandascertain,bybreakingor

tryingtobreakit,whatisitsactualstrength.

Itappears,then,thatonacomputationofadvantagesanddisadvantagesoursupport

should be given to dressed silk lines for fly fishing; and as these are made of every

thickness,from that of an ordinary piece ofstout sewing cottonalmostto that ofa bell

rope,everyonecan,withoutdifficulty, suithisparticularobjectsandtastes.Dressedsilk

has in rough weather a ‘driving’ power which cannot be obtained with any undressed

material,andnothingbutsilkappearstobecapableoftakingthedressingproperly.’

Then comes the question: Shall the dressed silk line be ‘level’ – that is, of equal

substance throughout – or ‘tapered,’ which means in ordinary parlance, getting finer

towardstheendatwhichthecastinglineistobeattached?Thelatterissometimeswhat

iscalled ‘double tapered,’ that is, the line is tapered at both ends – or itmay be onlya

‘singletaper,’when,ofcourse,thetaperismadeatoneendonly.Asbetweenleveland

taperedlines,each have its advantagesandits disadvantages, but, on thewhole, I think

nine fly-fishers out of ten prefer, in practice, a line more or less tapered towards the

castingend.

Sofarastheactualcastingisconcerned,apartfrom‘finefishing,’thesedetailsareof

littleimportanceonquietdays, but in stormyweather,whenthe wind is blowinghalfa

gale,perhapsrightinthefly-fisher’steeth,thecaseisradicallyaltered,andthemanwhose

lineisproperlytaperedandbalancedandinweightexactlysuitedtohisrodwillbeableto

goon casting withcomparative efficiency,whilehis neighbour, lessperfectly equipped,

willfindhisfliesblownbackinhisfaceeveryothercast.

The importance, to the salmon fisher especially, of a line which will cut its way

through a fierce March squall has been so well recognised that in order to give greater

‘cutting’powerline-makershaveevengonetotheextentofmanufacturingreel-lineswith

wirecentres.MyfriendMrSeniornowinformsmethatsomehetried,madebyFoster,of

Ashbourne, answered exceedingly well. I have used them myself also, and in squally

weathertheycertainlypossessgreat‘cutting’poweragainstoracrossthewind.

The salmon line that seems to command the greatest number of suffrages amongst

connoisseursiswhatisknownasthe‘swelledline.’Thislineisgraduallytaperedthicker

fromtheenduptoapointwhichitiscalculatedwillgenerallycomenearaboutthetopof

the rod in making a cast. Thus the average length of the taper from the finest to the

thickestpartisusually,forasalmonline,15to20yards,thentaperingoffbackwardsuntil

itreachesitsfinestpointagainatanother15or20yards–i.e.30or40yardsinall,where

it is attached to the ‘back’ line. This is the line recommended by Major Traherne (see

articleonsalmonfishing).

IfindIgetcapitalcastingwiththeswelledline,bothasappliedtotroutandsalmon

fishing–intheformercasetheswellorthickestpointshouldbereachedproportionally

quicker,say,forasingle-handedrodinabout9or10yardsfromtheend.Thequantityof

line,clearoftherod-point,thatcanbecontinuouslyusedwiththemaximumofeffectin

laketroutfishingwithaten-footrodis,Ifind,about18or20feet–ornearlytwicethe

lengthoftherod–plusthecastingline:i.e.9or10yardsaltogether.Deducting3yardsfor

thecastingline,thiswouldleave6or 7 yards as thepointinthereel-lineatwhich,for

ordinary lake work, the thickest point of the taper or ‘swell’ should be reached; but as

longercastsareoftenrequired,andas,moreover,thesamelinewillprobablydodutyfor

river fishing as well, probably from 8 to 10 yards of taper will be found the most

convenientlength.Foradouble-handedtroutrod,somethingbetweentheproportionsofa

salmonlineand thoselast-namedare applicable. If a level (untapered) line be used, the

interjectionof2or3feetoftwistedgutpoint–anadvantageinalmostallcases–willbe

foundhighlydesirable,breakingasitdoestheotherwiseabrupttransitionfromreellineto

gut.

Dry-fly fishers, who generally use stiffer rods than common, have canons of their

own on these questions, and the latest science of reel-lines for the floating fly will be

foundinMrF.M.Halford’sablearticle.

Let me, in quitting the subject, emphasise one parting caution: The thickness (and

swell)ofthelinemustabsolutelybeproportionedtothecapacitiesoftherodifthemost

artistic results are to be obtained. A heavy line demands a stiff rod (and top), and vice

versd, and a light whippy rod with a fine top a line of corresponding lightness. A

transpositionoftheseconditions–eitherway–willproducefailure.

One other hint – if a reel-line is not absolutely smooth, reject it unhesitatingly, no

matter what its other qualifications may be. I know of lines admirably strong, capitally

tapered,longwearing–‘conscientious’linesinfactineveryway–butofwhichIwould

havenoneatanyprice.Withsuch,everytimeyouwanttolengthenorshortenyourcast

thereisfrictionontherod-rings,andanimpedimentmoreorlesstofreepassage;ingiving

linetoafishditto(oftenthecauseoflosingit);whilstbothincastingthroughtheairand

liftingoutofthewater,suchalineentailsateverycastofeveryday,fromits‘cradletoits

grave,’ a certain small comparative disability, which to willingly subject oneself to is

stupid,becausewhollyunnecessary.

Thisnaturallyappliestoanykindofline,dressedorundressed.

REELSANDREELFASTENINGS

The Fisheries Exhibition of 1883 was prolific in new reels, many of which, it must be

confessed, were not only highly ingenious as inventions, but really excellent in their

adaptation to different sorts of fishing. Indeed, if reels have not in the matter of

‘improvement’quitekeptpacewiththeimprovementsinrods,theyareyetprodigiouslyin

advanceoftheunmechanicalwindlasseswithwhichourforbears,inthenotverydistant

past,werecontenttoreelinthevictimsoftheirprowess.ButIwillnotslaytheslaintwice

over,orevoke,merelyforthepurposeofexorcisingthem,theghostsof‘Pirns,’‘winch-

winders,’ ‘multipliers’ (horrescoreferens!) and other similar abominations, which if not

actuallyasextinctasthedodo,soonwillbe…

Ofmodernisedimprovedreelsorwinchesthatwhichpresents,perhaps,thegreatest

actualnoveltyisSlater’s‘CombinationReel,’socalledbecauseunitingthequalifications

ofaNottinghamreelandanordinaryplainorcheckreel.Thisitdoeswithout,sofarasI

canjudge,diminishingtheefficiencyofeither.Further–speakingwithduediffidenceofa

speciality of fishing which I have had very little opportunity, or perhaps taste, for

acquiring – it would appear to be vastly superior to the old-fashioned open Nottingham

reel,inthat,beingconfinedtothebarrelbytransversebars,thelinecannotbeperpetually

‘windingoff’–orIshouldsay‘twistingoff’–thereelwhennotwanted,andhitchingits

loosecoilsroundthereelitselfandeverythingelseinitsvicinity.

Nottinghamfishingapart,however,thereelisofverygeneralapplicability,andbeing

exceptionally light, as well as simple in construction, presents advantages in many

directions.

Forallkindsoffishing,forexample,inwhichthebaitiscommonly,oroccasionally

‘castfromthereel,’itisexcellent.Soalsoitisinsomebranchesofflyfishing,suchas(to

mentiononeinwhichIhaveuseditwithmuchsatisfaction)inlakefishingwithadouble-

handedrod.Indeed,evenforlightsalmonfishing,Ihavebothuseditmyselfandseenit

used successfully by others. No doubt the speciality of the reel is for pike spinning, in

whichconnectionitisfiguredanddescribedinVol.II,butfortheconvenienceoftroutand

salmonfisherstheillustrationishererepeated.

InorderfullytoadapttheCombinationReeltotherequirementsoftheordinaryfly-

andfloat-fisher,aswellastothetroller,thewinderandaxle,insteadofbeingentirelyof

wood,asformerly–necessitating,ofcourse,alargediameter–arenowalsomade,inthe

formshowninthewoodcuts,ofwoodandmetalcombined,bywhichthediameterofthe

axleisreduced,andthereelsofarinallrespectsassimilatedtotheordinarypatternsof

brass and bronze, – its speciality in regard to the Nottingham style of casting being of

course retained. The insides of the barrel plates on both sides are, in this later pattern,

composed almost wholly of metal, rotating freely on a fixed steel pivot or centre-pin.

Attached to the non-revolving (left-hand) plate is a brass frame or cage supporting the

horizontalbars,betweenwhich,ofcourse,asinordinaryreels,thelinepasses,whilstthis

immovableframeworkis‘recessed’intoagrooveintherevolvingbarrel.Theobjectofthe

revolutionofthewholeright-handside-plate–madeexteriorlyofwood–istoenablea

‘drag’ to be placed upon the running-out of the line, without which, as a means of

regulating the length and direction of the cast, casting from the reel in the Nottingham

style would be practically impossible. The two portions of the reel readily come apart

whenitisdesiredtooilorcleanthem;anditwaswheninthisseparatedconditionthatthe

upperfiguresinthecutweretaken,thelowerfigureshowingthereelwhenputtogether.

Byshiftingwiththefingerabuttonor‘catch’theactioncanbechangedtoa‘check.’

The diameter of the reel from which the engraving was made is 2½ inches; inside

widthbetweenbarrelplates,inch;weight,6oz.Thissizeandpatternissuitedforanykind

offishing,butforlaketroutfishingIprefera4-inchreeloftheoriginalwoodenpattern,

the increased diameter of the axle, unaccompanied by any increase of weight, giving a

more rapid and powerful winding-in power. For light salmon fishing a 4½ inch Slater’s

woodenreelwillbefoundaboutthemostconvenientsize.Aftercontinuouswetting,these

reelsshouldbetakenapartandcarefullydriedandoiledallover,otherwisetheyareaptto

swelland‘stick.’

Another comparatively recent introduction is Mr Heaton’s ‘Strike from the Winch’

Reel,whichhasitsadvocatesfortroutandevenforsalmonfishing;though,Iconfess,I

shouldnotbeinclinedtoputanygreatfaithinit–orratherintheprincipleitembodies–

asappliedtothelatterpurpose.Theobjectofthereelisprimarilytosoftenorrelievethe

‘jar’ of the stroke by keeping the hand clear of the line and allowing the reel (the

resistance of which can be made weaker or stronger) to do the work instead. It has no

‘check,’inthetechnicalsense,ofanysort,andthegraduatedpressureisobtainedbythe

applicationofascrewworkingover,andagainst,theendoftheaxle.Itisimportantthat

theendofthisregulatorshouldbekeptcarefullyoiled.

For Salmon reels proper we have, if not an embarras de choix, at least several

excellentvarietiestoselectfrom.

Firstthere is ‘Farlow’sLever Reel’– a solidbrass (bronzed) reel. Itis made inall

sizes,butitisdistinctlyasasalmonreelthatitfindsitsmostnaturalplace.

Itsspecialityisthemechanisminwhichalozenge-shapedpiecerepresentsaconvex

springplate,whichbymeansofascrew-nutcanbeloosenedortightenedatpleasure,so

astoofferexactlytheresistancetotherunningoutofthelinethatmaybedesired.This

takestheplaceoftheordinarycheck,whichis,however,attachedtoasecondvarietyof

thereelforthosewhomaypreferit.Inthislattermodeltheregulator-springistransferred

to the left-hand, or opposite, plate, and replaced on the right-hand plate by the check

machinery.

Thereisalsoalittlesupplementaryplateforlubricatingpurposes.

ChevalierandBownessmanufactureaverysimilarreel,inwhichthe‘pressurenut’is

turnedonandoffbythefingers,insteadofbyaknife-bladeorscrewdriver.

Thesearebothstrongandthoroughlyserviceablereels;andforsalmonfishing,where

itseems–orIshouldperhapsrathersay,seemedtillrecently–tobethegeneraltheory–

or,atanyrate,practice–thatweightissubsidiarytostrengthanddurability,canbesafely

reliedon.A‘lever’reelof4½inches,withapropercomplementofline,weighs2lbs.1

oz.

Another capital reel, which I have found excellent for all sorts of boat work, is

Malloch’s‘SunandPlanet’Reel.Thisisacheckreel,anditspeculiarityisthatunless,and

until,thehandleistakenholdof,thelinerunsoutwithoutanymovementofthesideplate

(or,ofcourse,ofthehandle),sothat,whentrailing,forinstance,therodcansafelybeleft

withthereelrestingonthebottomoftheboat,andincaseofa‘run’thereisnodangerofa

contactbetweenthereel-handleandboat-gearcausingoneofthosesuddenchecksonthe

linewhichareapttoproduceinopportuneresults.

Inthereelwhich I have of thispatterntheright-handplate is made of somewhite

metallightlybronzed,orrather‘greyed,’andtheleft-handplateofebonite.Theebonite

plate,inmyopinion,rendersitlesssuitableforbankfishing,whereaknockonastoneis

verylikelytohappen,entailingveryprobablyafractureoftheebonite.

Tothosewhodesirelightreelsmadeentirelyofmetal,whereveryroughworkisnot

tobeexpected,HardyBrothers’‘RevolvingPlateReel’willcommenditself.

The 4½ -inch reel will take comfortably too yards of fine hemp backing and forty

yardsofmediumdressedsilktapersuitedforasalmonroduptosixteenfeetinlength.

The lightest reel in the world is probably that made entirely of aluminium. An

aluminiumreel2½inchesindiameterweighslessthan3oz.,butthepriceisalarming–at

least1lperoz.

This,ofcourse,iscarryingthingstoanextreme;butclearlythequestionofweightin

reels is of the utmost importance if the rod is to be properly balanced – which is only

anotherwordforsaying,‘ifthemaximumandperfectionofworkaretobegotoutofit.’

There can be no question, however, that, whether with the idea of ‘balancing’ or

otherwise, the weight of reels ordinarily used, especially in salmon fishing, is greatly

overdone.Thereelhas always to besupported‘at arm’slength,’so to say, whereevery

ouncetellsitstaleduringaday’sfishing.Anothervitallyimportantpointinasalmonreel

forgenuinehardworkisthewinding-inleverage,aseverysalmonfisherknowswhohas

hadthe experience of ‘reelingup’– or trying to reel up–halfadozenheavyfishinas

manyhalfhours.Again,theidealsalmonreelmustbestrongenoughtorunnoriskfrom

chancecollisionswithrocksorother‘jeopardyofwar’;and,further,thecheckmachinery

shouldbeassimpleaspossible,andreadilyaccessibleincaseofaccidentsorforpurposes

oflubrication.Anarrowbarrelorwinderand(ofcourse)acorrespondingnarrowgroove

aredesideratawhich,happily,itisnowhardlynecessarytoinsistupon.Insalmonreels,

however(thoughhardlyintroutreels),thislastpointmaybeoverdone,havingregardto

theconvenienceincarryinglineinthemostcompactform.

AsIcouldnotfindanysalmonreelcompletelyfulfillingtheseseveralconditions,I

setaboutconstructingone,andindoingsounhesitatinglypressedintomyservicethebest

pointsIcouldfindinanyexistingreels,well-knownorotherwise.Theoutcomeisshown

in the reel figured below, in which I believe it will be seen that the desiderated

requirementsarecombined…Butletme,inthefirstplace,acknowledgemyindebtedness

totheotherinventorsofwhoseseveralsystemsIhavetakenadvantage.

Theformofthesideplatesofmyreel,witharimallinonesolidpieceofmetal,is

duetoGeneralSirDanielLysons,G.C.B.Thisrimnotonlyenablestheexteriorendofthe

handle to be ‘guarded,’ or counter-sunk, so as both to protect it and prevent the line

hitchingroundit,butatthesametimemakesitpracticabletodispensealtogetherwiththe

secondorexteriorsideplate.

PennellReel,Fig.1.

ThehandleoftheLysonsreelterminatesinsidetherim,sothattheleverageisonly

aboutthesameasthatofahandleattachedintheordinarywaytoarevolvingsideplate;

andtogainthemaximumofpossibleleverage(pointtwo)Ihaveadoptedinamodified

formthe handle which is saidto be the invention of Colonel Latour– or which, at any

rate,isknownas‘ColonelLatour’shandle.’This,ina4½-inchreel,givesanincreased

leverage, or winding-in power, of half an inch in actual measurement, or, mechanically

speaking,some-whereaboutdoublesit(?).Thedoubledleveragewilltell,fromthefirst

puttingtogetheroftheroduntil thegaffingofthe lastfishoftheday givesthewearied

musclesoftherightarmandbackanotunwelcomerespite.

Thelastpointisthecheckmechanism,shownindrawing,fig.2,whichoughttobe

simple,andatthesametimeeasilyaccessible–accessible,thatis,withoutany‘takingto

pieces’ of the reel. In my ‘combined reel’ the check machinery is merely covered by a

hinged lid (A, B, C), sufficiently close- fitting to be practically water-tight, while

admittingofbeingopenedatoncebygivingthecatch,c,aturnwiththepointofaknife-

blade.

In all the foregoing reels the handles are so attached as, in one way or another, to

preventthelinegettingcaughtroundthem.

PennellReel,Fig.2.Outsideoflefthandplate,showingcheckmechanismandlid.

There is still, however, something left to be desired in this matter of reel and line

hitching. The snake is ‘scotched,’ not killed. In whatever manner the handle may be

attached, the line still is left free to hitch round behind the back of the reel itself – a

freedomofwhich,itisalmostneedlesstosay,itseemstohaveaprovokingdetermination

toavailitselftotheutmost.Itappeared,therefore,thatastopmightbeput,onceforall,on

thisnever-endingworry,bypartlycoveringoverthespaceatthebackofthereelwitha

‘protector’ or guard of some sort. The mechanical realisation of the idea was easy; the

protectorspringsfromthemiddlebaroftheposteriorcurve,overwhich(bar)it‘clasps,’–

theexteriorendpressingcloseontoandagainsttherod,whilstthe‘interior’endisfixed

tothemetalsupportofthefootplate.

MessrsBernard,ofChurchPlace,Piccadilly,havealsorecentlymadea‘protector’on

the same principle, but differently applied: as it is attached – always, of course, by the

middle bar – with a separate spring, forming an equally effectual prevention of ‘line-

hitching.’ Indeed, in one respect, it is even more absolutely ‘undefeatable’ than my

original device, as it occupies the whole width of the reel-barrel. Per contra it adds

appreciably to the weight, which the original pattern does not. The annexed cut shows

Bernard’smodificationasappliedtooneoftheirexcellentlyproportionedsilver-bronzed

trout-reels.

Toshowhowreallyseriousanannoyancethishitchingofthelineroundthereelis

recognised to be, Messrs Foster, of Ashbourne, have actually gone to the trouble of

constructingareelinanenlargementoftherod-buttitself,aplanwhich,whatevermaybe

itsmeritsinotherrespects,itisneedlesstosayeffectuallyovercomesthedifficulty.

SomebeautifulreelsarenowmadeinAmerica,foraspecimenofthemostperfectof

which I am indebted to the courtesy of the inventor, Mr Chas. F. Orvis, of Manchester,

Vermont, U.S.A. This reel, with its extraordinarily narrow barrel, and side plates

perforatedthroughoutforlightness,seemstometocomprisetheoreticallyallthepointsof

aperfecttroutreel,andIfindinpracticeitsperformanceisequaltoitspromise,itsgreat

diameterenablingafishthatrunsin’tobewoundupsofastthattheevilsofa‘slackline’

needseldombefelt.

Besideslightness,theperforationofthesideplates,allowingtheairtogettotheline,

areintendedtopreventthelatterrottingifleftdamp,andImustsaythatthoughtheline

hasbeen–dayafterday,andinfactsinceIbegantouseitsomemonthsago–leftwet,it

doesnotseemsofartohavesufferedanydeteriorationwhateverinconsequence.Theonly

imperfection in the reel was that owing to the old-fashioned ‘crank’ form of handle the

linenotunfrequentlygothitchedroundit,andtoremedythisIhavehadahandlefittedto

mine, as shown in the engraving, which effectually overcomes the ‘hitching’ tendency,

whilstatthesametimeincreasingtheleverage.Thedoublehandleisalsoofconsiderable

advantageinrealwork,asthehandleismorerapidlyfound,andconsequentlylesstimeis

lostinwindingin–thisisanadvantagepossessedbytheSlaterreelalso;andithassaved

memanyafish,moreespeciallyinboatwork,whentheboathasbeendriftingbeforea

wind,andthehookedfish,asbeforepointedout,‘runsin.’

The reels described in the foregoing pages represent the latest advances that have

beenmade,andamongstthemneitherthesalmonnortroutfisherneed,Ithink,findany

difficulty in selecting a reel suited to his taste, – observing again that the question of

weightisonedemandingmostseriousconsideration,especiallyonthepartoffly-fishers

who are not burdened with superfluous muscular development. If the lower (untapered)

portion of the reel-line – otherwise the ‘back line’ – which is not used in casting, and

which undergoes comparatively little wear and tear, is made to consist of either fine

undressed silk or (better) hemp, the total weight may be sensibly reduced without loss

eitherofefficiencyor‘compass.’

Allowing,say,fortyyards–eitheroftheordinarytaper,orof theswelledtaper,as

alreadydescribed,forcastingpurposes,sixtyorseventyyardsofhemplinestrongenough

toholdanythingthatswimscanbegotcomfortablyuponathreeandthree-quarterorfour-

inch reel (according to the width of the barrel), and this length will usually be found

sufficient for all ordinary purposes. In ‘big rivers,’ however, this length may be

advantageouslyincreasedto120oreven150yards,inwhichcasethesizeofthereelwill,

ofcourse, have to be increased also. On toafour-inchreelofmypatternI can get 100

yardsofbackline,consistingofveryfine,solidplaited,superficiallydressed,hemp,and

fortyyardsofmedium-sizedswelleddressedsilktaper,asthickasissuitableforcasting

withanyroduptofifteenorsixteenfeet.Thehempbackingisaboutasfineasafinetrout

reel-line,andIfoundoneyardofitdrewoutthesteelyardtotwenty-threepoundsbeforeit

broke.Thishemplinewillalsolastrightwell.The‘backline’andthetapered,orcasting,

partofthelineshouldbeverycarefullyandneatlylappedtogetherwithfinewaxedsilkat

theplaceofjunction,soastoobviateanydangerofthelinegettingstuckintheringsat

thatpointwhenrunningoutwithafish.Ifsmallstiffsteelrings,suchasIusemyselfand

advocatefor everydescriptionofrod, are adopted,thechanceofa ‘hitch’at the critical

momentwillbereducedtoaminimum.

In the foregoing observations on reels generally I have assumed that all practical

fishermenwill use a reel which is eithernormallya‘check,’or that can be madeintoa

check at pleasure. The old-fashioned ‘plain reel,’ as it is called, possessed certainly the

meritofbeingplain–veryplain,indeed,weshouldthinknowadays!–andsimple,inthe

senseof not being likelytoget out of order. But thereitsmerits end. When thereis no

‘check’tointerferewiththerapidrotatorymotionofthewheelsetgoingbyaheavyfish,

thereisnothinginthemechanismtopreventtheline‘over-running,’theresultofwhichis

usuallyacompletestoppageatthecriticalmoment.

Multiplying reels are at least equally objectionable upon another ground, namely,

that,when‘windingin’afish,theoldmechanicalaxiomof‘whatisgainedinspeedislost

inpower‘isapttocomeintooperationwithdisastrousresults.Noonecanfairlywind-ina

heavyfishwith a multiplying reel of the old type, and now thatreelswithdeepnarrow

barrels,givingincreasedspeedandpower,arealmostuniversallymanufacturedinsteadof

theantiquated shallow,broad-groovedpattern,thereisno practical advantagegainedby

furtherrapidityofaction.

RODS

WithregardtoflyrodsIshallsaybutlittle.Quothominestotsentetitiae.Someflyfishers

like hickory, others prefer green-heart, or lancewood. Some like a rod made all of one

wood,others givethepreferenceto arodwiththe butt ofonesortof wood andthetop

joints of another, and a great many of the modern school, especially those with whom

priceisnotamatterofimportance,havegivenintheiradhesiontothespliced-canerods,

whicharesupposedtoowetheirorigintoourenterprisingcousinsontheothersideofthe

‘HerringPond.’

In the ‘form’ of the rod again, as in regard to the wood of which it may be

constructed,it is rare tofind two fishermenof the sameopinion. Many still holdto the

old-fashionedstraight-buttedrod,whichtaperedawaywithalmostmathematicalprecision

from the reel to the point, alleging, amongst other advantages claimed, that with this

shapedrodasparetopcanalwaysbecarriedincaseofaccidentwithouttheinconvenience

ofaseparatetopcase.Oflateyears,however,manypracticalflyfishers–indeed,IthinkI

maysaythemajority–favoursomemodificationorotheroftheformof therodwhich

oweditsbirth,or,atanyrate,itschristening,tothehabituesofCastleConnell–preferring

theswishyplayobtainedbyfiningortaperingawaythebuttrapidlyfromabovethereel…

Onallthesesubjects,wereItogointothemindetail,Imighteasilydoublethelength

of this chapter, without carrying conviction, or probably amusement, to anybody but

myself. I, therefore, refrain from doing more than touching thus lightly on the mere

superficialaspectofthequestion,leavingeverymantoremain,as,indeed,heoughttobe,

andwouldbeforanythingIcouldwritetothecontrary,hisowncounsel,judge,andjury.

With regard, however, to the now fashionable split-cane rods, a few words on the

method of their construction, and on their two principal varieties, may possibly not be

uninterestingtothose who are notalready initiated into themysteriesof this interesting

branchofrod-making.

In the Art of Fly-Making published by Mr Blacker about thirty years ago, second

edition,occurs,Ibelieve,thefirstnoticeofsplitcanerods.MrBlackersays:

Thebeautifulrentandglued-upbamboo-caneflyrods,whichIturnouttothe

greatestperfection,areveryvaluable,astheyarebothlightandpowerful,and

throwthe line withgreat facility. The cane for these rods must beof the very

bestdescription,ortheywillnotlastanytime.Theywilllastforyears,however,

ifreallywellmade,and,takencareof.

The wood employed in their manufacture is the ‘male bamboo’, procured from India;

greatcareandexperiencebeingrequiredinselectingonlysuchcanesasareofthefinest

qualityandhavebeencutattheproperseason.

This is a matter of great delicacy and difficulty, as will be understood when it is

borne in mind how troublesome it is to properly balance a rod constructed of even the

ordinarysolidwoodswheretheplanecanbeusedafterthejointsarefixed.Eitherfrom

wantofknowledgeorpropermachinery,manyso-calledcanerodsareputtogethersothat

theyhavetobesubsequentlyfiledorplanedtogettherequisitespring,thusremovingthe

mostessentialpartofthecane.Theseinferiorrodsarethenpainted,orburntoveragainto

imitate the natural colour of the original skin, from which, however, they are easily

distinguishedbyexperts.

Probablyoneofthereasonswhyithasbeensupposedbyflyfishersthattheserods

willnotstandtheheavyworkbroughttobearupontheminsalmonfishingistheuseof

inferiorcementintheprocess,andthegluesubsequentlyoozingoutofthejointsinwet

weather,thustendingtomakethemcomelooseafterwards.InMrKelson’sreportonthe

collection of salmon rods in the Fisheries Exhibition (Field, October 27, 1883), he

observes that ‘this is always the case sooner or later with these hand-made rods for

salmon;butifelevenyears’experiencewiththembeadmittedsufficient,Imaysaythat

therodsmadewiththemachineryusedbyMessrsHardy,whoobtainedthefirstprizefor

thesesplit-canerodsattheFisheriesExhibition,forcuttingthecaneperfectlytrue,obviate

thedifficultysatisfactorily.’

Theordinarybuttsofsplit-canerods,aswellastheupperjoints,arehexagonal,and

are simply made of six V-shaped strips, glued together in the manner described. In the

highestclassofrods,however,thebuttisbuiltdouble,boththecentreandexternalwall

being constructed of separate layers of the hardest part of the cane. Thecentre is made

firstintheusualway,andafterithasdriedthesecond,orexternal,layerorwallisbuiltup

roundit.MessrsHardyinformmethatalthoughthelabourandexpenseinvolvedinthis

doubleconstructionare,ofcourse,infinitelygreater,thestrengthgainedbytheprocessis

enhancedto suchanimportantdegreethat theymakealltheirsplit-canesalmonrodsin

thisfashionastothethickerparts.

Complaintshaveoftenbeenmadetomethattheordinarysplit-canerodisdeficient

incastingpowerasagainstawind,andImustsaythatmyexperiencetendstoconfirmthe

truth of the statement. In order to meet this objection, however, the above-named

manufacturersandothershaveendeavouredtomakethesplit-canerodswithasteelcentre

to each joint, so as to increase their ‘stiff springiness,’ so to speak. The spring is first

taperedandthentemperedinthesamemannerthatthemainspringofawatchwouldbe.

Afterthisitiscoatedwithawaterproofandfinallybuiltupintothecentreoftherod.

IhavealightsalmonrodmadeformeonthisprinciplebyMessrsHardywithwhich

I find I can get plenty of power, whether the wind is high or low, and from whatever

directionitblows.Inthecaseofastrongheadwindespecially,IamdisposedtothinkI

can make better casting with this rod than with any I ever used, and it is withal a very

handyandfairlylightweapon,butquitestiffenoughforanyordinaryfishing.Itslengthis

fourteen feet. I find that on a calm day I can cast, with heavy salmon line, over thirty

measuredyardsonthelevelgrass,andthis,inmyopinion,representsasmuchasisoften

wantedtobedoneinpractice;infact,mostcastswiththesalmonflywill,ifmeasured,be

found,Iamsatisfied,nearertwentythanthirtyyards.Ofcourse,Iamawarethatthereare

some rivers and, perhaps, some casts here and there on most salmon rivers, in which a

longer rod would enable the fisherman to reach some favourable point otherwise

inaccessible,butwhenthiscannotbedonebywadingIamcontenttoputupwiththeloss

ofanoccasionalgoodcastinexchangefortheconstantcomfortandconveniencewhichI

findinarodoftheproportionsindicated.

Itisallverywelltotalklightlyofcastingfortyyards,andsoforth,withatwenty-foot

CastleConnell,butthemanwhowishestodoit,andtogoondoingitallday,mustbeof

strongermouldorgreaterheightthantheordinaryrunofmortals.Inmyopinionatwenty-

footrodrequiresaseven-footfishermantowielditwithcomfort,andIamquitesatisfied

thatforallordinarypurposesthesalmonfisherwouldgetmorecomfortandmoresport,

too,with arodsuchasthat Ihavedescribedthan withalongerandmore fatiguingand

unwieldyweapon…

Itshouldbeborneinmindasamechanicalaxiominthismatterofthelengthofrod,

thatexactlyinproportionasyougainincastingpowerbytheincreasedleverage,so(the

motiveforcebeingequal)doyouloseinthepropellingpowerbywhichonlytheleverage

canbeutilised–thepracticaldeductionfromwhichpropositionisthateverymanhasa

lengthofrodexactlyproportionedtohisphysicalstrength–arodoutofwhich,thatis,he

cangetthemaximumofcastingforcecompatiblewithsustainedmusculareffort–andthat

it should be his object to ascertain what that length is. Bearing in mind the mechanical

argument, I am disposed to think that a shorter and more powerful rod might in many

casesbesubstitutedwithadvantageforalongerandlighterweapon,andthisprinciplehas

beencarriedoutwithsuccessbyFarlowina13ft.6in.green-heartsalmonrodtheymake

accordingtomyinstructions.WiththisrodIgetplentyofpowerandexcellentcasting;in

factthereislittlereallyappreciabledifferenceintheserespectsbetweenthisandthesteel-

centresplicedbamboobuiltformebyHardy,exceptwhencastingagainstastronghead

wind.

However,asIhavesaid,thesearemattersofindividualtaste,andmustbelefttothe

appreciationofindividualsalmonfishers.Tillwehaveourfly-rodsmadeentirelyofsteel

–animprovementwhichItakeitisonlyaquestionoftime(unless,indeed,asareviewer

suggests,anobjectionbemadeonthescoreofcarryingabouta‘lightningconductor’)–

one or other of the salmon rods above described will probably be found as perfect a

weaponasanyfly-fisherneeddesire.Withaslightlyshortertopeithermakesanexcellent

rodforheavylaketrolling,spinningforsalmon,etc…

Thesplitcanewithsteelcoremakesahandypowerfultroutingrodforheavywork.

Thelengthofmineistenfeetsevenincheswhenputtogether,andtheweighttenounces.

Ithasthreejointsandferrules.Icancastabouttwenty-twoyardswithitonastilldayon

levelground;andthecombinationand‘correction’ofstiffnessandswishinessleave,tomy

mind,nothingtobedesired.

Ifindnoadvantageinasingle-handedrodmuchovertenfeet,asitgenerallyresults,

inmyexperience,inbothhandsbeingsoonerorlatercalledintorequisition.Ifthesizeof

thewaterdemandsalargerrod,thenIshouldadviseadouble-handedrodatonce.Sucha

rodshouldnotexceedthirteenfeet,norweighmorethanfrom16to18oz.

Ladies’ rods can hardly be too light for real pleasure, as not only their wrists are

weakerandtheirmusclessofterthanours,buttheyhaveseldomacquiredtheknowledge

of using what physical powers they do possess to the best advantage. This is half the

battle,asanyoneknowswhohastriedtoliftatrunkthatsomediminutiveporter,perhaps,

hasjustbeencarryingaboutinalightandairyfashionasifitwereamerefeather-weight.

Eightfeet and ahalf, or so, is amplefor a lady’s single-handedfly rod, and such arod

shouldnot exceed eight ounces inweight. These are the measurements of a splicedrod

belongingtoaladyofmyacquaintance;whichisasserviceableandhandyalittle‘tandem

lasher’ as a trout can wish to be coaxed with. It was made by Mr Jas. Ogden, of

Cheltenham,whose8½and10feetsplicedrods–ofgreenheart,N.B.,notblueMahoe–

are excellent. With one of these latter rods I have killed, during several years past, I

hesitatetosayhowmanystoneweightofbrownandwhitetrout–someofthemupto4

lbs.–anditisstillassoundineveryrespectasthedayIfirstputittogether.Ithashadto

takeitschancewithallsortsofroughwork–boatandbank–butnotevenaringisbent.

Thislastisowingtotheformofringwithwhichitisfitted.

Thecutshowstheformofthisring,nowcalledthe‘snake’ring,towhichIhaveto

some extent, it might be said, ‘stood god-father.’ At any rate, since prominent attention

was first called to it in ‘Modern Improvements in Fishing Tackle and Fish Hooks,’ it

seemstohavebecomemoreorlessthe‘fashion’withtacklemakers,and,therefore,itmay

bepresumed,withtheircustomers,A,B,C,andDarefacsimilesofsnakerings–which

shouldbeeightinall–suitedtomypatternof13ft.6in.salmonrod.Fortroutrodsofall

kindstheringsshouldbebothsmallerandoflighterwire.Theformoftheringgivesit

these undeniable advantages over the old pattern, whether upright or movable: it can

hardlygetbent;itcannotpracticallygetbroken;itcannotstickintherodbag.

Inthusdescribingmyfourfavouritefly-rods,Ihaveindicatedinthemostpractical

mannerIcanthedescriptionofrodwhichhasappearedtoafford,onthewhole,thebest

combinationofqualitiesforthedifferentdescriptionsofflyfishing.

Beforetakingleave,however,ofthesubjectofrodsandrodfastenings,Ishouldbe

omitting a most important item if I failed to direct attention to the various improved

methodsofunitingandfixingtherodjoints.

Untilthe Fisheries Exhibition either calledforth, or calledinto public notice, these

inventions, joint fastenings may be said, so far as any general adoption of them is

concerned,tohavebeencomprisedinthreecategories.Thefirst,theordinaryferrulejoint,

in which one joint slips into the other – and it may be added, out of it again with

considerableregularityatinauspiciousmoments;secondly,thesplicedjoint;and,thirdly,

thescrewfastening,peculiar,sofarasIamaware,totherodsturnedoutbysomeIrish

makers.

Fly-rods:A,B,C,D.

IhaveoneofthelastnamedstillinmypossessionmadeformebyMartinKelly,of

Dublin,Iamafraidtosayhowmany,butcertainlyfifteenortwentyyearsago,whichhas

seen some service in its day and is still fit to take the field. I therefore speak of this

fasteningwithrespect.Ithaditsdrawbacks,however.Perhapsowingtothenecessityof

thecase,orperhapstotheincompleteapplicationofmechanicalknowledge,oralittleof

both,theferruleswhichwereattachedtothetipperjointandslippeddownfromaboveand

had an awkward habit of breaking at the point where they were attached by a screw or

rivettotheupperjoint.Consequently,IneednotsaythatsinceIhavebecomeitsowner

that single-handed three-joint trout rod of about eleven feet, has paid several enforced

visitstoDublinforpurposesofreparation.

TheonlydrawbackthatIseetothisfasteningisthat,shouldeitherthefineouter,or

‘doubled,’ferrulegetdinted,ordamagedinanyway,thejointwill,ofcourse,absolutely

failtoclose.Inordertomakesuchacontingencyimpossiblethereoughttobeplugsfor

bothhalvesofthejoint.

A still simpler jointure, and one, I should say, in every way most admirable and

efficient,isBernard’sLockjoint,inwhichtheupperferrule,furnishedwithaprojecting

‘rim,’ is simply slipped down into its place and turned under a ‘catch’ (attached to the

lower ferrule) till the rod rings are in line, by which process the joints are effectually

locked.Thisjointureisalso‘waterproof.’

Farlow, who exhibited at the Fisheries Exhibition a joint on a completely different

principle–ascrew‘nut’lockingtheinnerandouterferrules–hassinceregisteredanother

lock-fastjointing,onanewand, as itwouldappear,much improvedplan,viz.thatof a

movableband,etc…

Fly-rodattachment.

Lastly we have Messrs. Hardy Brothers’ ‘patent lock-fast’ joint, which is

thoroughlysoundandserviceable,andalsowaterproof.

Thespiralwireontheoutsideferrulegivessomeadditionalstrengthwhere

most required, and Messrs, Hardy’s system of brazing an additional short

ferrule, the same size as the outside ferrule, on the top of the inside one, is a

decided advantage, as it strengthens the joint just at the point where so many

breakages occur, and is superior to the plan sometimes adopted of putting the

insideferruleonflushwiththewood.

    Amongst these several rod fastenings the fly-fisher can easily choose for

himself. Any one of them will be found in practice immeasurably more

convenientthan the old-fashionedunfixeddoubleferruleoreven,perhaps, for

theordinaryrunofflyfishers,thanthesplicedjoint,thoughthelattergivesthe

mostperfectplaytotherodwhenonceadjusted.

If,bytheway,therodjointshouldbecomestuckintheferrule,thebestand,

indeed,theonlymeansthatIknowofforseparatingit,istoturnitslowlyinthe

flameofacandleatthe‘stickingpoint,’whentheswellingoftheoutsideferrule

producedbytheheatwillgenerallyenablea separation to be effectedwithout

damagetoanythingbeyondtherodvarnish.Alittlegreaserubbedontotheends

ofthejointsbeforestartingwill,especiallyifthejointbenot‘doublebrazed’–

i.e. covered with brass as to the lowest part of the plug – often anticipate

‘lesions’ofthiskind,andpreventionisbetterthancure.

LANDINGNETS

Quittingnowthesubjectofrods,reels,lines,andhooks–theapparatus,thatis,destined

forhookingandplayingafish–thenextandbynomeansunimportantquestionishowto

landhim.

Forallfishofthetroutandsalmonspeciesuptothreeorfourpoundsinweightanet

will be found the most convenient and serviceable implement for this purpose – the

provinceofthegaffcominginonlyinthecaseoflargerandheavierfish.Iwillnothere

enterintothevexedquestionsofnetorgaffonsalmonrivers,althoughthereisnodoubt

thatnetscanbemadelargeenoughandstrongenoughto‘bag’thelargestsalmonthatever

tookafly,andtodoalltheworkofthegaff,anddoiteffectually,whilstatthesametime

probablysavingthelivesofmanygravidoruncleanfishwhichoughttobereturnedtothe

water–savingalso,whenthefishermanisaconscientiousobserverofthesalmonlaws,a

considerableamountoftimeandtemper.

Puttingthisquestionaside,however,theuseofthelandingnet,asIhaveobserved,is

practicallyconfinedtofishunderabout‘salmonsize,’thegaff,onthescoreofportability,

possessingadecidedadvantageinthecaseofheavierweights.Turning,therefore,tothe

subject of nets adapted for the purpose indicated, we find that the stimulus given to

angling inventions by the Fisheries Exhibition has not left us without some distinct

advanceinthisdirectionalso.

The portability of nets, as well as of gaffs, is of primary importance to the trout

fisher,whoconstantlydoeshisworkwithoutanattendant.Thisisonesortofportability.

Anotheris the portabilityof the net, not as considered with reference to thefly-fisher’s

shoulder or pocket, but in regard to his rod case or portmanteau. A net that does not

‘compress’ or fold up in some form or other is a most unmanageable and inconvenient

addition to a traveller’s impedimenta, and numerous inventions have accordingly been

madetosupplythisdemand.Hoopshapednets,bothofsteelandwhalebone,whichstretch

out at full length and thus form, when not in use, an appendage that can be readily

strapped on to, or carried in the rod case, are amongst the ingenious dodges which the

inventivetalentoftackle-makersortheirpatronshavecalledintoexistence.Alessmodern

inventionwasthesteelhoopinthreejoints,which,whenoutofwork,couldbefoldedup

withthenetarounditintoashapeandcompassnotmuchunlikethatofthefishitself.This

net, however, has the disadvantage of being heavy, and unsuited to the second great

requirement in the matter of portability – so far as the fly- fisher or worm-fisher is

concerned–or,infact,inthecaseofanyonewhofisheswithoutanattendant–namely,

thatheshouldbeabletocarryhisownnet,andthatinaformandinapositionwhereit

willbemostoutofthewaywhennotrequired,andmostreadyathandwhenwanted.

This position is undoubtedly under, or just behind, the left arm or shoulder of the

fisherman.Hereitwouldoshouldhangclearofallembarrassmentscausedbythecreelor

fishcarrier,andready,ofcourse,tobetakenholdofbytherighthand,when,attheproper

moment,therodistransferredtotheleft.

Without occupying space by discussing tbe merits and demerits of various nets,

bandies,andnetcarrierswbicbdonotfulfiltheserequirements,letmeproceedatonceto

describe a combination which does so. I call it a ‘combination’ because the net is the

inventionofMessrsHardybrothers,andthehandleandcarrierthatofMessrsWilliams,

GreatQueenStreet,Lincoln’sInn.

Thenet,aswillbeseenbytheengraving(fig.1)oftwosidepieces,madeofflexible

wood, and these when stretched to their proper dimensions, and so held by the brass

socket into which the right-hand side slips, are kept at the regulated distance by a cord

stretchedbetweenthetwoupperpoints.Thenetitself–asallnetsshouldbe,inorderboth

tokeepthemfromgettingrotten,saturatedwithwater,orentanglingthetackle–ismade

offineoiled,thatis,‘dressed’silk.Itwillbereadilyseenthattheshapeofthisnetfavours

itsbeingcarriedinthepositionIhaveindicated,namely,underandbehindtheleftarm–

forwhichpurpose,however,itisnecessarythatitshouldbelimitedinsize,thelimitbeing

about14½inchesbetweentheprojectingarms.Butthisallowsamplespacefornettinga

fishupto2or3lbs.–or,atapinch,evenmore.Thenetengravedhasawidthof1foot,

andissuitableforlighterfishing.

Fig.1.

Thehandle,withthenetandsuspendingcordcomplete,areshownintheengraving

(figs.2and3),wherealsotheotherdimensionsofthenetaregiven.Arepresentsthenet;

B,thetopconnection;C,thenet-screwworkinginferruleEonnethandle;Disaloose

movablemetalbandheldbytheprojectingrim,F(inlatermodelsmoveduptoC),outof

whichitslipseasily;andGistheexteriororlowerhalfofthehandle,intowhichtheupper

halftelescopes.Weightofhandleandnetfigured,fourteenounces.Shouldthenetshow

theleastsignofbeingtop-heavywhensuspended,theadditionofasmallpieceofleadat

thebottomofthehandlewilladjusttheequilibrium.

The advantage of a net of this sort – or some other pattern answering the same

purpose– especially whenwading in themiddle of astream, either whenfly fishing or

worm-fishing,canhardlybeover-estimated.TheHardy-Williamsnet-handletakesalsoa

gaffsuitableforlightwork.

Fig.2.&Fig.3.

A very convenient net for trout-fishing, especially with the worm, when the

fishermancanbringhisfishcloseuptohim,anddoesnotwanttodisturbthestreamby

frequently getting out on the bank. Best length, 2 ft 6 in.; ring, 10 to 12 in. diameter;

weight,6or7oz.Thisisalargerimplement–5ftlongopen–andaveryconvenientnet

for any sort of bank-fishing. The ‘suspension’ is from the hook, passed over the creel-

strap,andthe‘disengagement,’aswellasthemovementforextendingandbringingitinto

action,areexceedinglyrapid.Thelengthwhenclosedis2ft7in.Boththeforegoingnets

arenon-collapsing.

Intakingafishoutofthisoranyothernetthebestplan,Ifind,istograspthefish

firstinthenet;thenadministerthecoupdegraceandextractthehook.Inboat-fishingthis

willsavemuchtime,andusuallywhenitismostwanted.

Incasesofheavy fishamorepowerfulandsolidgaffhandle thanthatfittedtothe

‘combination’netisdesirable.This,ofcourse,presentsnodifficultywhen,asisusually

thecase,thesalmonfisherisaccompaniedbyanattendantwhocarriesboththeweapons

andspoilsofwar.Ahollowbamboo,5or6feetlong–orsay6incheslongerthantherod

joints, so as to carry a spare top – makes a comparatively light and at the same time

thoroughlyefficienthandle.The‘flaw’initisthatthescrewed-ingaffisgiventoturning

initssocket,aperformanceasoftenasnotaccompaniedbythelossofthefish.Toremedy

thisIgotFarlowtodriveasteelrivetrightthroughbothgaff-ferruleandthescrewofthe

gaff itself, the pointed end passing through and screwing into the opposite side (only).

This,ofcourse,makesanyturningortwistingofthegaffimpossible,whilstitisreadily

unscrewedwheneverthegaffhastobetakenoff.

Shouldithappenthat‘Donaldistoolate,’orthatthesalmonfisherhastodependon

himselfforgaffinghisfish,alargishgaffwithahandleonlyafewincheslong,andaknob

attheend,thathecanslipintohiscoatpocket,willbefoundmostconvenient.Sometime

is,ofcourse,requiredinkillingafishundersuchconditions,ashemustbebroughtwithin

arm’slengthofthefishermanwhohasonlygothislefthandwithwhichto‘showhimthe

butt,’astheexpressionis;butthatitisaperfectlypracticableperformanceIcantestify,

having done it over and over again myself, sometimes in the case of very heavy fish.

Indeed,evenwhenIhavehadanattendantcarryingtheordinarylong-handledgaff,Ihave

frequentlypreferredgaffingthefishwithitmyselfratherthanruntheriskoftheclumsy

treatmentwhichitistoolikelytoreceiveathisunskillfulorunpracticedhands.

Itiscurioushowdifficultitistobecomeareallyfirst-rategaffer.Indeeditseemsto

be an accomplishment as a rule entirely beyond the reach of the uneducated, or half-

educated,man.Ifailatthismomenttorecallmorethantwoorthreeinstances–notable

ones, I admit – of a gillie or keeper being really an adept in the art, and not once, but

constantlyIhave,Ifear,disgustedmyprofessional‘fisherman’attendantbyeithergaffing

myfishmyselfwiththerighthand,whilsttherodwasheldwiththeleft,orsummoningto

myassistancethetrustyfriendandcompanionofmanyared-letterday’ssalmonandpike

fishingtowhosesteadynerveandskilfulhandIowenotonebutscoresoffishthatwould

neverotherwisehavebeenbroughttobank…

OnaveryrockybitoftheupperpartoftheUskwherewe–MrEdwinDarvalland

myself–havekilledsomehundreds,ifnotindeedthousands,ofsalmonidae,thegaffing

businesswasthedespairofmyfriend’sfaithfulhenchman,Timothy–asitiswrittenof

him:

ThewilyTimwithdextrousgaff

Trieshardtocutthelineinhalf;

andI am afraid he has many atime thirsted for my bloodwhen hismaster has insisted

uponmydeprivinghimofhis‘wandofoffice’atthecriticaljuncture.Ononeoccasionthe

wilyTimnotonlysucceededinthuscuttingthelinewhilstfailingtogaffthefish,butalso,

bywhatArtemusWardwouldcalla‘dextrousmovement,’managedtobringthegaffpoint

intocontactwiththeflankofhismaster’sfavouritebull-dog.Betweentheimminentperil

to his legs on the one side and to his head on the other, the faithful Tim’s chances of

gettingoffwith a wholeskin were atthat moment not worth a pin’spurchase; but Fate

came to his assistance – the gaff turned in the handle, thus releasing its astonished and

howling victim, and his master’s gathering wrath found vent in a peal of irrepressible

laughter.‘Pongo,’however,whoIwasdelightedtomeetafewdaysagoasbroadandas

‘bull-doggy’asever,willbearthegaffmarktillhisdyingday.

Gaffinginreallyrapidtorrentsisamatterofconsiderablephysicalaswellasartistic

difficulty,andthechoiceisfrequentlybetweenScyllaontheonehandandCharybdison

theother.Itisoftennecessarytogaff‘whenyoucan,’tosnatchapassingstroke,thatis,in

themiddleofaninterveningshallow,ortotakeameanadvantageoftheglimpseofaback

finasitiscarriedpastinawhirloffoambyitsstillstruggling,thoughretreatingowner.In

trying these impromptu conclusions, however, the victory is not always with the gaff.

Repeatedly,Ihaveseen–andImaysayfelt!–thebearerofthegaffdraggedheadover

heelsintothestreambythevigorouseffortsofasalmonwhichhewasendeavouringto

gaffbeforeitwas,touseanglingvernacular,half-killed.ManysimilarcatastrophesIhave

seen averted only by an ignominious let-go of the gaff, and it has more than once

happenedtomepersonallytobesavedfromaduckingbythegaffhandleorhookorboth

givingway.

IwellrememberatussleofthissortwhenfishingtheUsk,twoorthreeyearsago,

belowPantysgallogBridge.Ihadhookedaheavyfishunderthefall–atthisspotaseries

of‘rushes’oversharpgradients–andheatonceheadedstraightup-streamfortheheaviest

ofthem,half-foamhalf-water.Herehe‘sulked,’andnothingIcoulddowouldmovehim.

Thekeeperwasinvisible,butImanagedtogetholdofthegafffromthebankwhereitlay,

andthenbysomeslightexerciseofagilitysecuredafootholdonaflattishrockrightover

where my friend was taking it easy. Throwing back the rod over my left shoulder, and

tighteningthestrainonthe fish as much aspossible,Icontrived with the right hand by

sheer muscle to force the gaff down to the bottom, right under where he was lying – a

depthperhapsoftwoandahalforthreefeet.Aluckystrokeupwardsdidtherestatthe

firstattempt.Ishallneverforgettherushthatfishgave.Foraninstantortwoitwas‘pull

devil,pullbaker.’But,withtheweightofwateronhim,fourhandsinsteadofonemight

have failed to haul him out. In the present case, it was perfectly evident that he on the

contrarywouldhaulmein.IfeltIcouldnotholdonanothermoment,andyetcouldnot

bringmyselftoletgo;whensuddenlythegafftwisted,Iimagine,inthesocket,cuttingthe

line as it came away, and leaving me to struggle my way back to terra firma as best I

could.A long, deep, still pool, some two or three hundred yards long, stretched away

belowthefall,anddownthe bank of this I wended mywaytowardsthenextcast,in a

sufficiently un-amiable frame of mind. Suddenly my eye was caught by something that

looked like a huge bar of gold wavering slowly with the current about mid-stream. I

guessedinamomentthatitwasmylateantagonistwho,poorfellow,hadgottenhisdeath

aswellashisliberty.WithanimpromptugrapplingtackleIsucceededafterafewattempts

inhookingandbringing him to bank. Hewasnotquite dead, however, but stillmadea

feeblefight,andwasgametothelast;likeHotspur:

…inbloodystateRend’ringfaintquittance,

weariedandout-breath’d.

Another, somewhat ludicrous, incident of this sort occurs to my memory, although the

successfulpartyintheencounterwas,Ibelieve,onthisoccasionapike.IsayI‘believe,’

because the whole of his body except his tail fin was deeply embedded in weeds from

whichitwouldhavebeenimpossibletoextricatehimbyanylegitimatemethod.

ItwasontheHampshireAvonatSummerley,thebeautifulseatofLordNormanton,

towhosecourtesyIhavebeenindebtedformanyacharmingday’spikefishing,thatthein

cidentinquestionoccurred.Mytrustyfriendandalterego,MrDarvall,andmyself,with

LordNormanton’sfisherman,Tizard,werepaddlingourwayslowlydownstreaminone

ofthesmallAvonpunts,whenwesuddenlycaughtsightofthistail,‘broadasthebaldrick

ofan earl,’gently undulatinginanopeningin thewaterlilies.The fishwasevidentlya

huge one; the chance of tempting him to be caught secundum artem was nil; Tizard

earnestlyassuredmehismasterwasmostanxiousto-havealargepikeforthetable–and

so–Iyieldedtothetempter…Theboatglidesnoiselesslydowntotheunconsciousesox,

andnowthegaffissteadilybutsurelystretchedoverthespotwhereleviathan’sshoulder

islikelytobe,givinghimanimaginarylengthofaboutfourfeet…Whish!Therewasa

rapid‘stroke,’aplunge,andwitharushsufficienttohaveupsetawhaleboatthestricken

monsterdashedforthebottomoftheriver,atthatpointatleasttwentyfeetdeep.

Itwasanexcitingmoment.Ifoundmyselfbeingpulledincontinentlyovertheboat’s

side,whichwastakinginwaterfreely,andclutchedatthenearestavailablesupport,which

happenedtobetheseatofthekeeper’scorduroynethergarments.Itcamebodilyawayin

my grasp … at this juncture nothing, as I believe, could have saved the boat from

capsizing,if thegaff,yieldingto theexcessivestrain,hadnot firsttwistedinthesocket

andthenstraightenedout–thus,ofcourse,releasingtheenemy,who,thoughdeepstruck,

may,Iwouldfainhope,haveyetsurvivedtheindefensibleattackmadeuponhim,contra

bonosmores,andlivedontoattainastillgreaterageandayetvasterbreadthoftail.

Tizard,thekeeper,wastheonlyonewhodidnotlaughheartily;butonahintthatwe

should contribute to his next tailor’s bill his countenance resumed its wonted serenity.

Someofusontheoccasionhadcertainly,however,anarrowescapeofbeingdrowned…

and the verdict of all good pike fishers would doubtless have been – ‘and serve them

right.’

WhileIamonthesubjectofmypoachingexperiencesletmemakeacleanbreastof

itandrelatehow,whenayoungman,readingatatutor’sonthebanksoftheThames,my

finerperceptionswereononeoccasionblunted,andmybetterfeelingsdoneviolenceto,

by the sight of a splendid specimen of Esox lucius in one of the stew ponds of Mr

Williams,of Temple, the then member for Great Marlow. Thatmorning I had seen him

(thepike) lyingbasking,andin theafternoon(Icanhardly telltothisday how itcould

havehappened)Ifoundmyself,forsomeunexplainedreason,standingbythesideofthe

aforesaidstewpond,andwonderingwhetheranyonewouldseethroughthesurrounding

withy beds, topped by a notice board threatening legal pains and penalties against

trespassers? What is still more inexplicable, I carried in my hand an extra long sort of

walking stick – or, shall I say it at once? hoppole – and in my pocket a coil of what

certainlyboreanexternalresemblancetocopperwire.Acoupleoffeetofthiswirehad

somehowgotontotheendofthehoppole,whenceitdangledinsuchamannerasalmost

to deceive the eye into the notion that it was not altogether unlike the abomination

commonly known amongst certain persons of impaired moral perception as a noose or

‘sniggle’…

Hoppoleinhand,Ibentcarefullyoverthewaterandreconnoitredthepositionofmy

friendEsox–merelyinorder,ofcourse,thebettertoadmirehismajesticproportions,as

he supported his huge body on his ventral pinnae, and ‘feathered’ the water with his

pectoralandcaudalfins.

‘A delicate monster, truly,’ I observed, ‘quite an ichthyological study.’ And

simultaneously an uninitiated spectator might have imagined that the appearance of the

noose aforesaid passed gently but quickly over his head and shoulders. There was a

curioussuddencommotioninthewater;andatthesamemomentarustlinginthewithies

behind – and then a well-known voice (being, in fact, that of Mr. Williams’ head water

bailiff and fisherman) was heard, in accents the sarcastic tones of which I shall never

forget,observing:

‘Well,MrPennell,this’erebeaprettygo!’

‘Confoundyou,’saidI,furiouswithconflictingemotions,‘you’vemademelosehim

–atwenty-pounderifhewasanounce!’…

‘Well,whatistobedone,sir?’wasthenextremark.

By this time my wrath had cooled down a little and I instinctively felt in my

waistcoatpocket.Itwasempty.

‘Unluckily,Edwards,’Isaid,‘Ihaveleftmypursebehind.’

‘Oh!Nevermind,sir,’wasthereply,‘everyoneknowsyourcredit’sgoodattheBell!’

‘Howsadandmadandbaditwas’!Ishouldliketoquote–ifonlyto‘keepmyselfin

countenance’theconfsessionsofMrThomasWestwood(poet,andauthorof‘Bibliotheca

Piscatoria’),whichhemakesinoneofhischarminganglingidylls,the‘LayoftheLea’.

NotthatIwould‘Draghisfrailtiesfromtheirdreadabode,’Butmerelythat,asheisan

oldfriendofmine,IshouldliketodomybesttogivehisconfessionsthepublicitythatI

knowhewoulddesireforthem!

Bobbing‘neaththebushes,

Crouchedamongtherushes,

OntherightsofCrownandStateI’m,alas!Encroaching,

Whatofthat?Iknow

Mycreelwillsoono’erflow,

IfacertainCerberusdonotspoilmypoaching.

The‘certainCerberus’being,infact,theGovernmentwaterbailiffemployedtolookafter

thewell-knownEnfieldPowderMills.StillImustsayMrWestwood’scrimewasofafar

lessheinouscomplexionthatmine.Heonlyfished,fairly,where–well‘wherehedidn’t

oughtto’whilstI…butletmedroptheveiloverthesesadexamplesofhumandepravity,

andcomebacktogaffing.

The‘queerest fish’ that it ever happened tome – to gaff,Iwas going to say, butI

rememberthatonthisoccasionitchancedtobetonet–wasawildduck.Spinningone

day for pike on Loch Lochy I saw the duck – an overgrown ‘flapper’ – swimming not

thirtyyardsfromtheboatTheideaoccurredtometotryandcastoverhim,andaftera

few attempts I had the pleasure of seeing the bait settle gracefully across his neck. A

‘gentle stroak,’ as Nobbes calls it, and the next moment he dived, and, ‘playing’ like a

veritablefish,nevercametothetopagaintillIhadhimatthesideoftheboatandpassed

thelandingnetunderhim.Anhourafterwardshewasroastingbeforeadrift-woodfireon

aspitofarbutus;andwasheddownwithaglassofgenuine‘LongJohn’hemadeamost

excellentlunch.‘Thesetohismemory!’

It is wonderful what an appetite the air of a Highland Loch gives – a thing most

excellent when one has the wherewithal to satisfy it; but I often think it must be ‘hard

lines’ on the Gaelic tramps and gipsies – if there are any so far north of the country of

‘MegMerrilies’(Galloway).Ioncehadmyselftheexperienceofasupperlesstrampwitha

friendinthese‘highlatitudes,’andtherecollectionhasby nomeansthat‘enchantment’

which ‘distance’ – we had covered some thirty miles of ground more or less – ought

proverbially to lend. When it is getting dark and a man has distinctly lost his way in a

countrywheretherearenoroads,andnovisiblepopulation,itisthewisestplantoyieldas

gracefullyasmaybetothe‘inevitable;’andifhecannot,likeMarkTapley,be‘jollyunder

circumstances,’atleasttodothebesthecanforhisbodilycomfort,withoutwaitingtillhe

hastakenthelastmileoutofhimself,andlefthisphysiquetoomuchexhaustedtocontend

onfairtermswithdampgrassandnightdews.

Actingonthisview,weutilisedour‘lastmile’in‘prospecting’–andeventuallymade

ourselvesafairlycomfortableshakedownofheatherundertheshelterofanoverhanging

rock–subtegminefern-i.Butnowwebegantofeeltheaireffectuponourappetites,and

torememberthatwehadbeenonthegosincebreakfastandhadeatennothing.Wewerein

fact starving! A raw turnip would have been a godsend, and a dish of potatoes a wild

delirium.Buttherewasnothingforit,soweputonwhateverextrainthewayofgarments

we had in our knapsacks and turned in fasting. What my friend’s dreams were about I

cannot say, but mine ran on lakes teeming with fat luscious trout which came up to be

caught of their own accord, and then, to save trouble, jumped spontaneously into the

frying pan. Assuredly these visions must have been prophetic; for though we fondly

imagined we had camped on a plateau of bare and unbroken moorland, when morning

dawnedthescenehadbeentransformedasbymagic,

Andonasudden,lo!thelevellake,

Andthelonggloriesoftherisingsun!

The sight of water – and water doubtless containing trout – gave, as Ingoldsby says, ‘a

newturntothewholeaffair.’Ifortunatelyhadmyflyrodwithme,soIleftmyfriendto

makeafireasbesthecouldand

…steppingdownByzigzagpaths,andjutsofpointedrockCameontheshining

levelsofthelake.

Withoutstopping,liketheboldSirBedivere,till‘bothmyeyesweredazzled,’Isoonput

together my rod and adjusted a cast of flies. Never before did I fish with such energy;

neverdidIwatchforarisewithsuchbreathlessattention!ThefirstfishIhookedwasa

mere ‘troutling’ – little bigger than a gudgeon – who would at other times have been

incontinently returned to the water; but circumstances being as they were I played and

landedhim and depositedhim on the bank withas much care as ifhe had been a five-

pounder.Hewastwomouthfulsatanyrate.Afriendlybreeze,however,shortlyafterwards

sprangup,andwiththe‘longripplewashinginthereeds’asatisfactoryrepastwassoon

provided…

Lateronwediscoveredafarmhousehardbythelakeshore,andfindingthatthetrout

fishingintheLagganandneighbouringSpean-waterwasexcellent–wearrangedtoput

upfora week with itshospitableinmates, and enjoyed reallyfirst-ratesport,more than

oncebeingliterallyunabletocarryhomeourspoils.Irevisitedthespotsomeyearslater,

butwhetherIhadincautiouslybetrayedthewhereaboutsofour‘happyhuntinggrounds,’

andtheyhadbeeninvadedbytourists,orwhetherthetroutthoughttheyhaddoneenough

formeonmyfirstvisit,Icannotsay,butthefishingwasindifferent,nottosaydecidedly

poor.

But where am I wandering to? I started at gaffing salmon, and I find myself now

describingthecatchingandeatingofhalfadozentroutlings,whoseunitedounceswould

nothaveoutweighedaDevonshirepeel…Letmeforthesakeofconsistencyfinishwhere

Ibegan,andendthispartofmynotesonTacklewithafewpracticalhintsonthesubject

ofGaffsandHowtoGaffaFish.Tothenovice,atanyrate,theymaynotbealtogether

useless.

Theskilfuluseofthegaff,besidesdemandingspecialqualities,canonlybeacquired

inperfectionbyactualpractice,andcircumstances‘beyondone’scontrol’areconstantly

occurring which of necessity make their own laws, and the best-considered system

inapplicable.Thefollowingare,however,afewaxiomsthatcanbesafelyformulatedas

generalguides.

1. Neverthrustyourgaffforwarduntilyouarepreparedtostrike,andnevermakeany

half-attempts.Thesefeintsgenerallyscarethefishandnotunfrequentlycuttheline.

2. Underordinarycircumstancesdonotattempttogaffafishthatismorethanafoot

belowthesurface,oruntilheisprettyfairlyspent.Thebestpositioniswhenheis

‘broadsideon,’butoften,ofcourse,youmustgaffwheneveryoucan.

3. The‘proper’placetogaffisbetweentheheadandthebackfin.

4. Thecriticalmomenthavingarrived,rapidly,butatthesametimesteadily,extend

yourgaffoverandbeyondthebackofthefish,bringingitgentlydownuponitasit

were.Thenashortsharpjerkfromthewristandelbowwilldriveinthegaffwithout

prematurelyfrighteningthefishorendangeringthetackle.

Afterlandingthefish,whetherbynetorgaff,thenextpointistocarryhim.

Ifthecatchbeagoodone,especiallyofsalmon,itispracticallyoutofthequestion

for the fisherman to carry them himself from place to place and fish at the same time.

‘Necessitasnonhabetlegs,’asafriendofmineoncedog-latiniseditandtheseconditions

are,ofcourse,alsoalawuntothemselves.

Introutfishing,orwherethespoilsarenotlikelytobeweighty,thefly-fisher,and

stillmoretheworm-fisher,willprobablyveryoftenhavetocarryhisfishhimself.Forthis

purposebagsandbaskets‘manyandgreat’aresoldatthetackleshops,butthattheyare

most of them defective in some points in which they might have been perfected, goes

without saying. In fact, as regards the bags (which for ordinary purposes I always use

myself),Ihavefoundthemmostlytosufferthedisabilityofcomingtopieces–ifnotthe

firsttimetheyhadagoodcatchtocarry,atanyrate,after,say,afewdaysorweeksofreal

hardwear andtear;others,again,let theslimeanddrippingsooze through. Aftertrying

variouspatterns, includingoneofmy own, figuredinthefirstedition, Iamdisposedto

thinkthatforcombinedstrengthandsimplicity,andtakingoneday’sfishingwithanother,

nothingbeats, or perhaps equals, the ‘Freke bag,’asitiscalled,whichis,orshouldbe,

madedouble.

Thatis,therearetwobags,infact,buttonedtogetheratthesideedges:onebag,of

strongwaterproofcloth,fittedwithaflap,andtheother–theinnerone–withthemouth

left open, so to speak, although kept practically closed when carried by the combined

actionofitsownweightandthatoftheshoulder-strapspassingthroughtwometalringsat

thetop.Oneofthebagscanbeusedforcarryingfish,theotherfortackle,lunch,etc.;or,

atapinch,bothmaybeusedforfish.Thebagwithoutthecoveringflapismoreoverso

constructed that if an unexpectedly large fish be caught its head and tail will project

throughtheopeningsleftatthetopofthesides.

The‘Usk’basket,madebyFarlow,whichiscarriedovertheshoulderoftheattendant

bymeansofastouthandle,sometwofeetlong,restingonaleathershoulder-pad,isthe

bestspecialarrangementIhavemetwithforthepurpose.Abasketofthisform32inches

longbyabout15deepwillcarryhalfadozenmoderate-sizedsalmonorpikecomfortably

– the comfort including that of the attendant, on whose shoulders the mechanical

adjustmentofthecrutchorhandle,havingasoftleathershoulder-padunderit,makesitsit

aslightlyaspossible.

IndecidinguponthequestionofbasketorbagIpersonallypreferthelatterinevery

respectbutone–whenyouhavecaughtnothingitexposesthenakednessoftheland!

WADERSANDWADINGBOOTS

Followingupthesubjectofthefly-fisher’sequipment,letmestronglyadvocatetheuseof

waterproofboots,stockings,ortrouserswheneverwadingisreallynecessary.Whenitis

not indispensable several self-evident advantages are presented by fishing from terra

firma.Butbygettingwetandremainingsoareengenderedmanyoftheafterillsthatflesh

is heir to, in the shape of rheumatisms, neuralgias, varicose veins and what not, which

when ‘wild youth’s past,’ are apt to remind the veteran of his early indiscretions. I

formerlysufferedasmallmartyrdommyselffromlumbago–theresultof‘fairyfollies’in

the wading line when I was still in my teens, and used to look forward to a sort of

amphibiousexistenceforeightortenhoursas‘halfthefun.’Tohaveunfrolickedsuchfun

Iwouldsincehavegivensomethingconsiderable…Ergo,don’tmakeapracticeofgoing

intothewaterwithoutwaders.

Inthematterofmaterialforwaterproofboots,etc.,thereisaplethoraofchoice,and

‘scope and verge’ enough for the most fastidious. It matters little, really, whether the

wadersbeofwaterproofclothorleather,orfeltorleatherIndia-rubbercoated,sothatthey

keep the legs dry and have plenty of nails. Of ‘felt soles’ I have had no practical

experience; but I know that a scientific distribution of sharp-cornered nails will add

greatlytothesecurityofthefootholdindeepandswiftwater.

One further hint: the higher the trousers come up the better. Neither the ordinary

wading trousers, nor stockings, however (nor their equivalent in leather boots), fulfill

adequately a need which I have constantly experienced myself, and which I suppose,

therefore,otherfishermenhavealsofelt:namely,anethergarment,thatonecan‘paddle

about with’ in wet weather, wet grass, and (if occasion requires) do a little extempore

wading in, without encumbering one’s movements with the ordinary waders or boots,

which,whatevertheirothermerits,areaserioushindrancetolocomotion,and,inthecase

of the less robust (owing to their weight), a tax on the physique which is almost

prohibitive.In Hampshire, for instance,where ‘water-meadows’,periodically inundated,

form the usual river borderings, a pretty constant state of dampitude is likely to be the

conditionofthelowerextremitiesofthe‘unwaterproofed’pike-fisherorfly-fisher.Then

therearethe‘drawns’,orshallowwatercourses–sometimesdry,butmoreoften‘flooded’,

–and draining into the mainstream, where to cross, unfurnished with something inthe

shapeof waders, is, of course,to insure a ducking at least to theknee, and to ‘turn the

flanks’ of which by a succession of strategic movements to the front and rear involves

muchwasteoftime.BearinginmindthecaveatIhavealreadyenteredintheearlierpages

of this chapter against the cultivation of damp legs, on the ground of stored-up

rheumatisms,etc.,Ilatelyhadmadeformyselfasortof‘half’waders,notsocumbersome

norquitesolongastheordinarywadingstockingsorboots,butlongenoughtomakeme

independentofwateryimpedimentssofarasfloodedmeadowsandirrigationconduitsare

concerned, and which at the same time are so light and comparatively cool as to be no

hindrancetolocomotion.Theseaidsto the amphibious have been christened‘over-knee

waders,’ and, as their name expresses, they come well up five or six inches above the

knee,belowwhichagaintheyfastenwithabuckle-strap.

By this arrangement I get rid of those inconvenient appendages, waist or shoulder

straps,by whichtheordinarywaderis suspended, atthesametimereducing theweight

andtransferringthepointofsuspensiontoitsmorenaturalsituationbelowtheknee.

The ‘leg-part’ of the over-knee waders is of fine, but at the same time perfectly

waterproof,material–likethatofordinarywadingstockings,butverymuchlighter–and

this is continued at the foot under light buff leather boots, kept in position by a strap

acrosstheinstep.The‘sumtottleofthewhole,’asMrHumeusedtosay,isthatwhereasa

similar pair of ordinary wading stockings and boots (coming up only an inch or two

higher)weighbetweenfiveandsixpounds–moreoftennearersixthanfive–theover-

kneewadersare,foramanofsixfeet,barelyoverthreepounds–notmuchmorethanone

half,andlittle,ifatall,inexcessoftheweightofanordinarypairofshootingboots.There

are many anglers, not quite so young as they used to be, to whom the weight of the

orthodoxwadersisalmostprohibitive;andtherearemanyotherswho,thoughlikemyself,

quite up to ‘carrying weight’ when really necessary, object to doing so when no real

necessityexists.Andallthisholdsgoodjustasmuchinthecase’oftheTrout-fisherasthe

Pike-fisher.Perhaps,indeed,evenmore;inasmuchas,whilsttheenforcedwadingsofthe

one are more or less exceptional and intermittent, those of the other are the normal

conditionsofhissport.

I often think that the question of ‘weight-carrying’ in the matter of dress and

equipmentgenerallyislessstudiedthanitoughttobebysportsmen.Amanwillgivefifty

guineas more for a pair of Purdey guns, because they weigh perhaps a few ounces less

thanapairbysomeothermaker–with,ashebelieves,anequalchanceofsafetytohis

head–andheknowsbyexperiencehowthosefewounceswill‘tell’towardstheendofa

longday’strampoveragrousemoor.Inallthisheis,sofarasavoirdupoisisconcerned,

perfectlyright–butwhydoeshenotgoastepfurtheranddevotealittleattentiontothe

weightoftheotherportionsofhisequipment?Why,forinstance,willheallowhisboot

makertoputnearlyapoundmoreintohisshootingbootsthanisreallynecessary?AsI

havesaid,theweightofthelatterisusuallynotfarshortofthreepounds,whereas,two

pounds is nearer the weight that is really necessary, if the bootmaker is anything of an

artistinhisbusiness.Byusingoneverythickandsolidpieceofleatherforthesole,and

thinnerleatherthanusualabovethefoot(wherethicknessisnotneededexceptbythose

with weak ankles), I get my shooting boots down to the weight indicated, without any

sacrificethatIhaveeverbeenabletodiscovereitheronthescoreof‘water-proofness’or

durability–butthenmybootmaker,Moykopf,oftheBurlingtonArcade,isanartist.

Asallwaterproofgarmentsareliabletobecomemoreorlessdampfromrepressed

perspiration,theyshouldinvariablybedriedafteruse,aswelltopreventthelinings,and,

indeed,therubberitself,becomingrotten,asforpurposesofhealthandcomfort.Thebest

wayof drying is to fill the legs and feetoftheboots,stockings,ortrousers,withwarm

bran, oats, or barley, which should be shaken out as soon as it begins to cool (if this

precautionisnotattendedtothemoisturewhichhasbeenabsorbedbeginsatoncetore-

evaporate).Whenthewadershavebeenemptiedoftheirdryingcontentstheyshouldbe

turned inside out and hung up, foot upwards. In the case of the combined rubber and

leatherbootsnoticed,this(ofcourse)cannotbeaccomplished,andmanyfishermenkeep

the‘feet-part’alwaysfilledwithcarefullydriedgrainorsawdustoronboot-trees,withthe

objectofswellingorkeepingtheminshape,andtoavoidshrinking.

Whenever waders are used, thick warm woollen stockings, and leggings also if

possible,shouldbeworninside.Iusedalwaystowearandrecommendforthisandother

sporting purposes the all-wool garments made by the well-known Jaeger Company, but

my patience has recently given way before the combined inconveniences of excessive

shrinking–whichIsupposeintheirotherwiseexcellentmanufactureisinevitable–and

theinconvenientformsinwhichtheyseemdeterminedtothrustanessentiallygoodidea

downthepublicthroat.Shirtsdoubled over thechestratherthan(ifanywhere)overthe

back, and buttoning up at the side instead of in the front – woollen neck-bands which

contractinto‘chokative’dimensionsthefirsttimetheyarewashed–andsoon;untilone

feelsatlastinclinedtostartarivalcompany,andcallitthe‘Jaegersystemstrippedoffads

andmadepossibleforordinarymortals!’

As, however, I still feel under obligation to Dr Jaeger for his capital idea – from

which, all drawbacks notwithstanding, I have derived much advantage – I tried instead

whatcouldbedoneinmyownsmallwayformypersonalcomfort,bypersuadinganother

firm – Messrs Harborrow, of Cockspur Street – to take up the manufacture of ‘Jaeger

shirts,’andsoforth,onprinciplesfreefromtheinconveniencesalludedto.Theveryslight

admixtureofcottoninthe‘webbing’ofthematerial,whichtheyuseatmysuggestion,is

practicallypreventativeofshrinking,andmakesonthewhole,Ithink,amoreagreeable

andequallyhealthygarment,whilst,asIsay,Icannowgetmyfishingandshootingdress

inaformwhichgivesmetheadvantagesoftheJaegersystemwithoutitseccentricities.

Apropos,Icannotimaginewhysomemoresimpleandconvenientstyleofdresshas

notlongagobeenadoptedby‘ladyfishers,’aswellasbyanglersofthesternersex.Many

ladieswhonowwouldneverdreamofapproachingtheriverbank(nearerthanthetowing

path)forfearofspoilingtheirdressesorwettingtheirshoes,wouldifsuitably‘appareled’

find as keen an interest and enjoyment in the sport as we do, and might even become

enthusiasticvotariesofthegentleart.Howcharmingitwouldbewhenwesallyforthafter

breakfasttolakeorstream,tohavethecompanionshipofsome‘sweetgirlgraduate,’who,

with hair either golden or otherwise, would by her graceful companionship double the

pleasuresofsuccess!Therewouldbenoslovenlycasting,nocallingtohaltforpipesor

liquorwhenfishwereontherisethen.

Fighton,braveknights!Brighteyesbeholdyourdeeds,writtenofthe‘freeandeasy

passagesofarms.

Thereareindeedalreadynot afewanglingchampionsofthegentlersexwhonow

enterthelists,especiallyasfly-fishers,andamongstwhomthefairdaughtersofawell-

knownnobleDukehaveacquiredenviablefame.

Wearenotall,however,soluckyastohaveasalmonriveratourdoor,andIhave

often thought, watching some modern Dame Juliana punt fishing under the dip of a

ThameschestnuttreeinAugust,orlaterintheautumnsendingherspinningbaitskimming

intothefoambelowHurleyweir,howmuchofpleasure,nowlosttomostofus,isgained

bythemanwhosewifetakesheartilytofishingorhuntingorwhateverotherfieldsporthe

isdevotedto.Inthiswayshebecomesnotonlyhishelpmateathome,buthis‘chum’and

true comrade when on his rambles by flood and field, or, rifle in hand, mounting the

‘imminentdeadlybreach’whichisshortlytowitnessthecampaignagainstchamoisorred

deer.

Not that shooting is a sport by any means so naturally fitted to women as fishing.

Theirfiguremakesthehandlingofthegunstockalwaysratherawkward,andtherecoilis

sometimesapt–unlessverylightchargesareused–tobedangerous.Buttofishingthere

isnodrawback,unless,indeed,itbethepetticoatswithwhichsomethick-ankledleaderof

fashioninbygonetimeshasmanagedtocrampanddisfigureoneoftheprettiestpartsof

the human form. No skirts will vex the tameless ankles of our women of the future.

Alreadythere,isamarkedandhealthyimprovementvisibleinthelengthofthedress,and

women need no longer draggle about behind them a ridiculous and often muddy train,

whichifitdoesnotdodutyforaroad-sweepercannotcertainlybeshowntosubserveany

otherusefulpurpose.

The influence of dress has been recognised by many philosophers as exercising a

powerfuleffectinmouldingthenationalcharacter,andIamquitesatisfiedthatifEnglish

menandwomen,andthoselivingintownaswellasinthecountry,weretoadoptadress

allowing greater freedom and play to the limbs and muscles, and (so far as men are

concerned)woulddiscard,onceandforall,chimneypothats,frockcoats,legbags–Iuse

thetermliterally,notinaslangysense–andtheotherparaphernaliaofthebandbox,there

wouldbeamarkedadvanceinthemanlinessand‘robustness’oftherace.

Women who shoot or fish should never hesitate to wear a dress suitable for the

purpose;long skirts are not only constantly in the way, but often prove a source of real

dangertothewearer.Thesameremarkholdsstillmoretrueinregardtolongridinghabits,

andifthereadersoftheselineshadseenasmanyaccidents,andhair-breadthescapesfrom

accidents, in the hunting field, as I have, owing to long skirts, they would join in the

outcrywhichought,inthenameofcommonsense,toberaisedagainstthem.However,I

amgladtoseethatthereissomeimprovementoflateyearsinthisrespectalso.

Inarranging alady’s fishing dress,nexttotheshort skirtsthickbootsmoreor less

waterproofarethemostimportantitem,havingregardbothtoprotectionandcomfort;but

this is precisely the point on which the male adviser finds the greatest difficulty in

procuringafavourablehearingforhisviews.Simplyonthescoreof‘prettiness’itcannot

besaidthata stout double-soled shooting or fishingbootisas killing as a QueenAnne

slipper,LouisQuatorzeshoe,orapairofdaintybottines,expresslydesignedtosetoffand

emphasisethedelicatearchoftheinstep,whilstdisplayingthefootandankleinaposition

which,ifnotquitenatural,isatleastexceedinglypicturesque.

Theflowershetouchedon,dipp’dandrose,

Andturnedtolookagain.

But,mydearladyreaders–ifIshouldbesofavouredastohaveany–donotletitbe

forgotten that there is ‘a beauty of fitness,’ and that where really rough work has to be

done ‘ease before elegance,’ and, it might be added, ‘health before both,’ is a golden

maxim.

Thefollowinghintsfordress,whichhavebeenkindlygivenmebyaladywhohas

hadlargepracticalexperiencewithbothrodandgun,maypossiblybefoundofservice:

Short skirt of linsey wolsey made as simple as possible – in fact, a kind of

‘housemaid’sdress.’Norfolkjacketmadeofall-woolmaterial.Acomfortabletoque(the

close-fittingtoquedoesnotcatchthewind).Itisbesttohavethecostumeofonecolour,

sayaniceheathermixtureorwhitishgrey.Iadvise‘linsey’fortheskirt,asitiseverlasting

inwear,andthe‘all-wool’fortheNorfolkjacket,beingwarmerandmorehealthy.

Nowfor themostimportantitem:boots. Theyshouldfitperfectly, and bemadeof

porpoisehide,withhonestbroadsolesandplentyofroomforthetoes,andflatheels–in

theirproperplace,notunderthearchoftheinstep.Thebootsshouldlaceinthesameway

thatmen’sshootingbootsdo,andbemadetocomewelluptheleg(sothatgaiterscanbe

dispensedwith).Lengthofskirtaninchorsoabovetheankle.

This dress is suitable for either fishing or shooting. If worn for the latter over a

‘clayey’country,afewinchesoflightwaterproofonthebottomoftheskirtareadvisable.

Some ladies wear gaiters, but I think if the boots are made high enough they are not

necessary.Woollenunder-garmentsshouldbeworn,fromstockingsupwards.

For ‘waterproofing’ all cloth and woollen materials – I do not say making them

actuallywaterproof,butsufficientlysotokeeptheunder-garmentspracticallydry–Ican

recommendthefollowingreceipt,givenmebyR.Atkinson,Esq.,ofTempleSowerby:

Dissolvesugarofleadandaluminrainwater,oneounceofeachtoaquartof

water. When settled down, draw off the clear (this is most easily done with a

syphon), saturate the woollen article in it (I generally leave it in twenty-four

hours),anddry in the open air. From myownexperienceI have found acoat

thustreatedtobequitewaterproof.Forafewdaysthereisanunpleasantsmell,

but it soon wears off. I infinitely prefer such protection from rain to any

macintoshorotherindia-rubbermanufacture.

FISHINGETCETERAS

Imightunderthisheadingfillachapter,ifnotavolume;astakingtheterminitsbroadest

sense,fishing‘etceteras’mightbemadetoembracetheentirecontentsofatackleshop,

less the half-dozen prominent items of the fisherman’s equipment which I have already

noticed.ButImustleavetheseminutiaetotakecareofthemselves,asquestionsof‘space’

–representedinaconcreteformbyMessrsLongman–warnmetobringthischaptertoa

close.

Indoingso,however,Iwouldbrieflyrefertoafewitemswhichmaybeofusetothe

fly-fisher.

Thefirstisafishingknife–analmostindispensableadditiontoasatisfactoryoutfit

fortheriver-side;containinginasmallcompass,scissors,knife,and‘disgorgerblade’–

threeimplementswhichareliabletobecalledintorequisitionateveryturn.

The second ‘etcetera’ is rather a bulky one, being in fact a fishing boat! ‘As such

boats made of inflatable India-rubber can now be obtained at several waterproof

manufactories, and at a reasonable price, and as the comfort of one of them on many

fishing expeditions, especially in lake districts, is simply not to be exaggerated, I think

fishermentravellingenluxewillbewisetomakeaportableboatpartoftheirequipment.

Theyaremadetohold‘anynumber’ofpeople,andevenaboatofthesmallestsizeis

steadyenoughforallthepurposesofthefly-fisher.

SalmonFishingwiththeFly.

AlsoaFewNoteson

FlyFishingforSeaTrout

Itiswithgreatpleasure,althoughwithconsiderablediffidence,thatIaccedetoarequest,

madeinverycomplimentarytermsbyMrCholmondeley-Pennell,thatIshouldwritean

accountofmyexperienceinsalmonfishing;andIaminducedtodosointhehopethatit

may be instructive to gentlemen who are inexperienced in the art, and also to a certain

extentinterestingtotheanglingpublic.

There are certain well-known and established facts connected with salmon fishing

thatneednomentiononmypart,andIwillendeavourtoconfinemyself,asfarasIcan,to

the relation of that which I know of my own knowledge. During an experience of over

thirty years, in England, Scotland, Ireland, and Norway, I have had most favourable

opportunitiesofstudyingthehabitsofthesalmonandtheartoffishingfor him,and,if

anyinformationIamabletogiveshouldproveusefultomybrotherfishermen,Ishallbe

amplyrepaidformytrouble.

Alltheknowledgewepossessofthehabitsofthesalmonhasbeenacquiredduring

thatperiodofhislifewhichhepassesinfreshwater.Weknownothingofhishabitsduring

hissojourninthesea,exceptthatatcertainseasonsoftheyearhefeelshiswayalongthe

coastuntilinstinctteacheshimhehasfoundtheestuaryoftheriverhehasbeenbredin,

andhethenmakeshiswayupit.Fromthistimeuntil,inthenaturalcourseofevents,he

returnstothesea,wehavemanyopportunitiesofstudyinghishabits,andwegettoknow

certain facts, from which we draw our own conclusions. We start theories without end,

some of which, after a short argument, will be found utterly baseless; but others seem

moreplausible,andhaveacertainamountofevidencetosupportthem,suchasmaymake

itreasonabletoassumethatwehavearrivedatsomethinglikeanearapproximationtothe

truth.

Weknowasalmonentersfreshwateratcertainseasonsoftheyearforthepurposeof

propagatinghisspecies,thatsoonerorlaterhemakeshiswaytothelocalitywhereinstinct

points out to him he is to deposit his spawn, and that on his journey upwards he will

occasionally take whatever bait is offered him by the angler. When the time comes he

depositshisspawn,afterwhichhegraduallymakeshiswaydowntheriverandre-enters

thesea.Theseaishisnativeelement,andIthinkitmustbetakenforgrantedthathefeeds

voraciouslyduringhissojournthere:intact,hemustdoso,otherwisehecouldnotgrowso

rapidlyorattainsuchconditionintheshorttimeitisknownhehastostaythere.Nature

hasprovidedhimwithaformidablesetofteeth,anditmaybepresumedhemakesthebest

useofthem.

When he first enters fresh water he is in his prime, and in the full glory of his

strength.Doubtlessinstinctteacheshimnottoleavethesaltwaterbeforehehasattained

thisconditionthathemaybeabletosurmountthedifficultieshewillhavetoencounter

before he can reach his spawning ground. A half-conditioned, ill-fed fish could not

accomplishthis:hisstrengthwouldbeexhaustedbeforehalfthejourneywascompleted,

andhewouldprobablybenomoreseen.Afishinthisconditionisseldomcaughtbynets

infreshwateroronthesea-coast.

There is great difference of opinion as to whether or not a salmon feeds in fresh

water.Inmyopinionthereispositiveevidencethathedoes;otherwise,whydoeshetake

flies,liveandartificialbait,worms,andshrimps?Isittobesupposedforamomentthatif

he takes these he will not take any other food fresh water affords him? It is true he

deteriorates in condition from the date of his migration from the sea: but this may be

accounted for by the fact that the food the river affords is not of that fattening nature

whichhegetsinthesea,andNatureevidentlydidnotintendheshouldremaininthesame

primeconditioninfreshwateraswhenheenteredit.Hehastoundergocertainchanges

before he is in a fit state to spawn, and, if he remained in the same prime condition as

whenheenteredtheriver,thiswouldbeimpossible.

Itiswellknownthatanewlyrunsalmonwilltakeaflyorbaitsoonerthanonewhich

hasbeenalongertimeinfreshwater,andIcouldquotemanyinstancestoprovethis.A

fewyearsagoIwasfishinginthenorthofNorway,wheretherewasalargepoolundera

fallwhichwasimpassableforsalmon.Thefishcongregatedinthispoolinvastnumbers,

butIseldomkilledoneinitthathad notsealiceonhim.(Thepresenceof sealiceisa

certainsignofanew-runsalmon:theseparasitesdieafterbeingtwenty-fourhoursinfresh

water.) I also remember, when fishing in the Galway river, in Ireland, in the spring

months,wherefromtwentytothirtysalmonwerekilleddailywithrodandline,nineout

of ten had sea lice on them. The fish congregated in the stream below the weir in

thousands,and,althoughtheyhadonlybeenashorttimeinfreshwater,theydidnotseem

tocaremuchaboutfeeding.

Toaccount for this satisfactorily is impossible, but it may be reasonable to assume

thatforthefirstfewhoursafterasalmonhasleftsaltwater,wherehehasbeeninthehabit

offeedingvoraciously,hisappetitedoesnotleavehim:buteventuallytheabsenceofthe

foodhehasbeenaccustomedtowillmakehimsulkyanddisinclinedtofeed.Heisinsuch

good condition that he can afford to abstain for a while; but he will sooner or later be

obliged to feed to maintain his strength, in order to enable him to reach his spawning

ground.Itisnottobesupposedhecanexistonwater,andweknowthatattimeshetakes

aflyorbaitgreedily,particularlyaftera‘fresh,’whenheshiftshisquartersupstream.He

willthentakethefirstflyhesees;butwhenonceheislodgeditisgenerallydifficulttoget

ariseoutofhim.

Thereisacertaintimeofyearwhensalmonarelessinclinedtofeedthanatanyother

period–thisisgenerallyfromaboutthemiddleofJulytothemiddleofSeptember.The

temperatureofthewaterandoftheatmosphereisthenhigherthanatanyothertime,and

thishas doubtlessagreateffectontheappetiteof asalmon.Ihavefound thistobethe

caseuponalmosteveryriverIhavefished.Itmatterslittlewhetherthefisharefresh-run

orstale,theyareindifferenttotakingfood,anditisquiteexceptionaltogetagoodday’s

sport during those months. They begin again, however, to take at the latter end of

Septemberandupto the time of the closeseason;butthese are mostly gravid fish, and

hardlyworththetroubleoffishingfor.

Afterasalmonhasspawnedheisathislowestebb–thin,emaciated,andunsightly

tobehold.Hethengraduallymakeshiswaytothesea,but,asitisnecessarytorecruithis

strength before he finally leaves fresh water, Nature seems to have provided him with

ample means for so doing at this particular season, as on his downward journey he is

accompaniedbymillionsofthefryofhisownspecies,anditissupposedhemakessuch

havocamongstthemthatithasbeenincontemplationtoalterthesalmonlaws,makingit

legal to take spent salmon after a certain date. I have seen spent salmon in such a

conditionthatithasbeendifficulttodistinguishthemfromnewlyrunfish.

Itiscommonly believed, because nothing hasever been found inthestomach of a

salmon, that he does not feed. A friend of mine, who takes the greatest interest in this

subject,toldmethat,whenhewasfishinginNorwaysomeyearsago,hecutopenevery

fishhecaught(thirtyinnumber),anddidnotfindanythinginsideanyofthesalmon,but

threeofthegrilseweregorgedwithinsects,whichhethoughtweredaddy-longlegs.This

istheonlyinstanceIevermetwithoffoodbeingfoundinthestomachofasalmon;itis,

ofcourse,anexception:butifanyevidencewerewanting,thisofitselfprovesthatsalmon

willfeed,thoughhowtoaccountfortheabsenceoffoodintheirstomachsisapuzzle.I

haveoftennoticed,fishingwithnaturalbait,whenasalmonislandedthebaitistornfrom

the hooks and sent up the line a foot or more. Does not this show that a salmon has

marvelouspower ofejectingitsfood? Is itnotprobablethat, when hegetsintotrouble,

eitherby beinghooked,ornetted,he willdisgorgethecontentsof hisstomach?A trout

thatisfulloffoodwill,weallknow,dosoafterheislanded–andwhynotthesalmon?

MyfriendwhotoldmehefoundfoodinsidethegrilsealsosaidthatseveralNorwegian

net fishermen informed him that, after their nets were drawn in they generally found a

numberofhalf-digestedfishamongstthesalmonthuscaught.Healsosaidhehadheard

thesamestoryatNewcastle-upon-Tyne.Ifthesefishermenspokethetruth,itgoesalong

wayinsupportofmytheory.

Theabsenceoffoodinasalmon’sstomachhasbeenaccountedforinoneotherway.

Asalmonmayhavesuchpowersofdigestionthatwhateverfoodheconsumesdisappears

almostatonce;butagainstthissuppositionthereisthefactofwhatmyfriendfoundinside

threegrilse.As it iscertaingrilse are onlysalmonin youth, thistheorymust fall tothe

ground,andIaminclinedtothinktheformerexplanationisthecorrectone.

Aspringsalmonwillnottravelasfastasasummersalmon.Therateatwhichsalmon

travelisdependentuponthestateoftheweatherandthetemperatureofthewater.Should

therebeahardwinter,lasting,asitoftendoes,wellintothespring,hardlyafishwillhave

foundhiswaytotheupperwaters;butshouldtherehavebeenanopenwinter,withgood

travellingwaterandnoobstruction,the upperreacheswillbefairlystockedbythetime

the fishing season commences. Of course there are exceptions, and, however mild the

springmaybeinsomerivers–forinstance,theWyeandtheUskinMonmouthshireand

Brecknockshire–springfishwillnottravelaboveacertaindistance,andtheupperwaters

donotgetstockeduntilwellonintheseason.InScotlandthetemperatureofthewaterin

the early spring is always very low, and obstructions in the Scotch Rivers stop the fish

running,sothattheywillnotpasstheseuntiltheweathergetswarmerandthetemperature

ofthewaterhigher.

OntheHelmsdaleandShin,inScotland,arefallsoverwhichsalmoncaneasilypass,

buttheywillneverdosountilthemonthofApril,anditisknownalmosttoadaywhen

they will make their appearance in the stream above these falls. That salmon are very

susceptible to cold is quite certain; although they are fresh out of the sea, and in their

primestcondition,andwilltake a flyorbaitgreedily, yettheywillnot lodgeinarapid

streamintheearlypartofthespring,butarealwaysfoundineasywater,justwhereone

wouldexpect to find a spentfish;anditisnotuntilwell on in the springthattheywill

lodgeinrapidwater.

TheclimateofIrelandismilderthanthatofanyotherpartoftheUnitedKingdom.

The temperature of the water is consequently much higher than in either England or

Scotland,andmanynewlyrunsalmonwillbefoundinearlyspringintheupperwatersof

Irish rivers where obstructions exist. The majority of them, however, seem to object to

faceanobstructionuntilaboutthemonthofApril,whentheweathergetswarmer.

Alakeisagreatattractiontoasalmon.Ifthereisnoobstructionbetweenlakeand

sea, a spring salmon will, on leaving the salt water, make straight for the lake without

halting.ThisisparticularlythecaseinIrishrivers,wherethetemperatureofthewateris

generallyhighforthetimeofyear.

Autumnsalmonaredifferentintheirhabitsfromspringandsummerfish.Forsome

unknownreasontheyremainintheseauntiltheyarefullofspawn,andthen,notbeing

able, on that account, to surmount the difficulties which a spring or summer salmon is

capableof, areseldom found above a certain distance from the sea. Their journey up is

alsoaveryslowone,andIhavealwaysnoticedthispeculiarityinthehabitsofanautumn

salmon.

Inmanyofourriverstheheaviestsalmonoftheseason,insplendidconditionandin

appearancelikespringsalmon,runduringthewintermonths.Theruncommencesinthe

autumn,whennowandthenoneiscaught,butthegreatruntakesplaceinDecember,and

Ioftenthinkitisapityweareprohibitedbylawfromfishingforthem.

If the rivers that are frequented by these fish were closed from October 1 to

December15,andanglingonlyallowedafterthelatterdate,therewouldbefarlessharm

done than by allowing angling during October and November, when almost every fish

hookedisgravid.

ByDecember15everygravidfishwillhaveleftthepoolsforthespawningbeds,and

thecatcheswillbeoccupiedonlybythoseheavy,fresh-runwintersalmon.Nodoubtthere

areobjectionstoallowinganglingduringthewintermonths,butitisapityweshouldlose

thesportthesesplendidfishwouldafford.Itistruetheycanbecaughtwhentheseason

opensinthespring,butbythattimetheyget‘foxey’andhavelostcondition,andareonly

fit for kippering; as it is, they do an immense amount of mischief among the smolts in

theirdownwardjourneytothesea,andweshouldbefarbetterwithoutthem.

Havingintroducedthesalmontothenoticeofmyreaders,Iwillnowendeavourto

describe the best way to catch him, and, as it is the most important part of a salmon

fisherman’sgear,Iwillcommencemyremarkswith:

THEROD

Ihavetriedallsortsandsizesofrods,byvariousmakers,buttheoneIamnowusing,and

have used for many years, is to my mind perfection. It is a greenheart in three splices,

madebyFarlow,and,ifarodistobejudgedbyitspowersofcasting,itshouldbeagood

one.ItistheonewithwhichIwonthefirstprizeattheFishingTournamentatHendon,in

July1884,forthelongestoverheadcast,withacastofforty-fiveyardsoneinch.Tocasta

longline,arodrequiresgreatliftingpower,andmyrodpossessesthisqualitytoagreat

extent, although, at the same time, it is not heavy enough to tire one in a hard day’s

fishing. I am at a loss how to describe it, but its virtue lies in an equal distribution of

strength,inproportion,fromthebutttothepoint.

A heavy butt with no spring to it, and with a weak top, is of little use for casting

purposes,beyondacertaindistance.Thespringshouldbefelt,toacertainextent,tothe

bottomofthebuttwhencastingandIconsiderarodwhichdoesnotpossessthisqualityof

littleornovalue.CastleConnellrodsaremadeonthisprinciple,but,inmyopinion,they

aretootop-heavy.Iftheyhadalittlelessweightatthetopandmoreinthebutt,Ithink

they would be pleasanter to fish with and would lose nothing in power. They will

doubtlesscastaslongalineasrodsofotherdescriptions,but,owingtotheirbeingsothin

atthebuttandsotop-heavy,itoftenhappensthat,whenthrowingalonglineinagaleof

wind,theyareapttosmashjustabovethereel.Ifishedwiththeserodsforyears,butfor

thisreasonIdiscardedthem.Theyare,however,verypowerfulrods,andwellsuitedtothe

Shannon,wherethefishrunveryheavyandapowerfulrodisrequired;and,asallfishing

isdoneoutofaboatonthatliver,longcastingisunnecessary.

Everyrodrequiresalinetosuitit;anditwillbeaswelltobearinmindwhenmaking

achoiceofonethatarodwithaweak,whippytopisnotsuitableforcastingthicklines

andastifformorepowerfulrodisnotadaptedforcastingathinline.Thebestwoodfora

rodisgreenorbrownheart.Itisverylightandpleasanttofishwith:theonlydrawbackis

that rods made of it will sometimes smash at a moment’s notice without any apparent

cause.

IhavesentmyfavouriterodtoFarlow’s,and,shouldanyonewishtotryonemadeon

the same lines, he will be able to obtain it at that establishment. In choosing a rod, a

novicewillwalkasitwereblindfoldedintoafishing-tacklemaker’sshop,andgenerally

orderthebiggestrodhecanget,andofacaliberwhichwilltirehiminhalfanhour.Abig

rodseemstobeanecessitytohim,andagentlehintfromanolderanglerthattherodis

rathertooheavyisnotoftentakeningoodpart.Itisonlybybitterexperiencethathewill

find out his mistake. If fishing-tackle manufacturers would but ‘take stock’ of their

customers,andrecommendthebeginnertochoosearodwhichwillbefoundsuitableto

hisstrength,itwouldbenolosstothem,andwouldsaveagreatdealofdisappointment.It

would,moreover,startthenoviceintherightroadtosuccess;whereas,ifhebeginsfishing

withabigrodthatisoverhisstrength,hewillhaveprobablytotoilandlabourforweeks

beforehecanmakeadecentcast,whichhemighthavesucceededinaccomplishingina

dayortwoifhehadtakenafriend’sadvice.

A seventeen-foot rod is quite long enough for any ordinary casting for salmon,

provided it is of sufficient power. A sixteen- foot rod is long enough for peel or grilse

fishing,orevenforsalmon,whenthewaterislowandwherefinetackleandsmallflies

arerequired.AnyonewhohasreadthereportsoftheCastingTournamentsatHendon,will

see what marvelous casts were made with sixteen-foot rods: but they must be made of

goodstuff,withplentyofliftingpower.Fishermenofanyexperiencewillofcourseselect

arodtosuittheirownfancy,butIstronglyrecommendthenovicetomakehisfirsteffort

with a rod under his strength, and, above all things, to avoid using one with a weak,

whippytop.

Theartofrod-makinghasbeenbroughttogreatperfectioninAmerica;thesplit-cane

rods are marvelous works of art, and are being much used in this country; but they are

veryexpensive,and,asIcannotdiscoveranyparticularadvantagetheypossessoverour

old-fashionedEnglish-maderod,Iprefertousethelatter.

THEREELANDLINE

Itisagreatmistaketofishwithabig,heavyreel,aseveryounceofneedlessweightin

reelorrodwilltellagainsttheanglerinahardday’sfishing,assurelyasitdoesupona

racehorse when running a race. A man who thinks it necessary to fish with a big rod

generallyusesabigreeltomatch,withasmuchlineasitwillhold,veryoftenneedlessly

thick. To make a clean cast the line must be used to suit the rod. When fishing with a

powerfulrod amoderatelythickline isrequired,athinline, asIhavebeforeremarked,

beingofnouse.Areelfourinchesindiameter,withadrumofifinchinwidth,willhold

thirtyorfortyyardsofthicklineforcastingpurposes,and100to120yardsofthinback

line–inallabout140yards,whichislongenoughforanyofourrivers.Themajorityof

fishermenuseathickline,ofthesamethicknessfromendtoend;but,asIthinkitmaybe

takenforgrantedthatfortyyardsonly,attheoutside,arerequiredforcastingpurposes,

nothingisgainedbytheremainderofthelinebeingofthesamethickness.

Iwillendeavourtoshowthatthereisagreatdisadvantageinusingacontinuousthick

line,andthatthereisagooddealtobegainedbyusingalinemadeasIhavedescribed.

Whenfishingwithacontinuousthickline,shouldasalmontakealongrunwhenhooked

inarapidstream,thepressureofthewateruponthelineissogreatthat,unlessthecasting

line is of unusual strength, there is great risk of its getting broken. On the other hand,

fishingwithathinbackline,theresistancetothewaterinalikecaseissomuchless,in

proportion,thatthechanceofbringingthefishtobankisfargreaterandtheriskofabreak

reducedtoaminimum.Anotheradvantageinusingathinbacklineisthatthereelofthe

aforenameddimensionswillholdafargreaterlengthofline.ThelineIrecommend,say

thirty or forty yards, is tapered at both ends, and moderately thick in the middle. The

advantage of having this line spliced to a back line is that when one endis worn from

castingitcanbecutoff,thewornendresplicedtothebackline,andtheotherendbrought

intouse.Anyonewhohasnotfishedwiththesetaperinglineswillbesurprisedattheease

with which they can be cast, and their superiority will be found out when fishing on a

windyday.Somesayitisbesttousealightlineuponsuchanoccasion,becauseitcuts

throughthewindbetterthanaheavyline,butinmyopinionalightoneisutterlyuseless

forcastingpurposesuponawindyday,andtheheavierthelinetheeasieritistocast.

Thickerlinesarerequiredforspringandautumnfishing,whenlargefliesandstrong

tackleareused,butinthesummertime,whenthepeelcommencetorunandsmallflies

areused,lightspringyrodsandlightlinesarepreferabletotheheavysalmonrod,andfar

morepleasanttofishwith.Themouthofafresh-runpeelorgrilseisverytender,andthe

strainlikelytobeputonthelinewhenthefishishookedwill,ifaheavysalmonrodis

used,beveryapttotearthehookout.Verylittlestrainisrequiredtofixthebarbofthe

hook,andwhenfishingforpeelthefishshouldbeverylightlyhandled;easy-runningreels

should be used when fishing for either salmon or peel, but most particularly so when

fishingforthelatter.

ThetaperinglinesIhavementionedcanbeobtainedofanylengthorthicknesstosuit

theangler’sfancy,dressedorundressed.I prefertobuythemundressedand dress them

myself.Anundressedlinewilllastquiteaslongasadressedone,andbequiteaspleasant

tocast,butcareshouldbetakentodryiteachdayafterfishing.Ihaveanundressedline

thatIhaveusedfortwowholeseasons,anditisnowassoundasthedayIboughtit.This

is more than I can say of most dressed lines sold by fishing-tackle makers, which will

seldomstandmorethanoneseason’swork.

Inselectingadressedlinecareshouldbetakentoascertainitisnothollow.Ahollow

caneasilybedetectedbycuttingofftheendofthelinewithapairofsharpscissors.My

objection to a hollow line is this: that should there be a flaw or bruise the water will

graduallyfinditswayintothehollow,rundownthewholelengthoftheline,andasowing

to the outer coating being waterproof the line cannot be dried, it will therefore quickly

becomerotten.Ihaveseenmanylinesthathavebeenusedonlytwoorthreedaysbecome

quite rotten, which I am convinced has been from no other cause than the one I have

mentioned. A hollow line may be easily known, as it is round; a solid plaited line is

square.

[Seealsopreliminarychapterson‘Tackle.’]

DRESSINGLINES

ThefollowingrecipefordressinglinesIcansafelyrecommend.Mixequalpartsof raw

linseedoilandbestcopalvarnish,boilinguntilthemixturesingesafeather(thisshouldbe

doneout ofdoors,owingtothe inflammablenatureofthesolution). Whencoldputthe

lineintosoak.Aweekwillbeenoughforasolidplaitedline,butifthelineishollowit

shouldremaininmuchlongerso as to allow timefor thesolutiontofillup the hollow.

Whenthoroughlysaturated,afinedayshouldbetakenadvantageof,andthelineputout

to dry in the open air, stretched at its full length, fastened at both ends to two wooden

posts,allthesuperfluousdressingbeingcarefullyremovedwiththehandorabitofcloth,

Itshouldnotremainout,initsfirststageofdrying,intherain,asaveryfewdropswill

spoilit,andthedressingwillcomeoff;butwhentheoutercoatingistolerablydry,which

will be in about a week in warm weather, wet will not affect it, although it will be

advisablenottoleaveitoutintherainatanytimeifitcanbeavoided.

Inaboutafortnightafterithasbeenoutthelineshouldbere-dippedinthesolution,

andtheoperationofstretchingandremovingthesuperfluousdressingrepeated.Thiswill

befoundsufficient,andnothingwillremainbuttoallowittodry.

Alineshouldnotbeusedforatleastsixmonthsafterbeingdressed.Itmaybehung

up indoors, but it will be advisable whenever the weather is favourable to put it in the

openair.ThebestmonthsforperformingtheoperationofdressingareJune,July,August,

andSeptember,thetemperaturebeinghigherduringthosemonthsthanatanyothertime

ofthe year.Dressedlines can be driedin a very shorttime by mixing‘dryers’with the

solution, but there is the greatest objection to their use. The object of the wholesale

manufacturer, owing to the great demand, is to get the operation performed as soon as

possible,andthereforedryersarerequired;buttheconsequenceis,althoughlinesdressed

in a solution in which dryers have been used look like perfection in the fishing-tackle

maker’sshop,itwilloftenbefoundaftertheyhavebeenusedaveryshorttimetheywill

‘knuckle,’ when they may just as well be thrown into the fire. There is no mistaking a

‘knuckled’line,andnothing can bemoreunsightly.Insteadof being thebeautifuleven-

lookingcoilthatcameoutofthefishing-tacklemaker’sshop,abouteverytwoinchesor

so,wherethelinehaspassedthroughtheringsoftherod,thevarnishcomesoffindust,

and a small white ring appears, giving the line the appearance of the knuckles of the

finger.

IhaveseenmanyofthebestAmericandressedlines‘knuckle’inaveryshorttime

andbecomequiteunfitforuse.Afterpayingagoodpriceforaline,nothingtomymind

can be more annoying or disappointing, and if this were to happen in a far-off country

wheretherewerenofishing-tacklemakers’shops,forinstanceinNorwayorCanada,the

consequencesmightbeveryserious.Thisevilcan,however,beavoidedbydressinglines

inmyfashion,andtheseIwillguaranteetolastforyearsiftakencareofanddriedevery

dayafterfishing.Iwouldnottrustthe-bestlookingdressedlinethatevercameoutofa

fishing-tacklemaker’sshop;butthewholesalemanufacturersaretoblameforthis,andnot

thefishing-tacklemakers,whoasaruledothebesttheycantosupplythebestarticlefor

theircustomers.Iwouldrecommendanyonewhohastimetosparetodresshisownlines,

but without dryers; or, if he has not any time to spare, to use them undressed. An

undressedlinewillgetsaturatedwithwaterafterthefirstcast,andthissupplyingtheplace

of the dressing, the line will be found quite heavy enough to make the longest cast

required.Theonlyobjection,anditisbutaverytrivialone,totheuseofundressedlines,

isthatshoulditbedesiredtoaddtothelengthofacastbypullingoutayardorsoofline

before the cast is made, when this is let go it is very apt in its wet state to get twisted

aroundthebuttoftherod,whichwilldefeattheobject.

CASTINGLINES

Theselectionofasuitablecastingline(i.e.thegutlinethatconnectsthereellinewiththe

fly)requiresgreatjudgmentandcareonthepartoftheangler.Ifthewatershouldbehigh

orstainedafterafresh,thestrongestlinesmaybeused,andfineronesinproportionasthe

watergetslowerandclearer.

Duringtheearlyspringmonthssalmonarekeenertoriseattheflythanatanyother

timeoftheyear,theywilltakelargerfliesthanlaterintheseason,anddonotseemtocare

whatthecastinglineismadeof;butduringthelaterspringandsummermonths,whenthe

waterisverylewandclear,theyaremoreparticular,andveryfinecastinglinesandflies,

notmuchbiggerthantroutflies,mustbeused.Tolandabigsalmoninlowwaterwitha

lightrodandfinetackleisafeatanysalmonfishermaybeproudof.

Treble-twistedorplaitedgutcastinglinesaregenerallyconsideredthestrongest,but

these are not to be trusted. Some of them will doubtless last a long time, but many are

made up of inferior cast-off gut which is difficult to detect in the piece, and would not

standa week’swork. It is also difficultto twist gut so evenly thatwhen a fish is being

played,anequalstrainshallbemadetobearoneachstrand.Linesmadeoftwostrandsof

carefullyselectedroundsalmongutofequalthickness,untwisted,aremuchstrongerthan

mostofthetreblegutcastinglinesthataregenerallyused,butgreatcaremustbetakenin

makingtheselines,aswhenthelinksareknottedtogetheritwillbefoundthat,ninetimes

outoften,oneofthestrandswillbelongerthantheother,consequentlytheshorterstrand

would have to bear the whole strain when a fish is being played, and the other strand

wouldbeuseless.

Thiscanbeavoidedifthefollowingdirectionsareattendedto:afterthestrandsthat

aretocomposethelinehavebeenselected,andhavebeenallowedtosoakincoldwater

forsomehours,takethetwothataretoformthefirstlink,andhavingmadetheloopthat

istoconnectthiswiththereelline,whipthestrandstightlytogether(thisneednotbedone

closely)withwell-waxedsilk,fromtheknotwheretheloophasbeenmadedowntonearly

theendsofthe strands.Knottothenextlinkandremove thewhipping,whenitwillbe

foundthatthestrandswilllieevenlytogetherandanystrainthatisputonwillbeequally

shared by both. Commence whipping from the last knot made in the manner above

mentioned,andcontinueuntilthecastinglineiscomplete.Imyselfneveruseanythingbut

singlegut,unlessfishinginbigrivers,butImakeupmyownlinesandtakegreatcareto

useonlythestrongestgut.

NotlongagoIdiscoveredwhatIthoughtwasanewmethodoffasteningstrandsof

guttogetherwithoutknots,butIhavesincefoundthattheinventionwasnotanewone,

and that my plan had been adopted years ago by Mr. Cholmondeley- Pennell, and

describedinhisbookTheModernPracticalAngler.Hisprincipleandmineareidentical,

although somewhat differently carried out. The result however, is that in both cases the

fasteningtogetherofthegutinacastinglineisthestrongestpartofit.

Ontestingalinesoconstructedwithstrandsofordinarysalmongut,dry,itbrokeata

strainof15lbs.inthemiddleofoneofthelinksandnotatthefastening.

Another line of apparently the same strength, the links of which were fastened

togetherbyknotsintheordinaryway,brokeataknotatastrainof7lbs.Athird,again,

madeoftwostrandsofthestrongestpickedgut,untwisted,withoutknots,pulledtheindex

ofmysteelyarddownto20lbs.withoutbreaking.Iamcertainitwouldhavestoodastrain

ofseveralpoundsmore,butIwascontentwithsucharesult,andIfeelsatisfiedthatsuch

aline would hold the biggest salmon thatwasevercaughtbyrodandline,andabreak

wouldbealmostimpossible.

Thereisnothingmoredisappointingortryingtothetemperthantogetalinebroken

owingtousingbadtackle.Themanfromwhomthegutisboughtispronouncedtobea

swindler,andnevertobepatronisedagain,butinthemajorityofcasescarelessnessonthe

partoftheanglerliesattherootoftheevil,anditisnotfairtolaytheblameontheman

whosellsthegut,whichvariesinqualitysomuchthatitisquiteachancetogetagood

hankof it. Good‘made-up’single-gut casting lines can be bought at any ofthe leading

fishing-tacklemakersestablishments,butthegreatestcareshouldbetakeninthechoiceof

one.Ifthereisbutonelinkinthecastofuneventhicknessitwillbebettertoputitaside.

Acastmaybetoallappearanceperfect,butifthethinendofoneofthelinksisknottedto

anotherwhichisthicker,theretheweakpartofthecastwillbe,anditwillbeveryaptto

break at that point. The same care must be taken in making up one’s own casting line.

Eachlinkshouldbeofeventhicknessthroughoutthewholelengthoftheline,andround

withoutaflaworascratch.Aflatstrand,oronewhichiscoarse-looking,shouldneverbe

used.

Ifeveryreasonablecareistakenintheselectionofacastinglineandafishbreaksit,

aswilloccasionallyhappentothebestofus,theanglerhasthesatisfactionofknowinghe

hasdonehisutmosttoavoidsuchacatastrophe,andwillfeelthedisappointmentfarless

thanif he wereconscious a fishwas lost through his own carelessness. When a casting

linegetswornandragged,whichwillprobablybethecaseaftertwoorthreemonths’use,

itwillbeadvisablenottotrustit.Someofthelinksmaybesound,andmaybeusedin

making up another cast, but I would rather not trust them, as it is like mending an old

garmentwithnewcloth.

Allcasting linesshouldbetestedevery morning beforegoingoutfishing,and also

lookedoverseveraltimesduringtheday.Knotswhichareoftenmadeincastinginfoul

windshouldbetakenoutwhenevertheyappear,for,ifallowedtoremain,thereisgreat

riskofabreakevenwiththestrongestline.Iftheycannotbetakenout,thelinkinwhich

theyoccurshouldbecutoutofthecastandreplacedbyanewone.Themostseveretesta

castinglinecanbesubjectedtoistotakeanendineachhandandgiveitasuddenjerk.A

linemustbeverystrongto standthis,andunless it isintendedtogo inforbigsalmon,

whenthestrongestlineisrequired,suchaseveretestisunnecessary.Intestingalineitis

generallythoughtthatifitwillstandastrongpullitissound.Thisisnottobetrusted,and

itshouldbesubjectedtoanadditionaltestasfollows:

Holdthelinebytheforefingerandthumbofeachhandaboutaninchoneitherside

of each knot in succession; imagine for a moment that the line is a bit of stick or slate

pencil,andproceedasifyouweretryingtobreakit.Ifthegutiswornatanyoftheknots

it will knuckle at that point, and it should be cut off and a new knot made; although it

might stand a strong pull, a sudden jerk would generally break it. If the line does not

knuckleatanyoftheknotsitmaybeassumedthatitissound.

Some fishermen prefer a tapered line, which they say will make a neater cast than

oneofacontinuousthickness.Thismaybeverywellwhenfishinginlowclearwaterin

summertime,whenfinetackleandfinecastingarerequired,butinspringorautumn,or

when fishing in a big water, where it is necessary to use the strongest tackle, I should

prefer,attheriskofmakinganoccasionalclumsycast,touseacastinglineofthesame

strength and thickness throughout. A tapered line is weakest at the end where the fly is

attachedtoit,andasalineshouldbeasstrong,ifnotstronger,atthispointthananyother,

owing to the connecting knot getting the hardest work, I think a tapered casting line is

objectionable, and I will engage to cast quite as neat a line with one of a continuous

thickness.

Itisnotgenerallyknownthatgutwillquicklyrotwhenexposedtoabrighthotsun.

Butthisisso.Castinglines,therefore,shouldnotbewoundroundthehat,butputaway

whennotinuse;hanksofgutarebestpreservedinwash-leather.

Itisacommonbeliefthatbystaininggutitislesseasilyseenbythefish,butIthink

thisisverydoubtful,andIprefertouseitinitsnaturalstate.

Ihaveenteredintominutedetailsuponthissubject,asIthinkitofgreatimportance.

Rod, line, flies, etc., may be perfection in every other respect; but should there be one

weakpointinthecastingline,theanglermayjustaswellbefishingwithrottenthread,

anditisabsolutelynecessarytoinsuresuccessthatheshouldtakesuchprecautionsasI

haveadvised.

FLIES

There is more difference of opinion about salmon flies than upon any other subject

connected with salmon fishing. Some people assert that it is necessary to use different

patternsoffliesforeverymonthduringthefishingseason;others,thatcertainpatternsare

suitableonlyforcertainrivers,andthatitisuselesstofishwithanyothers.Anothertheory

isthatcertainshadesofcolourmustbeusedoncertaindays.Everyfishermanonemeets

hashisownideasuponthissubject.Ihavemine,andwhethertheyarerightorwrongI

will endeavour to explain them. I think it is reasonable to assume that a salmon can

discernthecoloursofafly;butwillthetheorists,whobelievethatitisnecessarytofish

withcertainpatternsoffliesineachmonthofthefishingseason,tellmethatafeedingfish

willrefuseaflywhichisofferedhim,sayduringthemonthofApril,becauseitisnotsaid

tobethepatternofthatparticularmonth?Thereisnotaparticleofevidenceinsupportof

suchatheory, and it isnotworthone moment’sargument.Thatcertainpatternsof flies

mustbeusedondifferentriversisamoreplausibletheory,andiftheword‘colour’had

beensubstitutedfor‘pattern’Ishouldbequiteofthesameopinion.Someriversarevery

clear; others more or less stained with bog water, and from other causes; and for this

reasonflieswhicharesuitableforclearwaterwillnotsuitpeatyorstainedwater,andlocal

anglers,havingfoundoutfliesthatwillkillontheirrivers,establishstandardpatterns,and

willusenothingelse.

Experience has, however, taught me that if due regard is paid to colour; any other

patternwillkilljustaswell.Localprofessionalsareaveryprejudicedclassofpeopleas

regards salmon fishing, and, if they can help it, will never allow a stranger they are

attendingtofishwithanyotherthanlocalpatternsofflies.Ifhepersistsindoingso,and

doesnotknowtheriver,hewillaslikelyasnotbeputtofishwherehewillgetnosport,

anditgenerallyendsbyhisleavingtheflieshehasbroughtwithhimbehindathisfishing

quartersandfillinguphisbookwithlocalpatterns.Ifhehassportwiththeseflies,which

isverylikelytobethecase,whateveropinionshemayhavehadbeforehecame,whenhe

goesawayhewillprobablyhavebecomeimpressedwiththebeliefthatnootherflieswere

suitabletotheriverhehasfished,andnoamountofargumentwillconvincehimtothe

contrary.Nodoubtthatisthereasonwhysomanyanglersbecomeconvertstothistheory.

ItmaybepresumptuousonmyparttosayIdifferfromthem;butIhavehadsomany

proofstheyaremistakenincomingtosuchaconclusionthatIdonothesitatetosayso.I

havefished a greatnumber of riversall over theUnited Kingdom andelsewhere, and I

havegenerally,whennotfishingmyownwaiter,usedlocalpatterns,asitisaswellnotto

falloutwithone’sattendant,whohasitsomuchinhispowertomakeormarsport.These

flieshavegenerallyprovedtobekillers;butwheneverIhavehadanattendantwhodidnot

understand much about flies, I have always used my own favourite patterns, and have

foundthemjustaskillingasthelocalones.

WhenIfishedtheriverWyesomeyearsago,thefavouritelocalflywasmadeupofa

dirtyyellow rough body, bluecock’shackle,andthewringofafeatherfromabittern’s

neck. Now all the modern patterns are used, the favourite fly in the spring being the

‘canary.’Whatacontrast!

Afriendofmine(aLee,co.Cork,fisherman)toldmenotlongagothatthefishwere

beginningtotaketheJockScottinthatriver;butthegreatestrevolutionasregardslocal

patterns has been on the river Usk, in Monmouthshire. Formerly the favourite fly used

therewasmadeofadirtyyellowbody,blueorredcock’shackle,andbrownwing.Now,

thatflyisquiteoutofdate,andthefavouritefly–Isupposeitmaybecalledafly–isthe

‘Uskgrub.’Itsbodyismadeoftinselchenille,cock-y-bondduhackleinjoints,anditis

certainly a killing fly. Other flies of modern patterns are used, but this is the favourite.

ThisflywasfirstintroducedintheUskbyMrG.M.Kelson.

A gentleman considered to be the best fisherman on the Usk, who has fished that

riverallhislife,usesnothingbutbodiesofflieswithoutwings,madeofvariouscoloursof

seal’sfurandmohair,withhacklestomatch.Heneverputsonwings,ashesaysthereis

nonecessityforthem,andyethecatchesasmanyfishas anyoneelse,andoftenscores

whenothersdrawablank.TwoyearsagoIwentwithmyfriendColonelR—tofishthe

ShannonatKillaloe,inthemonthofApril.Theriverwashighatthetime,andthegaudy

Shannonflieswerebeingused.WehadjustcomefromtheBlackwater,andhadnoflies

exceptingthosewehadbeenfishingwithonthatriver.OurboatmanhadnoShannonflies

tospareus,sowewereobligedtofishwiththeBlackwaterflies,butweretoldnoShannon

salmonwouldlookatthem.Theresultwas–whetheritwasluckornot–theBlackwater

fliesbeattheShannonflies,muchtotheastonishmentofourboatman,whoaccountedfor

itbysayingthatthefishweretiredofseeinggaudyShannonfliesandwantedachange.

Almosteverysalmonwecaught,however,hadsealiceuponhim,andthefishwhichwere

saidtobetiredofseeingtheShannonflieswereinallprobabilityintheseaatthetime.I

oftenaskmyselfthequestionwhetheritisthesalmonortheanglerthathaschangedhis

fancy.Iaminclinedtothinkitisthelatter.

I think I have adduced sufficient evidence to prove that the salmon is not so very

particularastothepatternoffly,anditismybeliefhewilltakeaflyofanypatternwhen

heisinthehumour,provideditisofapropersize.Sizehasmoretodowithsuccessthan

allthepatternsofflieseverinvented.Evenifaflyisoftherightcolourtoo‘big’asalmon

willnottakeit.Hemayriseatit,andprobablyget‘rugged’andwillthenbeseennomore.

The choice of a fly of suitable size is a very important matter, but I will allude to this

hereafter.

Inowcometothequestionofcertainshadesandcoloursbeingmoresuitablethan

others upon certain days. I have no doubt a salmon will occasionally prefer a fly of a

certain colour to any other, although I do not admit he would refuse to take a fly of

anothercolour,whenheisinthehumour,ifitwereofferedtohim.Irememberuponone

occasionwatchingacross-lineatworkupontheBlackwater,whenInoticedoneflytake

fishafterfish,alltheothers,eleveninnumber,failingtoriseone.Icannotthinkthiswas

accidental;probablytheappearanceofthefly,underapeculiarconditionoflight,wasthe

attraction. Whether the fish would have taken any of the other flies if that particular

patternhadnotbeenuponthecross-lineIcannotsay,butIaminclinedtothink,fromwhat

Iknowoftheirhabits,theywouldhavedoneso.

If it is taken for granted that a salmon prefers a fly of one colour to another upon

certaindays,thedifficultyistofindouttherightcolour,andIthinkagreatdealoftime

wouldbewastedintheendeavourtodoso.Allwecandoistoselecttheflywefancywill

take, and if it is of the right size, and if any fish are on the move, we are not often

disappointed.Therearecertainfacts,however,which,toacertainextent,mayguideusin

the choice of a fly. I have tried the experiment of holding up flies of different colours

againstthesky,puttingmyselfinthepositionasalmonwouldoccupywithregardtoeach

flyasitwasheldup.Theresultwasthat,withabrightblueskyasabackground,Icould

see every colour fairly well, with the exception of light blue and a jay hackle, which I

could not distinguish. With an overcast sky as a background, and a clear atmosphere, I

could see all the colours much plainer, and more distinctly in proportion as the

backgroundwasdarker. If Iheldupthe fly in a room, Icoulddistinguishthecolourof

almosteveryfibreinthefly,butwhenitwasdarkawhiteflywasseenplainerthanany

othercolour.

Therewerecertainconditionsofskyandatmosphere,however,whenIwaspuzzled

todistinguishthecolours.Iftheskywasnotwhollyovercast,andtherewasagreatglare

causedbythesunshiningthroughthebrokencloudsduringthesummermonths,andona

dullheavyday,withadarkmurkyatmosphere,Icouldnottellonecolourfromanother,

but I could tell whether it was dark or light. In all states of the background I could

distinguishblackandredbetterthananyothercolour,andifitistakenforgrantedthata

salmon can see a fly as we do, when it is held up to the light in the manner I have

explained,itmayassistusinthechoiceofaflyasregardscolour.

Inclearwater,onabrightday,aflycomposedofredorblack,beingdecidedcolours

and easiest seen, might scare a salmon when coming near it, or just about to take it;

thereforeitmaybeadvisabletouseaflyofaneutraloranylightcolouronabrightday.

Upon a dark day, particularly if there is a wind, or should the water be stained after a

fresh, as black and red are more distinctly seen, the more likely are they to attract a

salmon’sattentionthananeutralcolour,andinsuchacaseIshouldsaythataflywitha

blackordarkbodywouldbemostsuitable.Itmust,however,atbestbeonlyguess-work.

Large,gaudy flies, such as areused on the Shannon, are not suitable for ordinary-sized

rivers, and are only good for fishing in deep rapids of big rivers, where they are more

likelytoattracttheattentionoffishthanfliesofmoresombreorneutralcolour.

Inadeepandrapidstreamablackorredfly,ofapropersize,willbemorelikelyto

attract a salmon’s attention than any other colour. Whether he would take a fly body,

hackle,andwingsallblack,Iamnotpreparedtosay,butIhavetakennumbersofsalmon

withared fly, and findthis colour do wellin a big water,particularlyif stained after a

fresh.Althoughbig,gaudyfliesareonlysuitableforbigrivers,Iseenoreasonwhythey

shouldnotkillaswellasanyotherpatternuponsmallerrivers,providedtheyaremadeof

asuitablesize.Ihavesaidsuccessgreatlydependsuponthesizeoftheflyused,andto

judgethepropersizeisamostimportantpartintheartofsalmonfishing.Onarrivingata

river’s bank the angler should carefully examine the pool he is about to fish, so as to

ascertainthecolouranddepthofthestream,andwhetheritisrapidorsmoothrunning.If

itisdeepandrapid,orstainedafterafresh,alarge-sized-flyshouldbeused,andasmaller

oneinproportionasthestreamisclearorshallow.Thestateoftheskymustalsobetaken

intoconsideration.In spring and autumnsalmonwilltake much bigger fliesthanin the

summer time. A fly that would be called big in summer will appear almost a midge in

comparison to the smallest flies generally used in early spring or autumn. If the water,

however,shouldbeverylow,eveninspring,itwillbenecessarytouseaverysmallfly,

accordingtothesizeofthewater.Itisimpossibletolaydownanyhard-and-fastrulefor

selectingasuitablefly.Theartofdoingsoisonlyacquiredbylongexperience,andthe

bestofusareoftenatourwits’endtoknowwhatflytoselect.

Whenamanisseenconstantlychanginghisflyitiscertainthatsportisbad,andfish

notonthemove.Itispossible,butveryimprobable,thatachangeofflywillchangethe

humourofthefish.Ihavemyselfchangedflieshundredsoftimes,buthaveneverknown

ittoanswerwhenfish are sulky; a change, however,afterafishhas risen is very often

successful.Itisacommonsayingthatfishgettiredofthesightofflies,andbecomeshy

bybeingmuchfishedover;butifmyexperiencecanbetakenasevidence,Iratherincline

to the opinion that it is the fisherman who gets tired of throwing his fly over the fish,

ratherthanthefishthatgettiredofseeingit.

IwasfishingintheLyngdal,inthesouthofNorway,withmyfriendT.F.—thewater

wasverylow,andwecouldseefromrocksoverhangingeverysalmoninthepools.Atthe

bottom of a pool celebrated for fish taking the fly, we saw four salmon lying close

together.Thepoolwas,Ishouldsay,tenfeetdeep.IscrambleddowntherockstowhereI

could cast my fly over them. My friend stood above watching my proceedings. After

aboutsixorsevencastsoverthefish,hesaid,‘Whenyourflywasinaparticularposition,

oneofthesalmonseemedtogetuneasyandshiftedhispositionatrifle.’Thishappened

twoorthreetimes,untilatlastthefishcouldnotstanditanylonger,andtookmyfly,butI

hadthebadlucktolosehimafterahardfight.

Uponanotheroccasion,whenalittlefartherdown theriver,Iwasstandingupona

rock watching my friend fish, where I could see everything which was going on. The

waterwashighbutveryclear,andnearlyadozentimesrunningIsawafishrisingtothe

flywheneveritcametoaparticularpartofthestream,buthedidnotattempttotakeit,

anddidnotapproachnearertoitthanatleastafoot.Thesunwasshiningonthepoolat

thetime,andthinkingitwasofnousetryinganymoreuntilsunset,wewaiteduntilthe

sun had disappeared behind the hills. Afterwards, the very first cast my friend made he

hookedthefishandlandedhim.

ThesearetheonlytwooccasionsonwhichIhavehadthechanceofknowingwhat

has taken place below the surface of the water while a pool was being fished over, but

afterwhatIsawIcannotquitebelieveafishgetsscaredbyseeingtoomanyflies.Ihave

nodoubtmanyafishwhichweknownothingaboutcomes‘shy’ataflyinthemannerI

havestated.Weleavethepoolwehaveperhapsfishedthewholedayblankindisgust,yet

itoftenhappensanotherfishermantakespossessionofit,andhooksafishbeforeweare

outofsight.Whatcanbemoreaggravatingthanthis?Yettherearefewofuswhohavenot

hadourtempersthustried.

Flytying is a very important part ofthe art ofsalmon fishing, and doubtlessto be

abletotieone’sownfliesenhancesthepleasureofthesport.Ihavehearditsaidthata

mancannotrankasafirstclassfishermanunlesshecandoso;butIthinkthisishardly

fair. Many people’s fingers are ‘all thumbs,’ and they could not tie a fly in a year of

Sundays,asthesayinggoesothersalmonfishersareprofessionalmen,andhavenotime

tosparefromtheirduties.Thesemaybefirst-ratefishermen,althoughnotabletotieafly,

andwouldloudlyprotestagainstbeingplacedinasecondarypositiononthisaccount.It

mightjustaswellbesaidthattorankinthefirstclassafishermanshouldbeabletomake

hisownrodsandreels,yetthereisnotoneinathousandthatcandoso.Flytyingisamost

interesting,andImightalmostsayexcitingoccupation,andmanyadullrainyday,during

thewintermonthsespecially,maybethuspleasantly,andasfarassalmon-fishingmatters

are concerned profitably, passed. Doubtless a man will feel much prouder when he has

landed a fish with a fly of his own making, than with one he had bought, and I would

recommendeveryfishermanwhohasthetimetosparetotryhishandatit.

Inselectingboughtfliescareshouldbetakentoascertainthattheyarefirmlytied.A

flythatistoallappearanceperfect,maywhenusedashorttimecometopieces,anditwill

probably be found that this is in consequence of no varnish having been applied when

finishingoffatthehead.Itisnecessarythisshouldbeusedtomakethewingssitfirmly

andkeeptheirposition.Thiscanalwaysbetestedinthefollowingmanner.Holdthebend

ofthehookbetweenthe forefinger and thumb of the left hand, and the head, where the

wing is attached, in those of the right hand. If the wing is firmly put on it cannot be

moved,butiftheflyisbadlytiedthe wingcanbeshiftedwitheaserightand leftatan

angle to its proper position, in which case it should be discarded. Bought flies are

generallymadewithtoomuchfeatherinthewing;thisisagreatmistake,especiallyinthe

caseofamixedwing.Ifthewingistooheavytheflycannotworkproperly;everyfibreof

amixedwingshouldbeseparateinthewater,and,iftheanglerdoeshisworkproperly,

made to assume a natural and lifelike appearance. The loop also of a fly should be

carefullyexamined.Itshouldbemadeofstoutsingleortreblegut,andonnoaccountof

thingut.Iprefermakingloopsoftwopiecesofsingleguttotreblegut,asIthinkthelatter

ismoreapttofraythecastinglinewhereitisfastenedtoit.Loopsshouldalwaysbetested

bygivingthemastrongpull.

Itshouldbeborneinmindbythemakerofafly,beheprofessionaloramateur,that

nottheleastimportantpartofhisworkistosecurelyfastenthelooptotheshankofthe

hook.Ifthisisneglectedalltheprecautiontheanglermayhavetakenwillhavebeenin

vain.Before aflyisused the temperofthehook shouldbetestedbyholding theshank

betweentheforefingerandthumb,andhavinginsertedthepointinapieceofsoftwood,

givingitamoderatelyhardpull.Ahookthatwillstandthistestmaybetrusted.

HOOKS

Therearemanydifferentshapesofhooks,eachofwhichhasitsadvocates,butIhavenot

yetcometoanyconclusionastowhichisbesttouse.

Opinionsareoftenformedaccordingasthefishtakebadlyorwell.Supposingaman

tohavefishedforaweekwithaLimerickbend,whensalmonwererisingbadly,andhe

lostalargeproportionofthefishhehooked,hewouldcondemntheLimerickhookandtry

anotherdescriptionofbend,sayasproat;withthishemightfishallthesucceedingweek

whensalmonweretakingwell,andlosehardlyafish.Hewouldthenadoptthesproatand

saytherewasnohooklikeit,andhewouldfishwithituntilheagaincameacrossfishthat

were rising badly, when the sproat in its turn would be condemned and perhaps the

Limerick again adopted. He would thus go on changing from year to year, never being

abletogiveadecisiveopinionastowhichisbesttouse;andthatispreciselymycase.If,

however,Ihaveapreferenceforoneshapeoveranother,IwouldtaketheLimerick,asI

thinkaflylooksbetterwhendressedinthisshapethaninanyother.

Withregardtopatternsofflies,myfavouriteistheJockScott,andifIweretoldthat

IwasonlyallowedtofishwithonepatternthatistheoneIshouldchoose;butinanycase,

withhalfadozenfliesinadditionofdifferentsizesandcolours,Ishouldbequitecontent

togoon a fishing expedition andwouldengage to hold my own.Many salmon fishers,

however, prefer a larger selection, and the following list of some of the most popular

standardpatternsmayperhapsassisttheminmakingtheirchoice.

Theselection has beenmade to embraceflies which areall more orless general –

suitable, that is, to the generality of rivers – rather than those having a comparatively

restrictedrange,howeverpopularandsuccessfultheymaybeinparticularlocalities.

The ‘descriptions’ of and remarks about all but a few of the last flies are by Mr

GeorgeM.Kelson,whohasmadethequestionofsalmonfliesandtheirdressingaspecial

study.

[MessrsFoster,Ashbourne,havepatentedatinselofplatinum–‘silver’ofcourse–which

itisclaimedwillneithertarnishnorcorrode.The‘Sunbeam,’theycallit.Theexperiments

Ihavetriedseem,thusfar,tobearouttheirstatements.–H.C.-P.]

THEJOCKSCOTT

Tag:Silvertwistandlightyellowsilk.

Tail:AtoppingandIndiancrow.Butt:Blackherl.

Body:Intwoequalsections,thefirstlightyellow7silkribbedwithfinesilvertinsel;

aboveandbelowareplacedthreeormoretoucan’saccordingtosizeofhook,extending

slightlybeyondthebuttandfollowedwiththreeormoreturnsofblackherl.Thesecond

halfblacksilkwithanaturalblackhackledownitandribbedwithsilverlaceandsilver

tinsel.Throat:Gallina.

The‘JockScott’.

Wings:Twostripsofblackturkeywithwhitetips,below;twostripsofbustard,and

greymallard, with strands ofgolden pheasant tail,peacock (sword feather), redmacaw,

andblueandyellowdyedswanover;havingtwostripsofmallardandatoppingabove.

Sides:Junglefowl.Cheeks:Chatterer,Horns:Bluemacaw.Head:Blackherl.

NoonewilldisputethatJockScott,whendressedcorrectly,isthemostremarkableof

all our standard patterns, and therefore entitled to the precedence it has been here

accorded.Itisprobablythebestknownflythat‘swims’throughoutthelengthandbreadth

ofthethreekingdoms,andindeeditwouldhardlybeanexaggerationoflanguagetosay

that this splendid specimen of artificial entomology has won an almost superstitious

venerationamongstsalmonanglers.

Whether used in rushing streams or rapids, or in still, sluggish, oily pools, its

appearanceseemstobeequallyattractiveanditssuccessassured.Itwasinventedbythe

lateLordJohnScott’swaterbailiffsomeforty-twoyearsago.

THE‘DURHAMRANGER’

Tag:Silvertwistandlightyellowsilk.

Tail:AtoppingandIndiancrow.

Butt:Blackherl.

The‘DurhamRanger’.

Body:Twoturnsoforangesilk,twoturnsdarkorangeseal’sfur;therest,whichis

abouthalf,blackseal’sfur.

Ribbed:Silverlaceandsilvertinsel.

Hackle:Fromorangeseal’sfur,awhitecoch-y-bonddudyedorange.

Throat:Lightbluehackle.

Wings:Fourgoldenpheasanttippetsoverlapping,asillustrated,andenvelopingtwo

projectingjunglefowlbacktoback;andatopping.

Cheeks:Chatterer.

Horns:Bluemacaw.

Head:BlackBerlinwool.

The Durham Ranger owes its origin to Janies Wright, the famous fly dresser of

Sprowston, near Kelso; and its name to the circumstance of its being first successfully

tried, some twenty years ago, on the Sprowston water by a party of gentlemen from

Durham,towhomitwasletatthetime.

ThiswasthechristeningoftheDurhamRanger,oneoftheverybestofbrightflies,

andonethatinopenpoolsandbrightweather,nomatterwhattheriver,rarelyfailsifnot

mountedtoolarge.Indeed,asaruleinregardtofliesgenerally,Ihaveoftennoticedthat

failure,particularlywithgaudypatterns,isduetotheflybeingdisproportionatelylargeor

small.

THE‘CHILDERS’

Tag:Silvertwistandlightbluesilk.

Tail:Atoppingwithstrandsofredmacaw,powderedbluemacaw,andpintail.

Butt:Blackherb

Body:Twoturnsoflightyellowsilkcontinuingwithlightyellowseal’sfur,leaving

one-fifthattheshoulderforscarletseal’sfur.

Ribbed:Silverlaceandsilvertinsel.

Hackle:Awhitefurnacehackledyedlightyellow.

Throat:Ascarlethackleandlightwidgeon.

The‘Childers’.

Wings:Goldenpheasanttippetandtail,turkey,silverpheasant,pintail,summerduck,

bustard,powderedbluemacaw,parrot,redmacaw,andgallina,withtwostripsofmallard

aboveandatopping.

Horns:Bluemacaw.

Cheeks:Chatterer.

Head:Blackherb.Thisflyisartoldfavourite,havingbeenintroducedabouttheyear

1850. Dressed large or small it kills well in any part of the three kingdoms. Originally

ColonelChilders,whowastheinventor,‘formulated’thisflywithoutatopping,butthere

issomejustificationfortheadditionofone,as,tousehisownwords,he‘alwaysputone

when he could get it.’ The black ‘list’ down the centre of the hackle has a very telling

effectinthewater.

Itisaswelltonotethat‘turkey,’unlesswhenotherwiseindicated,meansthebrown

mottledfeather.

THE‘BUTCHER’

Tag:Silvertwistanddarkyellowsilk.

Tail:Atopping,teal,andpowderedbluemacaw.Butt:Blackherb.

Body:Infourequaldivisions–beginningwithlightred-claret,andcontinuingwith

lightblue,darkred-claret,anddarkblueseal’sfurs.

The‘Butcher’.

Ribbed:Silvertinsel(precededonlargehooksbysilverlace).

Hackle:Naturalblack,fromlightred-claretseal’sfur.

Throat:Yellowhackleandgallina.

Wings: One tippet feather, and a breast feather from the golden pheasant, back to

back,tiededgewaysasillustrated,thepointsofthebreastfeatherextendingtothelength

ofthewing.Bothwellcoveredonthesidewithslightstripsofteal,goldenpheasanttail,

gallina,bustard,andpeacockwing;withstrandsofparrotandswandyedyellow,andwith

twostripsofmallardattop.

Horns:Bluemacaw.Cheeks:Chatterer.Head:Blackherl.Measuredbythestandard

ofantiquitytheButcherisentitledtothefirstplaceinourlistofstandardflies.Itsclaimto

senioritywouldprobablybeadmittedbyajuryofflyfishersneminecontradicente.Ican

traceitbacktothefirstfountainhead.InitsinfancyitwentbythenameofMoon’sFly,

andwastheinventionofMrJewhurst,ofTunbridge,Kent.Abouttheyear1838itwasre-

christenedatBlacker’sestablishment,fromwhichdateitbecameapopularfavourite,and

no standard pattern has undergone less change of toilette whilst still retaining its high

reputationeverywhere.

Itisverymuchmoreeffectivewhentheouterwing-coveringsarearrangedto‘veil’

thetippetandbreastfeather,soasnottoformaconfusedmassatthetop,asisthecase

withcarelesslydressedspecimens.

THE‘POPHAM’

Tag:Goldtwist.

Tail:AtoppingandIndiancrow.

Butt:Blackherl.

Body:Inthreeequalsectionsbuttedwithblackherl.Thefirstdarkredorangesilk,

ribbed with fine gold tinsel having Indian crow above and below, as illustrated; the

second,ormiddlejoint,yellowsilkwithsimilarribbingandcrow’sfeathersasbefore;the

thirdlightbluesilkandsilverribbing,withtheIndiancrowrepeated.

Hackle:Atthethroatonly,jay.

Wings:Tippet,teal,gallina,goldenpheasanttail,parrot,lightbrownmottledturkey,

bustard,redmacaw,yellowmacaw(swandyedyellowinsteadofyellowmacawforlarge

sizes),withtwostripsofmallardabove,andatopping.

Cheeks:Chatterer.

Horns:Bluemacaw.

Head:Blackherl.

Thisflyretains,and–ifaprophecybeadmissible–willcontinuetoretain,itshigh

reputationonmanyof our best salmonrivers.Thecombinations in the body are,inmy

opinion, absolutely free from blemish, and reflect great credit upon the inventor, a

dexterousandperseveringfishermanwhohasgivenhisnametothefly,andwhoisfurther

knownasthewinneroftheDerbyinWildDayrell’syear.Anothervarietywasintroduced

bythelateMrJohnGeorgeChildren,ofHalsteadPlace,buttheoriginalheregivenisnot

onlyconsideredbetter,butiscertainlymorepopular.Thegreatmistakegenerallymadeis

inoverlayingthebodywithtoomanyIndiancrowdsfeathers.

The‘Popham’.

‘THUNDERANDLIGHTNING’

Tag:Goldtwistandyellowsilk.

Tail:Atopping.

Butt:Blackherl.

Body:Blacksilk.

Ribbed:Goldtinsel.

Hackle:Fromfirstturnoftinsel,orange.

Throat:Jay.

Wings:Mallard,instripswithatopping.

Sides:Junglefowl.

Horns:Bluemacaw.

Hecui:Blackherl.

This–anothercreationoftheredoubtableJamesWright–is,inmyestimation,asa

dear-waterfly,thebestthathehaseverinvented.Itisawell-recognisedfactthatsalmon

‘take’ better just as the water is beginning to rise after rain, and in such conditions –

withoutdetractinginanywayfromitsmeritsunderothercircumstances–Iknowofnofly

thatcanberecommendedinpreference.Itisnot,however,apatternthatIshouldselect

whenariverisatallinclinedtobemuddy;butinheavyrainsandboisterousweatheritis

theoneofallothersentitledtoapatienttrial.Infact,toperpetrateamildjoke,‘Thunder

andLightning’isthenaturalaccompanimentofastorm.

‘ThunderandLightning’.

THE‘SILVERGREY’

Tag:Silvertwistandyellowsilk.

Tail:Atopping,unbarredsummerduck,andtwostrandsofbluemacaw.

Butt:Blackherb

Body:Silvertinsel(flat)ribbedwithsilvertinsel(oval).

Hackle:Fromfirstturnofribs,asilver-whitecoch-y-bonddu.

Throat:Lightwidgeon.

Wings:Silverpheasant,bustard,goldenpheasanttail,pintail,powderedbluemacaw,

gallina,swandyedyellow;twostripsmallardabove,andatopping.

Sides:Junglefowl.

Horns:Bluemacaw.

Head:BlackBerlinwool.

TheSilver Grey, another of the Sprouston list, also by James Wright, is a very old

andwell-establishedpattern.

I have cast this fly for years with considerable success in all kinds of pools and

corners,and it seems to be equally effectiveeither in bright ordull weather, inopen or

shadedplaces.Inriverswherethefishareproverbiallysulkyitisagreatfavourite,andI

have one or two instances recorded of its success in out of the way districts ‘where no

fishers abide.’ The Silver Grey makes a capital change with the Lion – the two most

valued silver-bodied flies in general use. Many anglers are shy of tinselled bodies, but

either of these patterns can be safely recommended, and, the question as to size being

correctlyestimated,exceptionalsportisfrequentlyobtainedwiththem.

The‘SilverGrey’.

THE‘LION’

Tag:Silvertwistandlightyellowsilk.

Tail:Atopping.

Butt:Blackherl.

Body:Silvertinsel(flat)ribbedwithsilvertinsel(oval).Onefifthpartbeingleftat

theshoulderfordarkscarletseal’sfur.

Hackle:Naturalblack,threepartsdownthebody.

Throat:Gallina.

Wings: Commencing with a few fibres of tippet, sword feather of the golden

pheasant,andpeacockherl.Yellowmacaw,redmacaw,bustard,goldenpheasanttail,teal,

gallina;withtwostripsofmallardabove,andatopping.

Sides:Junglefowl.

Horns:Bluemacaw.

Head:BlackBerlinwool.

The‘Lion’.

The Lion, as already mentioned, is another exceptionally good silver- tinselled

pattern.Someofourmostdistinguishedfly-fishersadduceanimposingarrayoffactsand

arguments in its favour, and whatever local opinions may be, anglers will do wisely to

giveitatrial.Whenthewaterisslightlystained,itis,perhaps,alittlemoreattractivethan

the Silver Grey, and may be used with advantage one size smaller, speaking

comparatively, the materials in the dressing being more conspicuous. In the event,

however,ofoneortsvodownrightrefusals,theJungle–whichcannotbetooblackand

white as a rule – should be nipped entirely off. The Lion is another invention of James

Wright.

THECAPTAIN

Tag:Silvertwistandlightbluesilk.

Tail:Atoppingandchatterer.

Body:Twoturnsoflightorangesilk,twoturnsdarkorangeseal’sfur,twoturnsdark

red-claretseal’sfur,andfinishwithdarkblueseal’sfur.

Ribbed:Silvertinsel.

Hackle:Awhitecoch-y-bonddudyedlightred-claret,fromtheorangesilk.

Throat:Bluehackleandgallina.

Wings: Pintail, teal, gallina, peacock wing, Amherst pheasant, bustard, and golden

pheasanttail;swan dyed lightorange, dark orange,darkclaret,and darkblue;with two

stripsmallardabove,andatopping.

The‘Captain’.

Sides:Junglefowl.

Horns:Bluemacaw.

Head:Blackherb

TheCaptainisoneofmyownpatterns,andwasintroducedbyBernard,ofChurch

Place,Piccadilly,withanotherofminecalledtheChampion,manyyearsago.Butithas

longsinceadoptedthenameofthePoinderinScotland,andisperhapsbetterknownthere

bythaterroneousappellation.

It is rather difficult to recommend this fly without appearing to blow my own

trumpet;atthesametimeIshallprobablybejustifiedinsayingthatasageneralpatternit

holdsitsowneverywhere.Ihavehadgoodsportwithitdressedinallsizesandveryrarely

meetwithdisappointment,especiallyasachangewhentheDurhamRanger,forexample,

hasmovedafish.Itshouldbedressedverysmallforlakesorshallow’streams.

THE‘BLACKJAY’

Tag:Silvertwistanddarkyellowsilk.

Tail:Atopping.

Butt:Blackherl.

Body:Twoturnsblacksilk;therestblackseal’sfur.

Ribbed:Silvertinsel,precededbysilverlaceforlargepatterns.

Hackle:Naturalblackfromsilk.

Throat:Jay.

Wings: Tippet, scarlet ibis and gallina; golden pheasant tail, bustard, teal, black

cockatoo’stail,andswandyedgreenanddarkyellow;withtwostripsmallardabove.

Horns:Bluemacaw.

Head:Blackherl.

The‘BlackJay’.

A complete contrast to the preceding series is the Black Jay, a pattern for the

introductionofwhichIamalsoresponsible,andwhichhasbeeningeneraluseformore

thanaquarterofacentury,thoughinventedlongbeforethat.Unliketherestofthe‘jays’it

willbefoundmostusefulindarkwater,andalthoughitkillswelldressedsmall,itshows

perhapsa more marked superiority when tied on very largehooks. I then generally add

jungletothewingsandatopping.

Therearenumerousimitationsofthisfly,allvaryingtriviallyinminordetails;butI

thinkthe formula here givenwill be foundsatisfactory upon hooks up to an inch and a

quarterinlength,withoutanyalterationoraddition.

THE‘CLARETJAY’

Tag:Silvertwistandlightyellowsilk.

Tail:Atopping,scarletibis,andgallina.

Butt:Blackherb

Body:Twoturnslightred-claretsilk,therestclaretseal’sfur.

Ribbed:Silvertinsel.

Hackle:Claret.

Throat:Jay.

Wings: Teal, tippet, and florican; light mottled turkey, parrot, golden pheasant tail,

gallina, and dark bustard; swan dyed light yellow, yellow-green (or powdered blue),

yellowandclaret;withtwostripsmallardabove.

Sides:Yellowmacawandibis,inmarriedstrips.

Horns:Bluemacaw.

Head.Blackherb

The‘ClaretJay’.

TheClaretJayisthebestknownandmostpopularofthe‘jayset.’Inriverswhere

medium-sizedfliesareusedthe‘Claret,’asitisgenerallytermed,killsaswellasanything.

Thereisonevarietyofitthatmaybementionedhavingyellowseal’sfurinsteadoflight

red-claretsilkonthebody,butthedescriptiongivenisthatoftheoriginaldressing.

Thesethreesombrepatterns–theBlackandClaretJaysandtheDirtyOrange–are

more suitable for medium sized rivers, and although they are rarely tied on very large

hooks,thereareplentyofflats,streams,nooks,andcornersinourlargestriverswhereI

amsatisfiedtheycouldbetriedwithconsiderablesuccessonhooksupto,say,No.2.

THE‘DIRTYORANGE’

Tag:Goldtwistandlightbluesilk.

Tail:Atoppingandtippet.

Butt:Blackherb

Body:Twoturnslightorangesilk;therestlightdirtyorangeseal’sfur.

Ribbed:Goldtinsel.

Hackle:Lightdirtyorangefromsilk.

Throat:Jay.

The‘DirtyOrange’.

Wings: Ginger turkey, gallina, and strands of breast feather of golden pheasant;

bustard,peacockherl,goldenpheasanttailandstrandsofblackturkeywithwhitetips;red

macaw,swandyeddirtyorangeanddarkblue,withtwostripsofmallardabove.

Sides:Summerduck.

Horns:Bluemacaw.

Head:Blueherl.

Another of the Jays, and also a popular favourite, is the Dirty Orange. Salmon

fishers, and novices more especially, are often so eager to try every imaginable novelty

thatmakesitsappearanceinthewayoffliesthattheyareunconsciouslyapttoneglectthe

more quietly dressed but well-established patterns. So far as appearance goes, there are

doubtlessmanypatternsmoretaking,butIhaveincludedthisandthetwoprecedingflies

inmystandardlistadvisedly,believingthatinthelongruntheywillbefoundtojustify

theselection.

THE‘FIERYBROWN’

Tag:Goldtwistandlightorangesilk.

Tail:Atopping.

Body:Fierybrownseal’sfur.

Ribbed:Goldtinsel.

Hackle:Fromfirstturnoftinsel,fierybrown.

Wings:Tippetstrandsbetweenbroadstripsofmallard.

Homs:Bluemacaw.

Head:Blackherl.

The‘FieryBrown’.

N.B.–Thereisalsoanothervarietybytheinventor(MichaelRogan),havingablue

hacklealongsidethefierybrownhackledownthebody.

The Fiery Brown, facetiously termed ‘The All Ireland Fly,’ is gradually becoming

morepopular elsewhere, and many a victory won in ‘despite of fate’maybe credited to

this singularly attractive yet plain-looking pattern. Indeed, however unpropitiously the

campaignmayappeartobegoing,MichaelRogan’singeniousoffspringwillverylikely

retrieve the situation, whether the champ de baltaille be in the north or south, in pool,

stream,orrapid.Rogan’smodeofdyeingtheseal’sfurandhacklesismostsuccessful,and

farsuperiortoallothersforsecuringthefierceflame-liketintdesired.

TheFieryBrownisanotherflythatseemstoanswerbestwhendressedonmedium-

sizedhooks,thoughIhavenevertriedit,orevenseenittiedverylarge.

THE‘SPRINGGRUB’

Tag:Silvertwistandlightbluesilk.

Tail:Scarletibisandbluemacawinmarriedstrips.

Body:Intwosectionshavingthreehacklesasillustrated:intheplaceofthebutt.

The‘SpringGrub’.

Butt:Afurnacehackledyedorange.Thefirsthalfofthebodyyellowsilkribbedwith

blackchenille.

Inthecentreisplacedanaturalbluehackle.Thesecondhalfofthebodyblacksilk

ribbedwithsilvertinsel,andtheshoulder,orheadhackles,anaturalcoch-y-bonddu,anda

gallinadyeddarkorange.

Thisisoneofmyearliestofthescorpiontribe,andbelongstoanumerouscollection

ofwinglessflieswhicharecomingmoreandmoreintofashion.Therearetimeswhenfish

requireagooddealofcoaxing,andonmanydaystheywillriseinpoolafterpoolmerely,

asitwere,forthesakeofinquisitiveness.UpontheseoccasionsespeciallyImakeitarule

totonedownthecoloursbymixingthemwithdeepershades,anddressthenandtherea

flyofthisdescription,if,thatis,Idonothappentohaveasuitableonebyme.Thepattern

heregivenIhaveoftenfoundagoodchangewithExcelsior,JockScott,etc.Ihavefound

these wingless ‘nondescripts’ kill well wherever I have fished, and every standard fly

should,Ibelieve,bepartiallyimitatedinasimilarfashion.

The‘Spring grub’ completes thelist of general standard flies, with one orother of

which, from the beginning to the end of the season, and in any part of the United

Kingdom,salmonaretobekilledifatall.

CASTING

IhavesofargivenalltheinformationIcanthinkofthatmaybeofuseasaguidetothe

selectionoftheprincipalrequisitesforanoutfitforsalmonfishing. Thereare,however,

severalotherarticlestomakeitcomplete,suchasflybooks,tinboxes,etc.;butthesedo

notrequireanymentionindetail,and,astheywillnotmakeormarsport,thechoiceof

themmaybesafelylefttotheangler’sfancy.

The first thing a beginner has to learn is, how to cast overhand, and he should

commence work with a short line, say from ten to fifteen yards. When he can make a

tolerablecastwiththislength,hemaygraduallylengthentheline;andifheperseveresand

worksuponasoundprinciple,andhasprovidedhimselfwitharodsuitabletohispowers

ofcasting,hewillgraduallybecomemasterofit,andbeable,withtolerableease,tocasta

line of twenty or twenty-five yards, which is as far as will be required for general

purposes.

Tomakeacleancastoverhand,itshouldbeborneinminditisnecessarythattheline

beliftedoutofthewatertotheveryendtowheretheflyisattached;andthatitshouldbe

throwntoitsfullestextentinthebackwardcast(thatis,behindtheangler’sback)priorto

theforwardcastbeingmade.Ifthisbeneglected,theflywillasoftenasnotbecracked

off,andthelinesentoutinaslovenlycorkscrewfashion,orelsebothlineandflywillfall

inaheaptogetherinthewater,thedisadvantagesofwhichwillbeexplainedlateron.

Tomakeacastinaworkmanlikemannerthelineshouldbesentcleanout,down,and

acrossstreamatanangleofnotlessthan450(seeDE,fig.1).Assoonastheflytouches

thewater,therod,supposingtheanglertobestandingata,shouldbeheldinthepositiona

d at an angle of about 45° downstream from a line taken from where the angler stands

straightacrosstotheoppositebank,anditshouldremaininthatpositionuntiltheflyhas

reachedmidstream,G,afterwhichthepointshouldgraduallyfollowthedirectionofthe

fly, H, until the cast is completed, A B K, which will bring the rod into a favourable

position,AB,tomakeafreshcast;thedottedline,EFGHK,marksthecourseofthefly

frombeginningtoendofthecast.TheadvantageofmakingtheflyworkinthemannerI

haveexplainedisthateveryfibreofthewingandhacklewillbeintheirrightposition;it

willassumeanatural,lifelikeappearance;and,owingtotheslowrateanddirectionitis

travelling,everyfishinthepoolwillhaveafairchanceofdiscerningitscolour;andifhe

rises,hewillbemorelikelytobewellhookedthanbyanyothermethod.

Ifthestreamisofevenrapidityfrombanktobank,itwillbeacomparativelyeasy

matter to make the fly work in the manner I have explained; but should the stream run

morerapidlyatthemiddlethanatthesides,whichisgenerallythecase,a‘belly’inthe

linemustnecessarilybemadeassoonasthelinetouchesthewater.Ifthisisallowedto

remain,theflycannotworkasitoughtto,whichwillbeexplainedinthediagram,fig.2.

ABrepresentstherod,supposedtobeinangler’shandsstandingatABC,thelinecast,as

itshouldbe,downandacrossstream,bdrepresentsthebellymadeintheline,whichwill

increase,DEFGH,untilthecastiscompletedatI,Kthepointoftherodmeanwhilebeing

shiftedfrombtolThedisadvantagesofaflyworkinginthemannerIhaveshownwhena

fishrises,are,Ithink,obvious;andIwillexplainthismorefullyindescribingastraight-

acrosscast.

Fig.1.

There is a way of taking the belly out of a line, which was taught me by an old

fishermanwhenfishingtheKirkcudbrightshireDeeinmyyoungerdays.Idaresaymany

of my readers will recollect old Jemmy Gordon, professional salmon fisherman at

Kirkcudbright,whowascalledthe‘Emperor,’andrightwellhedeservedthetitle,forhe

knewmoreaboutsalmonfishingthananyprofessionalIhaveevermet,andIacquireda

store of knowledge from him that I have found useful ever since. He is dead and gone

now,andthelikeofhimIshallneverseeagain.ItwasJemmythatpointedouttomethe

evilofallowingabellytoremaininmyline,andwhotaughtmehowtorectifyit.

Toaccomplishitisaknackwhichcanonlybeacquiredbypractice,butIthinkitof

suchimportancethatIwillendeavour,bytheaidofthediagram,fig.3,toexplainhowit

isdone.

Fig.2.

Fig.3.

AC represents the rod and CE the line – as first cast, in correct position, CF

representsthebelly,almostinstantlymade.Eyemakingaback-handedupward cast,the

belly,CF,theoutwardcurveofwhichisfacingdownstream,ischangedinitsdirectionto

DG;theoutwardcurvefacingupstream,thepositionoftherodbeingshiftedfromCtoD

the action of the stream will then straighten the line, which will gradually get into the

position CH, the position of the rod being shifted back to AC; the fly will then work

gradually across stream, the rod following the direction of the fly until the cast is

completed at a b m. Few fishermen I have watched fishing take the trouble to take the

bellyoutoftheirline,andarecontentto lettheflyworkinthesamepositionasitwas

cast;butiftheywouldlookatitinthelightIseeit,Ifeelconvincedtheywouldbeofmy

opinion.

Manyexperiencedfishermenadvocatecastingstraightacrossstream,andassertthat

byadoptingthismethodmanymorefisharerisenthanbyanyother;theymayberight,

but I much doubt it, and maintain that, even should more fish be risen by the straight-

acrossmethod,morefisharekilledbycastingdownandacross.

Fig.4.

Areferencetodiagram,fig.4,willshowhowaflyworkscaststraightacrossstream,

ABC,fromthetimetheflytouchesthewateratctowhenthecastiscompleted,ABE.The

courseoftheflyisrepresentedbythedottedlineCDE;thepositionoftherodcannotbe

altered,asitwouldmakemattersworse.Itwillbeseenthattheflyistravellingfromfirst

tolastheadforemostdownstream,thecrossactionofthestreamontheflywillputallits

feathersoutofgear,thefishinthepoolwillgetbutamomentarysightofit,andwillhave

notimetodiscernitscolour,andiftheyriseatit,bythetimetheyreachthesurfaceofthe

watertheflywillbeayardbehindthemdownstream,andthedisappointmentthuscaused

willbeapttoscarethemtosuchadegreethattheywillnotriseagain.

ThatfisharethuscaughtIdonotdeny,butImaintainthatmanymorearecaughtby

adoptingthedownandacrosscast.

Figs.5and6arediagramsrepresentingthetwoslovenlycastsIhavebeforealluded

to.InbothdiagramsBCshowswheretheflyshouldbecast,andbdwhereitshouldnot

becast;infig.5thelineassumestheshapeofacorkscrew,andinfig.6itisthrownallof

aheapinthewater,anditwillbeseenthattheflycannotbegottoworkproperlyuntilit

hasreachedmid-stream,BE,thuslosingthechanceofcatchingtherisingfishinhalfthe

pool.

I am aware it will be impossible for anyone to follow my directions to the letter,

particularly,asisoftenthecase,ifthereisafoulwindallthatcanbedoneistoadhereto

them as nearly as circumstances will permit, and to endeavour always to cast the fly in

suchamannerthatthefishcanseeitbeforeheseesthecastingline.Ibelievetheprinciple

is a sound one, and will guarantee no one is misled by adopting it. I should have

mentionedthattheflyshouldbeginto‘fish’directlyittouchesthewater,andtoinsurethis

afoot may be taken in with thehand through the rings when the forwardcast is made,

whichwillhavetheeffectofstraighteningthelineincaseithasbecomeslack,whenthe

flywillbegintoworkatonce.

When a beginner has perfected himself in overhand casting he may then begin his

lessonsincastingunderhand,whichitisquitenecessaryheshouldlearn,ashewillfind

himselfoccasionallyhavingtofishstreamswhereifhecannotmakeanunderhandcasthe

mayaswellgohome.Ofallthevariousundercasts,theoneaspractisedontheSpeyisthe

mostpleasantandsatisfactorytomake,and,asfatasIcanjudge,alongerlinecanbegot

outwithitthanwithanyother.Itisgenerallybelievedthiscastcanonlybeaccomplished

whenwading,butifanyoneknowshowtodoit,itcanbedonewithquiteasgreatease

andtoasgreatperfection,whenstandingonthebank;butinthelattercaseitrequiresa

sharpstreamtoberunningevenlycloseintothebankwhichisbeingfishedfrom.Until

veryrecentlyIfoundcouldwhenwading.OneofthelongestunderhandcastsIevermade

was when fishing from a bank in that position, and I have found it so useful that I

recommendthosewhomaynotknowittogiveitatrial.

Fig.5.

Fig.6.

TomakeaSpeycastsuccessfully,thelineshouldbeallowedtobecarriedwelldown

the stream, straight and tight to its fullest extent, the point of the rod following the

directionof the fly and held very low. Before making the cast the wholelineshouldbe

lifted clear of the water. If it is allowed to drag under the surface of the water the cast

cannotbemade.Arodwithapowerfultopmustbeused,andonewhichhasgreatlifting

power.TheSpeyfishermen,whoIthinkarethefinestunderhandcastersintheworld,use

rodsmadeespeciallyforthepurpose.Theupperportion,insteadofbeingstraight,ismade

inacurve,and,whenfishing,thecurvefacesthestream,whichgivesarodmadeinthis

fashionagreaterliftingpowerthananordinaryone,butIhavealwaysfoundIcouldmake

asgoodacastwiththelatter.Ihavemadethesefewremarksuponthe‘Speycast’asitis

my favourite, although I find other methods useful at times. To learn how to cast

underhandcanonlybeacquiredbypractice,andinthecourseofanangler’sexperiencehe

willhaveeveryopportunityofbecomingproficientinthisbranchoftheart.

HOWTOWORKAFLY

Therearedifferencesofopinionastohowaflyshouldbeworked.Somefishermenshake

theirrodso as to makeitsaw the water, asitwere, but this methodaddsgreatly to the

fatigue of fishing, and is, moreover, in my opinion, labour in vain. I watched upon one

occasionamanworkinghisrodinthisfashion.Hehadoutaprettylongline,andwhen

hisflycameroundclosetothebankwhereIwasstandingIcouldseewhattheeffectwas.

Iwasrathersurprisedtoseetherewasnomotiongivento theflymorethanthatwhich

wascausedbytheactionofthestream.Thefactwastheactionofthepointoftheroddid

notaffectthelineatthedistanceatwhichtheflywasworking.Ihavenodoubtthatwhen

fishing with a short length of line, shaking the point of the rod would give the desired

motiontothefly,althoughImaintainthatinastreamitisquiteunnecessarytoworkafly

atall,theactionofthewaterbeingquitesufficienttogiveitalifelikeappearance.

I learnt a lesson when fishing with a cross line where flies are sometimes almost

stationary,andIfeelcertainanyonewhohasseenthegloriousriseswhichsalmonmakeat

fliesonacrosslinewouldneverthinkitnecessarytoworkorshakehisfly.

The method of working the fly in this fashion is generally adopted by all

professionalsandmanyamateursontheIrishrivers,andastrangerwhodoesnotconform

totheirideasinthis,aswellasinthechoiceofflies,isputdownasa‘duffer.’Thefirst

timeIwettedmylineintheShannonIworkedtheflyinmyownway,hardlymovingthe

point of the rod The man in the stern of the boat watched me for a few minutes with

disgustwritten on his face; atlast he sprang up, and before I knew whathe was about,

snatchedtherodoutofmyhand,saying,‘ThisisthewaywefishintheShannon,your

honour,’andthenbegantoshowmethesee-sawmethod.Iwasrathertakenaback,as I

fanciedIknewhowtodoitbeforethemanwasborn.However,Ihadmyownway,had

verygoodsport,andheardnomoreaboutitfrommyfriendinthesternoftheboat.

Themostdeadlymethodoffishingistoholdthepointoftherodwelldown,letting

thefly sinkasdeepas possible.Iftheflyis workedatallit shouldbeindead sluggish

water,andthenonlybyaveryslow‘up-and-down’motionofthetopoftherod.

Butthereisnoaccountingforthewrayasalmonwillsometimestakeafly.

A short time ago, when fishing the Usk, a friend of mine put down his rod on the

bankto go andtalk to hiswife. The flywas left inthe water, andwhen he returned he

foundtohissurpriseafishwason,andafteranexcitingstrugglehelandedhim;hehad

beenfishingthatpoolforhoursbeforethishappened.

HOWTOFISHAPOOL

Theproperwaytofishapoolistocommenceatthehead,movingdownstreamaboutone

yard,orstep,beforeeachfreshcast,alwaystakingcaretheoldcastiscompletedbefore

thedownwardstepismade.Thisisofgreaterimportancethanmightperhapsappear,forif

thenew cast is made first and thedownward step takenafterwards, it will makeall the

differenceintheworkingofthefly.

The latter will have to travel all of a heap for yards before it begins to fish, the

disadvantagesolwhichIhavealreadystated.Ihaveseenmanysalmonfishermenhaving

takenadownwardstepandmadetheircast,takeoneortwomorestepsforward,without

beingapparentlyawareofit.Thisisoneinstanceofthebadhabitsayoungfishermanmay

getinto,andwhichhemayneverbeabletobreakhimselfof.Thesearesmallthingsin

themselves,but,nevertheless,areapttomarhissporttoadegreeheisquiteunawareof.

Whenafishrisestoafly,itisbesttowaitaboutthirtysecondsbeforethrowingover

himagain,andtheanglershouldremainstationaryandshortenhislineayardorso,by

pullingitthroughtheringsoftherod,andnotbywindingitupwiththereel.Heshould

thencommencethrowingoverthefishagainwiththeshortenedline,lettingouttheslack

untiltheexactlengthiscastwhichrosethefish.Ifhedoesnotrisehimagain,asmallerfly

maybetriedofthesamepattern,and,ifneedsbe,oneofanotherpattern.Ifthisshould

proveunsuccessful,thefishmaybeleftaloneforaquarterofanhourortwentyminutes,

theanglercontinuingtofishthepooldownandreturningtotryhisluckagaininaboutthat

time.Heshouldfirst,however,incaseheisfishingfromabank,makeamarkwithhis

heelonthespotwherehestoodwhenthefishrose,or,ifwading,takesomebearingsby

whichhe may recoverthe place where hewas standing. Heshould then trythe fly that

rosethefishinthefirstinstance,andifheisnotsuccessfulafteronechange,hemayleave

thefishforgood.

If,whenfishinga pool,severalfishrise,butthemajorityofthemareonlypricked

andnothooked,it maybetakenforgrantedtheflyis toolarge,andthepoolshouldbe

fishedoveragainwithasmallerone.Itmaybethatthecolouroftheflyisnotsuitableto

thestateofthesky,orthatitistooeasilyseen,andhasmadethefishsomewhatshy.Ifthis

shouldbetheopinionoftheangler,hecanchangehisflyforoneofanothercolour.This

is,however,allguess-work,andnothingbutlongexperiencewillbeabletogiveanyaid

undersuchcircumstances.

STRIKINGARISINGSALMON

There are different methods adopted for striking a salmon. A great many experienced

anglersadvocatestrikingorhittingarisingfish‘fromthewinch,’withoutthelinebeing

touched.Otherssayitisnecessarytostrikewiththelineheldtightbetweenhandandrod.

Others,thatifthelinebeheldtightbetweenhandandrod,afishwillhookhimselfwithout

striking;andthislatterisdecidedlymywayofthinking,andIamconvincedthatstriking

isamistake.Thequestionofstrikingornotstrikingisofthegreatestimportance,andI

willthereforeendeavourtoexplaintheprosandconsofeachsystem.

Striking from the winch has many advocates. The advantage claimed for it is that,

withaproperlyconstructedreel,asalmoncanbe hookedbeforethereelplaterevolves,

butthatitwillrevolvebeforethefishturns.Thismaybeso,butIcannotunderstandhow

thepointofthehook,particularlyifitisabigone,canbeforcedoverthebarbunlessthe

line is held tight, or the winch a very stiff one, a very- unpleasant thing to use, and

involvingtheutmostdangerinplayingalightlyhookedfish.Mybeliefis,thatinthecase

ofanysalmonstruckfromthewinch,inwhosemouthahookhasbeenfoundfixedover

the barb, the result is due to the pulling and dragging he gets when being played, and

whichmust,soonerorlater,havethiseffect.Ifaneasyrunningreelbeused,whichisin

myopiniontheproperone,thereelplatewillrevolvethemomentthelineistightenedina

fish,and,ifthelinebenotheldtight,thebarbcannotgetfixed,unlessthehookisavery

smallone.Theseremarksareequallyapplicabletosingleandtodoublehooks.

Longbeforethequestionastotheadvantageofstrikingfromthewinchwhenusing

double hooks was discussed in the sporting press, I had given the double-hook plan an

extendedtrial,butIlostsomanyfishwiththem,thatIgavethemup.Ididnotstrikefrom

thewinch,andIamtoldbyadvocatesofthissystemthatmynotdoingsowasthecauseof

mywantofsuccess.Theymayberight,butIcannotagreewiththem,andIamconvinced

thatstrikingafish,inanyform,isamistake.

Manyfishermenadvocatestrikingwiththelineheldtight;thisisaccomplishedbya

suddenupwardjerkofthepointoftherodthemomentthefishisseentorise,orthatitis

feltthathehastakenthefly;thisisinmyopiniontheworstpossiblemethod,andavery

riskyone,althoughitistheonegenerallyadopted.Ithinkthehabithasbeenacquiredin

consequenceofthemajorityofsalmonfishermenhavingfishedfortroutintheiryounger

days,beforetheywereallowedtohandleasalmonrod.

Fishingfortroutandgraylingandfishingforsalmonaretwoverydifferentarts;the

formerarefarquickerthanasalmonintheiractionwhenrisingtoafly,andrequiregreat

dexteritytohookthem,buteventheydonotrequiretobewhatiscalled‘struck’atinthe

sensethatismeantinstrikingasalmon;andaslightturnofthewrist,whichmaybecalled

astrikeifitpleasesanyonetodoso,isallthatisrequiredtofixthebarbofatroutfly.If

therodwassuddenlyjerkedup,aswhenstrikingasalmon,thechancesare,withaheavy

trout,thecastinglinewouldbreak,andperhapstherodintothebargain.Iaminclinedto

thebeliefthatstrikingfromthewinchwouldsuittroutfishingbetterthansalmonfishing.

Theevilarisingfromstrikingatarisingfishwiththelineheldtight,isthatthereis

greatrisk,owingtothesuddenjerkoftherod,ofeithersmashingthetoporleavingthefly

inthefish’smouth,orshouldtheflybesuddenlysnatchedawayfromhimintheactof

rising,thedisappointmentwouldmostlikelyscarehimtosuchadegreethathewouldnot

riseasecondtime.Ihavebeentoldthatitisnecessarytostrikeatasalmoninorderto

preventhimfromejectingthefly;Ihavealreadystatedmyopinionregardingthepowerof

asalmonofejectinghisfood.Itisonlynaturalheshoulddosoonfindingthatitwasnot

naturalfood,butIhavemyselfseenmanysalmoncomeatmyflywithopenmouth,andin

such cases striking at him would be most likely to defeat the object in view, and the

chancesofhookinghimwouldbefargreaterifhewereallowedtimetoclosehismouth

onthefly.

Itishighlyprobablethatwhetherheisstruckatornot,heoftensucceedsinejecting

aflywithoutbeingtouched,havingfoundoutthetrickthathasbeenplayeduponhim,and

itisforthisreasonthatmanysalmonwhichhavebeenrisen,cannotbetemptedtorisea

secondtime. What is desired whenasalmonrisesistofixthebarbofthe hook, and to

effectthisthesurestandsafestway,inmyopinion,isbyadoptingthefollowingmethod:

Whenafishrisesattheflytherodmustbeheldsteadyinthesamepositionasbeforethe

fishrose;ifhehastakentheflyhewillhookhimselfbyhisownweightonhisdownward

courseaftertherise,andhewillsoonletyouknowit.Nothingmoreisrequiredtofixthe

barbofthehookunlesstheflyusedisofalargesize,when,tomakecertainofdoingso,it

maybeadvisabletogiveoneortwosteady‘pulls’,theforceofwhichmustbelefttothe

angler’sdiscretion;ifthebarbisnotthenfixeditwillbeinconsequenceofthepointofthe

hookcomingintocontactwithabone,whenstrikingorpullingwouldbeofnoavail.

If,afterasalmonhasrisenitisfoundhehasnottakenthefly,therodshouldstillbe

held in the same position, and the fly allowed to work as if nothing had happened. By

adoptingthisplantherewillbeafargreaterchanceofhisrisingasecondtimethanifthe

flyhadbeensnatchedawayfromhim;andIhaveoftenseenfishthathaverisenatmyfly

andnottakenit,followitandmaketwoorthreerisesatitbeforethecastiscompleted,but

Idonotoftenremembertohavecaughtafishfollowingtheflyinthisfashion.Ithinkitis

asuresignthattheflyistoobig,andIshouldmuchpreferhisgoingbacktohiscorner

afterthefirstrise,andgivingmeachanceofchangingmyfly.Ihavealsoobservedthata

fishthatfollowstheflywillseldombeseenagain.Hefindshimselfbeforeheisawareof

itinshallowwater,andthechancesarehegetsscared;thisistheonlydrawback(ifitcan

be called so) that I can suggest to my plan of hooking a rising salmon, and I will now

leaveittomyreaderstoformtheirownopiniononthisveryimportantquestion.

PLAYINGASALMON

Of all the delights of an angler’s experience, there is nothing to compare with that of

‘rising’andhookingasalmon.

Theriseofabigsalmontoyourflyiselectrifyinginitseffect.Thereisamomentof

intenseuncertaintyandsuspenseashedisappearsafterhavingrisen,andyouareawaiting

theresult…Hehasmissedit!Yourfaceisaspaleasdeath,andyousitdownunableto

standfromsheerexcitement.Youhavetowaitaminuteortwobeforeyoumakeanother

cast.Allcaresandtroubles,allthoughtsofeverythingandeverybody,evenofthewifeof

your bosom, are cast to the winds during those glorious moments of uncertainty; your

wholesoulisboundupforthetimebeingwiththesilverymonsteryouhaverousedfrom

hisstronghold.

Perhapstheideacomesacrossyouthatyourflyistoobig,andwithtremblinghands

youchange it for asmaller one. Watchin hand, with animpatientlonging to beat him

again,you waittilltheallottedtimehaselapsed.‘Time isup,’and yourisetoagaintry

yourluck.Youmaybeanoldhand,andnooutwardsignwillbetraythebeatingofyour

heart,asyouproceedtocastoveryourfishwiththesameunerringprecisionasbefore,as

ifapparentlynothinghadhappened,andyouwereonlycommencingtofishthepool.Or

perhaps the excitement will be too much for you, and trembling from head to foot –

scarcely able to hold your rod – you will make your cast, but how you will never

remember.Witheagereyesstartingalmostoutoftheirsockets,youwatchtheprogressof

yourflyasitcomesnearerandnearertowhereyouroseyourfish.‘Heshouldcomenow’,

isyourmentalejaculation,andquickalmostasthethoughtaswirlorperhapsascarcely

perceptiblewaveinthewaterwillbetraythepresenceofyourprey.

Onemore moment of intenseuncertaintyand suspense; you feela slight pull, then

yourlinetightens,yourflyofyourownmaking,inwhichyoutooksuchpride,hasdoneit;

‘youareinhim!’

Athrillofexultationand joyrunsthroughyourveinsasthosemagicwordsescape

your lips… The foregoing description, however uneloquent, may give those who have

never experienced it a faint idea of what every lover of the sport feels on rising and

hookingasalmon.

AnglersI haveheardofwhoevenconsider thatwhenoncetheyhave hooked their

fish,thesportisover,andhandtherodtotheirattendanttoplayandlandthefish;butI

prefer as long an acquaintance with my salmon as he will vouchsafe me, and nothing

would ever induce me to give up the rod to anyone to play a fish if I could avoid it;

besides,thereisthefinishtolookforwardto.Thefewmomentsofuncertaintyjustbefore

thefishisbeinggaffedorlanded–particularlyifheshouldbeaheavyone,perhapsthe

biggestyouhaveeverhooked–aremostexciting;andthefishermenwhoforegothispart

oftheperformance,lose,Icannotbutthink,agooddealofthepleasureofthesportThere

isalsoagreatriskinhandingovertherodtoanattendant;intheactofdoingso,theline

mustnecessarilygetslack,and,shouldthepointofthehookbeonlyskindeepinthefish,

asisoftenthecase,tentoonethattheanglerandfishwillpartcompany.Isthereasalmon

fishermanofanyexperiencewhohasnotoftenseenhisflydropoutofafish’smouth,the

moment he was gaffed or landed, when the point of his rod was lowered and the line

slackened?Itmightprobablynotoccurtohimtoaskhimselfthereasonwhytheflyhad

droppedout;butifitdid,thefactwouldtellitsowntale,andhewouldbemadeawarethat

ifforonemomenthehadgiventhefishaslackline,hewouldneverhavebeenbroughtto

bank.

Ifafishiswellhooked,noharmcancomebytherodchanginghands;theanglerhas

oftentoscrambleupasteepbankwhenplayinghisfish,inordertoenablehimtofollow

him,shouldhehavetakenarunupordownstream,inwhichcasehewillhavetohandhis

rodoverforthetimebeingtohisattendant;but,asitisimpossibletotellwhetherafishis

firmlyhookedornot,therodshouldneverchangehandsifitcanbeavoided.Tokeepa

tightlinefromfirsttolastisagoldenrulethatshouldbealwaysborneinmindbyevery

salmonfishermanwhenplayinghisfish.Heshouldholdthepointofhisrodwellup,and

keepitoppositetohimifhecan.Shouldthefishtakearun,endingwithaleapintheair,

hemustinstantlylowerthepointofhisrod,whichoughttodefeatthisefforttoridhimself

ofthefly–theobjectdoubtlessintended.

Inloweringthepointoftherod,aslacklinemustnecessarilybegiven;butitisacase

of kill or cure: if he is well hooked, he will be brought to bank; if lightly hooked, the

chances are against it. It is the ‘glorious uncertainty that adds to the pleasure and

excitementofthesport.Ifitwasacertainty,therewouldbenone.

Inplayingasalmon,theamountofstrainnecessarytobeputonthelinemustbeleft

tothejudgmentoftheangler,andshouldbeproportionatetothestrengthofhistackle.It

isnotgenerallyknownwhatamountofstrainarodcanputon.Imaythereforemention

that, in trying the experiment with a very powerful rod, all I could do was to pull four

poundsonmysteelyard,which,atfirstsight,seemsverylittle;and,ifasalmonremained

stationarywhenbeingplayed,andtheanglerweremerelypullingdeadagainsthim,witha

fairlystrongcastingline,Idonotthinkhecouldbreakit,dowhathecould,unlesshegave

itasuddenjerk;but,themomentthesalmonbegantomoveandpullaswellastheangler,

adoublestrainwouldbeputontheline,anditwouldprobablybreak,unlessofunusual

strength.

Theforegoingmaybeofsomeuseasaguidetotheamountofstraintobeusedin

playingafish.If skilfullyhandled,hewillgenerallybebroughttothegaffinfromfive

minutestohalfanhourfromthetimeheishooked.Itisnotoftenhewilltakelongerto

kill,unlessheishookedfoul,whenhemaykeeponforhours.

If there is plenty of room, and no danger of being broken owing to sunken rocks,

rootsoftrees,snags,etc.,itwillbeaswelltoputonlyamoderatestrainontheline,andto

letthefishrunoutashefeelsinclined;butthereareoccasionswhenitisnecessarytohold

onatanycost,andnottogiveaninchoflineifitcanbeavoided.Itisastonishinghow

easilyafishcanbecowedinthismanner.OnariverinthesouthofNorwaythatIwas

fishing with a friend there was a narrow rapid stream, in which salmon congregated in

largenumbers,waitingtotakethefallsjustabove,whereitwasacertaintytoriseorhook

afish.Wefishedfromahighrockoverhangingthestream,andtherewasonlyoneplace

where a fish could be landed, which was a backwater, about the size of a large dinner

table,onthesidewefishedfrom.Directlyafishwashooked,itwasacaseofpullbaker,

pulldevil,andwetriedtohaulhimintothisbitofslackwater;and,ifweoncesucceeded

ingettinghimthere,heseemedtoloseheart,andgaveinatonce.IdaresayIshallnotbe

believed;buttheaveragetimewetooktokillanyfishwelandedinthispoolwasabout

fourminutes.Afishoverfifteenpoundswouldgenerallybeatus,for,doallwecould,we

couldnotpullhimintotheslackwater.Ifoncehegotintotherapidbelow,downhewent,

and,notbeingabletofollowhim,heinvariablybrokeus.Wehadtoresorttothesetactics

inmostoftheotherpoolsintheriverwewerefishing,butthiswasthemostdifficultofall

tolandafish in. These are, ofcourse,exceptionsto the orthodox methods of playinga

fish;buttheyshowwhatcanbedonewithgoodsinglegut,whichwaswhatweused.

If a heavy fish is hooked, and makes a run down stream, then suddenly takes up

again,itwilltestthequalitiesofthestrongestcastingline;thestrainonthebellyofthe

linethusmadewillinallprobability,ifthelineusedisacontinuousthickone,befatal;

and it is under such circumstances that the advantage of using a thin back line will be

foundoutandappreciated,thestrainonthethinlinebeingsomuchlessinproportion.If,

however,anylinestandssuchatest,thereisstillgreatdanger:for,shouldthefishtakeit

intohisheadtocomedownstreamagain,thelinecannotbereeledinquicklyenough,and

theslackwillgetfastinanystones,rocks,orsnagsthatmaybeatthebottomoftheriver.

Iftheanglerisplayingthefishfromthebank,hewillhavelittlehopeofsavingitunder

such circumstances; but, should he be fishing out of a boat, the chances are far greater

againsthim,ashecannotfollowthefish,andisutterlypowerlesstohelphimself;allhe

can do is to get in the slack line as fast as he can, and, this being a very slow process,

reelinginwiththerodinhand,thebestthinghecandoistoputdowntherodintheboat,

pullintheslackwithbothhands,andtrusttolucktosecurehisfish.

When playing a salmon from the bank, should the fish prove more than ordinarily

stubborn,andshownosignsofgivingin,itisagoodplan,ifitispracticable,tocoaxhim

upstreamasfarasispossibleandthenpullhimdownwitharun;ifthiscanberepeated

twoorthreetimes,hewillgenerallygivein.Thereisanotherwayofplayingafishthatis

stubborn:therodislaiddownonthebank,andthefishishand-played,and,althoughit

doesnotseemaverysportsmanlikemethodofproceeding,itisastonishinghowquicklya

fishwillgiveinwhenthus treated.Ihaveseenfish thathavebeenplayed half anhour,

showingnosignsofgivingin,landedinacoupleofminutesbyhand-playingthem.This

is a common practice on the Aberdeenshire Dee, particularly during the spring months,

whenthespentfish,whichruntoalargesize,getrecruited,givetheangleragreatdealof

trouble,andwasteagreatdealofvaluabletimeinbringingthemtobank.

GAFFINGANDLANDINGAFISH

Thereisagreatartinbringingasalmontothegaff.Itshouldneverbeattemptedinvery

shallowwaterifitcanbeavoided.Thegaffershouldalwayskeepalittlebelowwherehe

expects the fish will be brought towards the bank, and wherever he places himself he

shouldremainstationary,inastoopingposition,withthegaffreadyforaction.Shouldhe

moveaboutthefishwillprobablygetsightofhim,andifhedoesthechancesarehewill

makearunoutintomid-stream,andwillnotallowhimselftobebroughtwithinreachof

thegaffuntilheisquiteexhausted,fightingitouttothebitterend.Whattheanglerhasto

doistowaituntilthefishisquiet,andifhecangethisnoseabovethewaterbringhimin

witharuntothegaffer,whowillseizetheopportunity,giveoneclip,andallisoverwith

him.

On no account should he attempt to put the gaff in should the fish commence to

struggle, but wait patiently until he is quiet again. A fish will often be brought within

reach of the gafif over and over again, and just as the gaffer is about to strike him he

commencestostruggle.Thisisatryingtimeforthemanwhoisplayinghim,buthemust

not, as is often the case, lose his temper and abuse the gaffer, for if the latter is of a

nervous temperament he will probably make a bungle of the business, and the fish will

reapthebenefit.Itmaybetakenforgrantedthatthegafferisaskeenandasanxiousasthe

anglertoseethefishonthebank,anddoeshisbesttosecurehimforhisownreputation’s

sake.Shouldhemissachanceandthefishgetaway,itisdoubtlessveryannoying,butitis

oneofthedisappointmentsthesalmonfisherwillhavetoputupwith.

Therearefewmenwhocangaffafishasitshouldbedone.Itrequiresgreatnerve

andagreatdealofpractice.TheNorwegiansarethebestgaffersIevercameacross,with

theexception oftheShannonmen,whose dexterityiswonderful.Togaffafishin deep

rapidwaterisamoredifficultthingthanitappearstobe,yettheShannonmennevermiss

achance;theyuseagaffmadeofwell-seasonedhazelwood,thatwillgiveandtakewith

thestrugglesofthefish,whichruntoanimmensesize.

Astiffhandletoagaffwouldbeliabletobreakwhengaffingoneofthesemonsters

in a rapid stream, besides being most unwieldy. An inexperienced gaffer will generally

gaffafishanywherehecanputhisgaffin,butanexperiencedmanwillbidehistimeand

gaffthefishsomewherebelowthebackfin,whichwillbalancehimasnearlyaspossible,

and prevent his flesh being torn in his struggles. In landing a fish with the net similar

precautionsmust be taken;the man who has chargeof thenet should remain stationary

wherehethinksitprobablethefishmaybelanded.Thenetshouldbeheldunderwater

withastoneinit,whichwillkeepthemeshesintheirplace.Theanglermustrunthefish

intowardsthenetinthesamemannerthathewouldwhenthefishwastobegaffed.Ifthe

fishisquiethewillgenerallybeabletorunhiminatonce,butshouldneverattempttodo

soifhecommencestostruggle.

Whentheheadandshouldersofthefisharewellintothenet,thenettershouldraise

itsufficientlytogetthewholeofthebodywithinitsmeshes;thehoopofthenetshouldbe

then lowered, the farther end downward, and the handle at the same time raised – thus

formingthenetintoapursefromwhichthere isnoescape.Thefishcanthenbe drawn

intothebank,netandhandleinthesameposition.Onnoaccountmustthenetberaised

highoutofthewater;ifitisattemptedtolandfishinsuchafashiontheweightofthefish

willsoontellonthehoopofthenetandmakeitunfitforuse.Itmustneverbeattempted

tonetafishtailfirst;hemaybegotintothenet,buthehasanawkwardhabitofusinghis

tail,andwouldbeoutofitagainbeforeyouwereaware.Whenonce,however,hishead

andshouldersareinoverthehoophecannotescape.

Manyfishermengafftheirownfish,andwillnotonanyaccountdelegatethisoffice

toanyoneelse.Toacceptaidwoulddeprivethemofhalftheirpleasureinfishing,andif

theyareofthisopinionIthinktheyarequiteright;nodoubtthereismuchexcitementin

gaffingone’sownfish,butitrequiresgreatskillandpracticetobeabletodoitartistically.

Thereis,however,acertainamountofriskincurred,aswhenthelineiswoundupsoshort

asitnecessarilymustbetoenabletheanglertoreachhisfish,ifcareisnottakentolower

thepointoftherodandslackthelinethemomentthegaffisin,thechancesarethetop

willgetsmashed.Thishashappenedtomyselfonseveraloccasions,andtheobjectbeing

to get the fish safe on the bank, I prefer adopting the surer method of having my fish

gaffedbymyattendant.

Ifitcanbeascertainedforacertaintythatafishisfirmlyhooked,andthereisabeach

anywherehandy,hecan bestrandedwithouttheuseofgaffor net,butthismustnotbe

attempteduntil thefishisquite‘done’andhasnota kick in him. The anglermustwait

untilhecangethisheadabovewater,andhecanthenrunhiminhighanddrywithouta

struggle.Ifhecannotcompletely‘strandhimthus’,hecanputdownhisrodandtailhim;

thisisdonebygraspinghimfirmlyjustabovehistailwiththesecondfingerandthumb.

Bythismeanshecanbepulledoutofthewaterwithoutriskofescape,andcarriedtoa

placeofsafety;butitisonlysalmonthatcanbelandedinthisway;thetailsofallother

fish,seatroutincluded,wouldslipthroughthefingers,andthisisaninfallibletestshould

itbedoubtfulifthefishcaughtisasalmonoraseatrout.

Salmonfishingoutofaboatinalakeshouldbecarriedononthesameprincipleas

whenfishingontheriverbank,withtheexceptionthatadropflymaybeusedinaddition

to the tail fly. A drop fly is often used on a river, but I think it is objectionable in

consequenceoftheriskofitsgettingfoulatthebottom.

MISCELLANEOUS

Thereisnoaccountingforthehumourofasalmon.Youdonotknowtheminutehewill

takeitintohisheadtorise;hewillrisefreelysometimesontheworstpossiblelookingday

forfishing,when no sport is expected.Theappearance of a day ismostdeceptive. You

maygooutfullofhopeandcertaininyourownmindyouaregoingtohavegreatsport,

andyouwilloftengohomeblankwithoutarise;butalthoughasaruleitisimpossibleto

foretellinthemorningwhatsortoffishingdayitwillturnout,thereisanexception.Ifthe

wind is in the east with a blue hazy atmosphere it seems to affect the fish in some

unaccountableway,andwhileitlastsarisecanrarelybegotoutofthem.Ihavenoticed

thishundredsoftimes,oftenwhenthewaterwasinsplendidfishingorder,andtheriver

fullofnewrunfish,butwhateverquarterthewindblowsfromthereisalwaysachance

whiletheflyisinthewater,andtoinsuresuccesstheanglermustmakeuphismindto

havemany blank days. He must never tireof throwing his fly, and never beput out by

failure.

The time of day when I have found salmon take best is between the hours of nine

o’clocka.m.andoneo’clockp.m.,andfromfourtoduskintheevening.Inearlyspringif

thereisnofrostitwillmakelittledifferencewhathouronefishes,butinahardfrostitis

notoftenasalmonwillriseuntiltheafternoon,andthenonlyforashorttime.Inthelatter

partofthespringmonths,whentheweathergetsbrightandhot,theearliertheangleris

outthebetter,butiftheskyisovercastIshouldpreferthehoursIbeforementionedfor

choice. I have frequently known early risers to have flogged all the pools over all the

morningblank,andthemanwhoappearedonthesceneatnineorteno’clocktogetsport

inthosesamepools.Salmonwilloftenonlyriseatcertaintimesoftheday,anditisluck

to come across them when in the humour. There is one time of the evening, however,

whenIshouldneverdespairofcatchingafishifIhadbeenblankallday.

Thetimeisaboutaquarterofanhouraftersunset,afterahotbrightdayinthespring

months,whentheglareisoffthewater.TherewasapoolontheKilmurrywater,onthe

Blackwater,countyCork, that hardly everfailed me under suchcircumstances;it was a

sharprunning water,assmoothas glass, andaverygood rising poolatanyhour of the

day.Whentherewasnowind,Iusedtocommencefishingatsunset,butalthoughIhad

fishedthepoolonce,twice,orthreetimes,Inevercouldriseafishuntilaboutaquarterof

an hour afterwards. It was then a certainty, but the fish were only on the rise for about

twentyminutes,andtherewasseldomtimetocatchmorethanonefish.Thiswastheonly

pooltheyseemedtocareaboutrisinginatthishour,andthelesswindtherewasthemore

certainIwastogetafish.

When fishing private water the angler can choose his own time for beginning

operations,andwillhavethesatisfactionofknowingthathisflywillbethefirstoneseen

bythefishinthemorning,butwhenfishingincluboropenwaterthosethatgooutlate

willbeconsiderablyhandicapped,andwillveryoftenhavetotravelalongwaytosecurea

pool.

Acluboropenwaterisaverygoodschoolforabeginnertocommencehissalmon-

fishingeducation.Herehe will find plenty ofcompetitors,andhe will have afarbetter

chanceofacquiringknowledgethanifhewerefishinginprivatewater,withnoonebut

perhaps an inexperienced prejudiced person as an attendant to advise him. In an open

water he will come across old and experienced anglers who, although they cannot be

expectedtogivehiminformationthatwouldmartheirownsport,willbefoundasarule

readytoofferhimgoodadviceifhewilltakeit;andhemaysoonlearntherudimentsof

theart. Hewillhavemany opportunitiesoflosinghistemper, andwillfindout thatthe

bestthinghecandoistokeepit.

Thereisasmuchluckinsalmonfishingasinanyotherpursuitweareengagedin,

andthemostexperiencedanglerwilloftenbebeatenbytheveriesttyro.Itisverytryingto

thetemperofamanwho‘fancieshimself,’andwhoisgoingtoteachalltheworldhowto

fish,togohomeblank.Themanwhoisluckyhasnofeelingofpityforhisneighbourwho

hasbeenunsuccessful,and,ifthetruthisknown,oftenchucklesathisdiscomfiture,even

thoughheshouldbehisbosomfriend.NotlongagoIwasfishingsomeprivatewaterIhad

rentedwithafriend.

We used to meet at lunch to compare notes. One day when we met as usual, my

friendproducedfivesplendidnewrunfish,oneofthemover20lbs,andIhadnothingto

show.Icouldseethathehadnopityforme,andthathewashighlypleasedwithhimself,

andalthoughIpretendedthatIrejoicedwithhim,Iwasinrealitynotatallhappyandfelt

verysmall.Thiswasbadenough,butwhen,onourseparatingtoresumeoursportafter

lunch,he said to me,‘Well,as youare not getting anysport perhaps you wouldlike to

read the newspaper (handing me one), instead of fishing this afternoon,’ it was almost

more than I could stand. However, I declined with thanks and said nothing more, but I

hatedhimforhalfanhourmostcordially,andvowedIwouldpayhimoutsomeday,and

shortlyafterwardsIhadanopportunityofdoingso,forIproducedeightspringfishone

day at lunch time, my friend having only landed a kelt; but knowing what his feelings

mustbe, I did notchaffhim or offerhim a newspaperto read. May myforbearance be

chronicledbytherecordingangel!ThatdayIkilledelevenfish,averaging10lbs.,thebest

dayIeverhadspringfishing.

I have seen many strange incidents during my salmon-fishing experience, but the

cleverestthingIeversawdonewasbytheabove-mentionedfriend.Hewasfishingapool

intheBlackwater,co.Cork,ashortdistanceaboveme.AllofasuddenIheardshouting,

andwhen Iwenttosee whatwasthematter,I foundthataftera longplayhehad been

brokenbyabigsalmon,whotookawayhisflyandaboutfortyyardsofhisreelline.He

hadputonanothercastinglineandflyandwasfishingthesamepooldownagainwhenhe

noticedafishrisingtwoorthreetimesinaveryeccentricmanner,andtheideastruckhim

thatitwasthesamefishthathadbrokenhimtryingtogetridoftheflyandline.

He was a man of great resource and never at a loss what to do in any case of

emergency,sohetookoffhisfly,putonatriangleweightedwithagoodbitoflead,and

castingthisoverthestreambelowwherehesawthefishrise,anddraggingitacross,ina

littletimehesucceededinrecoveringhisline,andthefishbeingquietatthemomenthe

wasabletopasstheendthroughtheringsofhisrod,andattachittowhatwasleftonthe

reel.InafewminutesIhadthepleasureofgaffingthefish;hewasnewrun,andweighed

20lbs.Thepoolhewasfishingwasaquarterofamilelong,andverybroad,anditwasa

hundredtooneagainsthisrecoveringtheline.

OnlookingroundafterIhadgaffedthefishImissedmyattendant,leftinchargeof

myrod,whodidnotappearonthesceneuntilsometimeafterthefunwasover.Thefact

washehadtakenadvantageofmybackbeingturnedtogointothehut,whichwasclose

by,toeatmyfriend’sattendant’sshareofaverygoodlunchwehadbroughtwithusforan

expectedvisitor.Hemanaged,however,topick up averygoodversionof thestory,for

shortlyafterweheardalloverthegarrisonofFermoyhowhehadbeentheinstigatorand

primemoverofthewholethingfrombeginningtoend,includingthegaffingofthefish.

And so I say farewell, and wish all my brother sportsmen our old greeting on the

Conway–‘Atightline!’

Maj.JohnP.Traherne.

FlyFishingforTroutandGrayling:

Or‘FineandFarOff’

It is a shallow as well as a dismal scheme of life which ignores or undervalues the

importance of recreation. Never, I believe, was there an age in which it was more

indispensable ‘For weary body and for heavy soul.’ We are living at high-pressure;

business has become more engrossing and the pursuit of what is called pleasure more

laborious.Itismorethaneverdesirabletofindoccasionalchangeofsceneandoccupation

whichshallbereallyrefreshing;whichshallatoncerecruitourbodilyenergiesandgive

freeplaytofacultiesandfeelingswhichareshelvedduringthedailyroutineofworking

life.Merelocomotionisnotenough;ourthoughtsmustbeturnedintonewandpleasant

channels,andwemustseekplacessuitedtonewphasesofagreeableactivity.Itistoldof

oneofthemosteminentofEnglishconveyancersthatwheninducedforhishealth’ssake

tovisittheseaside,hecarriedwithhim,bywayoflightreading,‘FearneonContingent

Remainders.’Seaairmayhavedonesomethingforhim;butwherewashisrecreation?His

mindwaskeptrunningintheoldgroove.

It is of course true that what is recreation to one man might be mere weariness to

another of different tastes and habits, who feels the strain of over-work in different

functions of body or mind. A well-earned holiday may be employed in fifty different

ways, each having its own fitness. But in comparing various recreations we may fairly

givethe palmtothatwhich suitsthegreatestnumberof cases;thatinwhich thelargest

proportionof intelligent men canfind healthful bodily exercisecombined with light yet

interesting occupation for the mind. And I know none which satisfies these conditions

morecompletelythanangling.Initsmostrefinedformindeed–IneedhardlyaddthatI

speakofflyfishing–itrisestothedignityofanelegantandingeniousart,combiningina

singulardegreetheactiveandthecontemplative,thepracticalandthescientificelement.

Ihavehad my fair shareof other more violent,perhapsmore exciting field sports,

andamnotinsensibletotheirattractions.Happily,Piscatorinthesedaysneednotwagea

wordyconflictwithVenatororAuceps,forthesamemenoftenexcelinseveralbranches

of sport, and the friend whose opinion on the following pages of angling notes I shall

valuemosthighlyisnotonlywellknowninthehuntingfieldbutsingularlysuccessfulin

thepracticeoffalconry.

Instead of apprehending any lack of sympathy with the zeal for my favourite

recreationwhichleadsmetoaddyetanothertothemanycontributionsrecentlymadeto

itsliterature,IratherfearthatIshallbeheldtohavedonebutscantjusticetoitsvaried

attractionsandresources…

ButIwillnotopenmycasewithanapology.Ananglerfromboyhood–aflyfisher

for more than fifty years, I will rather ‘assume desert,’ so far as to claim a favourable

hearingformyexperiencesofanartwhichIcanstillpractisewithhealthyenjoyment,and

indespiteofage,withafairmeasureofsuccess.

Theverynameofflyfishingcarriesbackmyfancytomanyapleasanthour–manya

lovely scene. Once more afloat on the still bosom of a Highland loch, I watch with

eagernessthedarklinewideningfromitswesternshore,welcomeheraldofthebreezethat

willsoonbreakupthe‘mellowreflex’ofthelandscapearoundme,andrefilltheframeof

themirror,with‘rippledsilver.Thepurple-robed,grey-headedhillsseemclosing’inupon

me;highoverheadsweepstheeagle,watchful,yetseeminglyunterrified;andsee,bythe

footofyonburnietheroehasstolenforthtodrink,fromhis-greencouchamidthebirches

andbrackens.Or,knee-deepinafordoftheTeme,wherehelingerslovinglyinmanya

circlingsweeproundtheiviedcliffsandoak-cladslopesofDownton,Iwaveapotent,and

inthatwell-proportionedstream,‘all-commandingwand’overtherougheddy,sentinelled

withwatchfultrout,orwherethequieterrundeepensintothehauntsofthegrayling.Now

IseemtohearthehoarsechidingoftheGreta,ashechafesalonghisnarrowbed,orthe

roarof‘oldConway’sfoamingflood’–nowthegentlemurmurofsomeEnglishstream,

ripplingthroughsunnymeads,is‘rifeandperfectinmylisteningear.’

Theenjoymentoftheselocalmemoriesisheightenedtoanglersbyassociationwith

the stirring details of what is always an interesting, often a most exciting sport. We

rememberwherethemonarchoftheTest,longcoyandrecusant,wasatlengthfascinated

by the drop of the tiniest of midges over his very snout; and where, with our gillie’s

assistance,wecontrivedtolandthreelustytrouttogether,liketheelfinintheballad,‘a’

dancinginastring.’Weexecratethetreacherousstakewhichhadwell-nighrobbedusofa

good fish and a cast of flies at once, or bless the memory of the smooth sand bank,

pleasanttowearyfeet,whereweatlastheaded,turned,andwoundinthesalmonwhohad

keptthe lead for some threehundred yards down a rocky channel, among stones loose,

sharp,andslippery–perilousatoncetoshinsandtackle.Howhaveweenjoyedtheearly

breezethatcrispedthestreamonasummermorning;thewell-earnedrestonamossybank

inthedeephushofnoon,andthehomewardstrollthroughthepensivecalmofevening.

Independently of the fishes and insects with which the angler is more specially

concerned–inthemselvesalittleworldofmarvelandmystery–hisavocationgiveshim

nocommonopportunitiesforobservingsomeofthemostbeautifulandcuriousformsof

animal and vegetable life. Stealing along by the water’s edge, his footfall lost in the

murmurofthestream,ormuffledbyNature’scarpeting,heentersunsuspectedthehaunts

of the shyest creatures. He sees the otter glide down from his cairn, or lift his sleek

treacherous visage in the midst of the pool; he notes the general consternation of the

salmonidaeatthesinuousrushoftheseal,whomhungrypursuithastemptedbeyondthe

saltwater;‘doeandroeandreddeergood’slaketheirthirstinhissight;hesurprisesthe

blackcock’sdesertedmateandprogenyintheirmoistdingle,thewildduckandherbrood

astheypaddlethroughthesedges.Leaningbackagainstthetrunkofawillow,heseesthe

kingfisher,alivingsapphire,shootclosetohisdazzledeyes,orfromherperchoverhis

head drop on a sudden plumb into the river, and as suddenly emerge with her prey; or

hidden in the shadow of an overhanging rock, he marks the water ouzel, glittering in a

silver panoply of air bubbles, run briskly along the sandy bottom of the burn. Even the

innocent gambols of the much-calumniated water rat, joyous after his guiltless feast of

grass and water weeds, or the familiar wiles of the nesting peewit will find him not an

unamusedspectator.

If a botanist, he will pick his choicest ferns in the damp rocky hollows by the

waterfall, his rarest lichens on the bare slopes above some Alpine tarn, his favourite

orchisesinthemeadowswateredbyawell-peopledstream.Hewillrejoiceinthedelicate

beautyofthepinguiculaalongsometinymoorlandrunnel,andadmirethesilver-fringed

stars of the bog-bean beside deeper and blacker waters, where the quaking turf craves

wary walking. Mr Balfour’s utmost indulgence would hardly admit me to a degree in

botany,yetitwaswithaglowofpleasurethatIfirstfoundmyselfthroat-deepinabedof

theOsmundaregalis,onthebanksoftheLeven,orgatheredthe‘paleandazure-pencilled’

clustersofthewood-vetchbyGreta-side,ordiscoveredthefringedyellowwaterlilyon

Thames,gleaminglikethefloatinglampofaHindoovotaress.Ifageologist,theangler

mayplyhishammerandfillhisnotebookalongtheverystreamortarnwhencehefills

hisbasket.Ifanartist,hisrambleswillacquainthimwitheveryformofthepicturesque,

fromthesterngrandeurofLlynIdwaltothetranquilbeautiesofFatherThames.

Itisthismany-sidedcharacteroftheangler’sartwhichhasunitedsomanysuffrages

initsfavour,andhasmadeitattractivetosomanydistinguishedmenofsuchdissimilar

tastesandcharacters.Itisthis,finally,whichhasgiventotheartaliteratureofitsown,

abundantandvarious,inproportiontothenumberofitsvotariesandthediversityoftheir

minds,andoftenhighlyenjoyableevenbytheuninitiated.

Writingaslongagoastheyear1856onasubjectinwhichIthenfelt,asIstillfeel,

theliveliestinterest–thatoftheflyfisherandhislibrary–Ifoundapleaformyessayin

thenationaltaste.Wewere,Iremarked,anationofsportsmen,butthenationofanglers.

And now, after twenty-seven years, fresh from the attractions of the Fisheries

Exhibition, I feel that what then was a truth is now almost a truism, and remount my

favouritehobbyinthefullbeliefthatinspiteofthelapseofyearsheisnotyet‘forgot.’

Boththeartandthescienceofanglinghavemadegreatprogressintheinterval;the

educationofourfishhasadvanced,anditisonlyanequalprogressonthepartofthefly

fisher which can enable him to maintain his old mastery over the salmonidae. And if I

venturetobelievethatIcanstilloffersomethingworthareader’snoticeonquestionsnow

betterunderstoodthanever,itisbecauseIhaveretainedmyoldtasteforflyfishinginall

its freshness, have pursued the sport on occasional leisure days both here and at the

Antipodes,andhavepreservedacarefulrecordbothofsuccessesandfailures.

ItakemymottofromCharlesCotton,’whomevenmorethandearoldIzaacWaltonI

regard as the father of modern fly fishing. In those bright Derbyshire streams which he

loved so well and doubtless fished so skilfully, to fish ‘fine and fair off’ still gives the

anglerhisbestchanceofsuccess,andtheiearefewwatersfairlyworthfishingwhereit

maynotbepractisedwithadvantage.Butattheoutsetofremarkswhicharenothingifnot

practical,IoughttoobservethateveninfollowingCotton’sadmirableruletheremaybe

mistakeorexcess.Theruleis,infact,onlyonemethodofcarryingoutthegreatprinciple

whichunderliesallsuccessinflyfishing.Unlessunderexceptionalconditionsofweather,

waterorboth,Piscatormustaboveallthingskeepoutofsight;mustnotallowPiscisto

catch a glimpse of himself, his rod or the shadow of either; must show him, in fact,

nothingbuttheflywhichistolurehimtohisownundoing.’

This principle, it may be said, is too obvious to be worth stating. Yet if generally

admitteditisveryinsufficientlyactedupon.NotlongsinceIwaschattingwithafriend

near Wansford Mill, on the well-known ‘Driffield Beck.’ He had been trying the lower

waterwhilstIhadfisheddownstreamtomeethim.Thedaywasbrightwithlittlebreeze,

butthefishwerefeeding,andmybrotherangler’screelhungheavyathisback,whilethe

ladwhocarriedmineseemednowisesorrytorestitonthebank.Athirdanglerappeared

onthescene.Hewasstridingalongclosetothewater’sedge,downstream,makingfrom

timetotimealongcastwithatwo-handedrodacrosstheopenbeck.Hereallydidnotcast

badly, though his tackle seemed rather coarse and his fly was of a size strange and

alarmingtoDriffieldtroutofthepresentgeneration,whateveritmighthavebeentotheir

remoteancestry.ButmyfriendandIwerewellawarethatashemoved,therewasfugaet

ingenssolitudo in front of him; that the fish were literally scudding in shoals from his

obtrusivepresence.

Thiswasnodoubtanextremecase,butthesameerrorinkind,thoughlessindegree,

isconstantlycommittedevenbypractisedhands.Idonotfindcrawlingorcrouchingtill

within four or five yards of a ‘shy’ stream quite as easy as I did forty years ago, but I

resortfreelytoeachasmycastrequires,andoftenwithdrawcompletelyfromthebankto

moveagaincautiouslytowardsitwithouttheriskofsendinganalarmalongthestream.

YetIcanneverfishabrightwateronabrightdaywithoutsayingtomyselfadozentimes,

‘Imighthavehadthatfish,hadIonlykeptbetteroutofsight.’

There are of course many streams, mountain and moorland, where such cautious

tacticsareneedless;butinthebestEnglishtroutingcounties–Hampshire,forinstance,or

theEastRiding,Buckinghamshire,SaloporDevon–concealmentisthefirstrequisitefor

sport.Inordertothis,therearemanydetailstobestudied.Inthefirstplace,ifthedaybe

sunny,tryasfaraspossibletolookthesunintheface.Tofeelhiswarmthonyourback

andshouldersisdoubtlessfarpleasanterthantobedazzledbyhislight,bothdirectand

reflected from the water; but if you want a heavy basket you will disregard the

inconvenienceforthesakeofremainingunseen.Beginningbyashortcastunderyourown

bank,youwillgraduallylengthenyourthrowtillyourstretcherdropsindeepshadeclose

undertheoppositeshore,andeachfishsuccessivelycoveredwillseeyourflybeforeany

shadow from rod or line falls over him. If the wind as well as the sun be in your face,

humouritasbestyoucanbycastingaslant,andworkingyourrodhorizontallyinsteadof

vertically, but unless it blows great guns, when the light from behind you will do little

harm, persevere in defying both sun and wind. ‘It’s dogged as does it.’ Secondly, avail

yourselfofeveryscrapofcover.Onnoaccountletafishseeyourfigurerelievedagainst

thesky.Abigbushjudiciouslyemployedasascreenmayenableyoutodomorewitha

short line than the best far-off casting could achieve without its shelter. The apparent

stupidityoffishswimminghighinastillsunnypoolwhenthusapproachedundercoveris

oftenmostamusing.IhaveseenlargetroutinthemiddleofaJulydayswimleisurelyup

to my fly and suck it in without the slightest misgiving. If bushes are wanting, a slight

fringeofwatersideplantsandflowers–willowherb,loosestrife,figwortandthelike–

often does good service by blurring the outline of your figure. Even the colour of your

clothing is not unimportant. Black or white are on a bright day equally objectionable,

especiallyforyourhat.Itshouldberemembered,too,thatascreenisusefulbehindaswell

asinfrontofyou.Whenthereisbarelyfootingbetweenahighhedgeandthewater–I

haveafewsuchspotsinmymind’seye–thefishwillhardlybeawareofyourpresence

unlessyouexhibitsomeviolentcontrastofcolour.Butafarcommonerillustrationofmy

meaningmaybefoundintheneighbourhoodofmillsandfactories,whereadeadwalllies

nearthemarginofaninvitingstreamorpool.Movecautiouslywithyourbackclosetothe

brickwork,andyouoftenfindtoyoursurpriseandsatisfactionthatwhileyouseethetrout

onthefeed,theyfailtoseeyou.Castingfromsuchapositionnodoubtrequiresapeculiar

knack;butthatdifficultyonceovercomethegameisallinyourfavour.Thefishtowhom

youhavethrowntakestheflyinthemostconfidingmanner,andtillrepeatedexperience

hasfamiliarisedyouwiththisresultthewholeaffairseemsalmostuncanny–asthough

you had the fern seed and walked invisible. There will, of course, be great danger of

betrayingyourpresencewhenlandingyourfish,andIcanonlyrecommendyoutokeepas

close to the friendly wall as you can till you have led your trout some way down the

stream,andnottousethelandingnettillhehasmadehislastrush.

ThereisanotheraidtoconcealmentwhichIthinkisnotgenerallyrecognised,butto

whichincertainwaters(notablyinBostonBeckintheEastRiding)Ihaveowedmanya

brace of heavy fish. Every angler has obtained some bold rises by casting somewhat

heavily so as to break through the coating of foam – ‘beggars’ balm,’ Walton calls it –

which forms over eddies for some distance below a fall or strong rush of water. But in

calm hot weather there often forms over the shore-ward surface of still and somewhat

shallow water a fine oily film, due partly to the sporules of water weeds, but mainly, I

believe,tothefloatingovaandlarvaeofminuteinsects,whichisonlyvisibleinparticular

lights,andyetveryeffectivelydullsthequicksightofthetrout.Whenyouseeapatchof

inshorewraterdimmedbysuchafilm,keeplowwithinaneasycastandwaittillyousee

notadistinctbreakorrisebutaslightdimplingofthewatercausedbythesuckofafish.

Dropasingleflyalittleabovehim,andhiscaptureisalmostacertainty.Thevalueofthis

resourceliesinitsbeingmostavailableinapparentlyhopelessdays,whenthereisastrong

sunandnobreezestirring.

Yetagain,fishmayoftenbetaken,thoughatsomerisktoyourtackle,whentheyare

lyinginsmallopenspacesamongTeeds.Keeplow–foronbrightdaysthisisasinequa

non–andifyourfishbebutafewinchesbelowthesurfacetherefractionwillpreventhis

seeingyouoryourrod,andalongcastupstreamoracrosswilltakehimoffhisguard.But

insuchacasetheremustbenoplayinghim;erehehasrecoveredthefirstshockoffinding

himself hooked he must be hurried down stream along the surface till you have him in

open water, and can square accounts with him at your leisure. In this rough-and-ready

processthehold,ofcourse,maygiveway,andpossiblythetackle.Thelatterdisasteris,

however, less frequent than at first sight would seem probable. The fish is taken by

surprise, and has no time for organising an effectual resistance, while his forced march

down stream quite upsets his ordinary habits. It is when you are fishing a loch on a

breezeless day and are tempted to throw over a fish whose ‘neb’ you have seen quietly

thrust up in a small opening among water lilies that the ‘deadly breach’ is most

‘imminent,’ and ‘hair-breadth scapes’ only attainable by the happiest combination of

cautionandaudacity.Thereisnocurrenttohelpyou,andoneturnroundatoughstalkwill

loseyoubothfishandfly.YetIcanrememberonasultryJulyafternoon,thentherewas

nootherpossibilityofgettingarise,killinginLochKinderbythisperilouscastfouror

fivebraceofprettyfishwiththelossofbutasinglefly.

I am tempted here to give some instances from my own experience of success

attainedunderdifficultiesbykeepingoutofsightinvariousways.

Therewasareach oftheupperItchinwhereIhadmore thanoncefoundthetrout,

thoughsizeableandfairlynumerous,yetprovokinglywaryandsuspicious.Thebankon

onesidewasabsolutelybareandverylow;ontheother–thesouthernside–itwassteep

andmoderatelyhigh,bynomeansfavourableto‘keepingdark.’Butparalleltothecourse

oftheriver,andatnearlythesamelevel,thererananirrigationcut,sometwofeetdeep

withratheramuddybottom,aboutfiveyardsdistantfromthemainstream.Intothisone

dayIloweredmyself–havinglonglegsandwadingbootstocorrespond–andworkedthe

streamwithadouble-handedrodbylongcasts.Icouldonlyjustseetheoppositeedgeof

thewater,butwasconsoledforlosingmyviewofthefishbyknowingthatthedeprivation

wasreciprocal.Thedodgecompletelysucceeded.ThoughIfelttherisesinsteadofseeing

themIrarelyfailedtohookmyfishandveryseldomlosthimwhenhooked.Thedifficulty

layinscramblingoutofmyditchandrushingtowardstheriverbeforemyprisonercould

bringmetogriefbydashingunderthenearbank.InthiswayIdidconsiderableexecution

onseveraloccasions.Ioughtinfranknesstoadmitthatwithmorefishablewaterwithin

easyreachmanyanglerswouldhavethoughtthesuccesshardlyworththepainsitcost.

Thiswascertainlytheopinionofadearoldfriendandfellow-sportsmanwhowitnessed

myfirstsortiefromthetrenchandlandedmyfishforme.Helaughedtillhecriedatthe

figure I cut in scurrying towards the bank, and could never afterwards be induced to

exhibithimselfinthelikeundignifiedposition.

Itakemysecondinstancefromaluckyhitinlochfishing.SomethirtyyearsagoI

wasafloatwithtwofriendsonLochTreig,tothefartherendofwhichweintendedtofish

ourway.ItwasahotforenooninAugust,oneofthosetantalisingdayswhen,

Insteadofoneunchangingbreeze

Thereblowathousandlittleairs,

andIsoonperceivedthattherewaslittleprofitinhuntingthe‘catspaws’whichsupplied

the needful ripple – if you could only catch them. So I induced my friends to land me

somethreemilesfromtheshepherd’shutattheendofthelochwhereweweretofindour

luncheon. I was equipped for wading, and had before me several reaches of fine gravel

wherethewaterdeepenedverygraduallytowardsthe‘brook’–thatcriticalpoint,where,

inthisasinmanyotherlakes,theshorewardshallowrapidlyshelvesawayintowatertoo

deepforthefly.Infactitoftenhappensthatatthispointabeltofwaterfromtentotwenty

yardsinbreadthcontainsallthebestofthetakingfish.Withinthisbeltaremostlysmall

fry,withoutitliesthedeep,onlyfitfortrolling.Thewaterbeforemewassmoothasglass,

the bottom delightful for wading. Moving cautiously to make the warning wave which

mustprecedemeassmallaspossible,IadvancedintothelakeasfarasIcould,andasI

didsobecamemoreandmoreawarethatfishweremovingjustwherethewaterdeepened

withinalongcastofmytwo-handedrod.Ithrewbutonefly,andthatsmallerthanthe

sizeIusuallypreferred.ThrowingasfarasIcould,Iletmywholecastsinkbeforegiving

anymovementtothefly,andwasrepeatedlyrewardedbyfindingthatatrouthadhooked

himselfafootorsounderwater.Everynowandthen,however,theflydroppedsoclose

beforethenoseofafeedingfishthathewasfastontheinstant.Briefly,whenwemetat

our tryst (where I confess to have been half an hour late) my friends had three fish

betweenthem,whilstIhadsix-and-thirty.Inthiscaseitwillbeseenthesecretofsuccess

layinkeepinglow,sothattheeffectofrefractionkepttheunimmersedportionofthefly

fisher’sfigurepracticallyoutofsight.

Thequestionoffishingupordownstreamiscloselyconnectedwiththispartofmy

subject.Thereisnowsogeneralaconsentamongstanglersinfavourofup-streamcasting

thatitwouldseemsuperfluoustogivethereasonswhichmakeitpreferableinmostcases.

Iamratherinclinedtoremindbrotheranglersthattherulemustnotbemadeabsolute,and

topointoutsomecasesinwhichtheoppositecourseshouldbeadopted.Andfirst,ifin

fishingupstreamyouwouldhaveastrongsunatyourback,youwillbetrayyourpresence

lessbymakingyourbeatdownwards.This,however,mustnotinvolvetheabsurdblunder

ofhaulingyourflies‘againstthecurrent,thusmakinganunnaturalripplewhichcannot

butalarmatroutofanyexperience.

Infishingdownstream,beginifpossiblefromastandseveralyardsdistantfromthe

margin,andthrowlightlyoverthein-shorewateralittleaboveyou,lengtheningyourcast

bydegreestillyouhavecoveredthree-fourthsofthe width.Then,andnottillthen,you

mayadvancewarilyto the bank and try the deadly cast under the opposite shore. From

first to last you must take care that the movement of your flies be natural; that they go

down easily with the stream, with occasional slight checks from the wrist to mimic the

struggles of a drowning insect and produce that play of legs and wings which is so

irresistibletoahungrytrout.Retirefromthebankafterworkingoutyourcast,andrepeat

thesameprocessadozen yards farther down. If youhookagood fish, let him fight up

streamaslongashewill,thatyoumayavoiddisturbingunfishedwaterinbringinghimto

the net; but should he insist on a downward rush do your best to keep ahead of him,

showingyourselfnomorethanisabsolutelynecessary.

The portion of the stream which you are thus compelled to hurry by should be

allowedagoodspellofrestbeforeyoumoveupagaintofishit.Youmusttreadsoftlyand

cautiously.Aheavyorhastyfootfallwillbefeltbythefishunderthenearbank,whowill

rushoutandspreadalarmamongtheirfriendsinmid-stream.

Toreturntothequestionof‘up’or‘down.’Inaveryrapidriver,again,more,Ithink,

islostthangainedbytheup-streamcastThelineisbroughtdownsorapidlytothecaster

that it is hardly possible for him to keep it taut enough for the fish to hook itself, and

‘striking’ispracticallyoutofthequestion.

Moreover,astheflygivesmoreholdtothewaterthanthegut,andthereforemoves

faster,itisapttoberolledbackonthefootlinks,andpresentedtotheeyeofthetroutwith

mostsuspicioussurroundings.Yetagain,therearesomeplaces,andthoseoftenfavourite

hauntsforfish,whichmustbefisheddownstreamornotatallLetmegiveoneexample

outofmany.Therewasasmallbyewash,some120yardslong,leadingdownfromthe

uppertothelowerbranchofaHampshirestream;thenearbanksedgy,thefartherbank

completelyoverhungwithdwarfwillows.It wasscarcefivefeetwide,butmostlydeep,

and presenting in miniature every variety of stream and pool, but to throw on it was

simply impossible, and I shall never forget the face of the old keeper when he saw me

proceedingtofishit.Hesatdownandlithispipe,expectingaquiettimetillIreturnedto

myrightmindandtheopenriver.

Beginning at the top of the streamlet, and keeping the point of my rod under the

overarching boughs, I let my tail fly float down the water, varying its descending

movementbywrist-play,whilemydroppermadedimplesonthedarksurface.

InhalfaminuteIwasshoutingforoldW—andthenet.Luckilythefishchosetorun

upstream;apowerfulrodandshortenedlineenabledmetokeephimoutofthewillow

roots,andhewaseasilynettedinthehatchhole.Asecondcapturefollowedveryspeedily,

butthefishtookdownthewatercourse,andIdisturbedfiftyyardsofpromisingwaterin

my struggles to keep him out of mischief. However, I managed to basket a third fish

beforeIreachedthejunctionwiththemainriver.Itriedthesameunscientificbutkilling

processonadozensubsequentoccasions,nevertakingmorethanthreeorlessthantwo

troutinthattangledthreadofwater.Allthesefishweredark-skinned,owingtotheirshady

habitat, and all pretty nearly of a size, weighing from eleven to fourteen ounces,

somethingdoubtlessintheconditionsofthewatermakingitasuitablefeedinggroundfor

middle-agedtrout,thoughthecauseof‘thisthus-ness’Icannotpretendtoexplain.

I may add – to encourage the pursuit of fish under difficulties – that I do not

remembertohavelostmorethanonefishoffthehookinallmybattlesupanddownthat

dangerous reach. The rises were bold and sure, because the artificial fly was a stranger

there–infactIdonotbelievethatanyonebutmyselfhadeverriskedhistackleinsucha

spot.Withanordinarysingle-handedrod,however,successwouldhavebeenimpossible;I

couldneitherhaveworkedmyfliesnorcontrolledmyfish.Iusedinthosedaysafourteen-

footdouble-handedrodofEaton’s,extrastiffandlengthenedindefianceofallsymmetry

tosuitafadofmyown.Ifanciedthattheoriginalhollowbuttfeltlightandweak,andgot

themakertoshapemeonenearlyafootlongerandpowerfulenoughtobearboringfora

spare top. That rod, by the bye, is still forthcoming after forty-five years’ hard work in

manywaters,andIwishitsmasterwereinequallygoodcondition.

ThusfarIseemtohaveproceededwithoutaduearrangementofmysubject.Iwas

tempted by my title to plunge as it were in inedias res, and to show the purpose and

conditionsoffineand far-off casting. But asflyfishingwas my theme I might aswell,

perhaps,havebegunwiththefly,theluretowhichaboveallothersthetrueanglerlovesto

resort. The mimic insect is in every way interesting. The variety of materials now

employedinitsstructureexceedsinthesedayseventheextensiverangesuggestedbyGay

inhiselegantdescription.Bodiesofquillorgutta-perchaweredoubtlessunknowntohim,

andtheendlessshadesofpig’sdownandmohair.Themanyformsofgoldandsilvertwist

or tinsel which seem to have so great an attraction for the salmonidaebelong toa later

datethanhis.Andthoughhepresses‘eachgaybird’intohisservice,Idoubtwhetherhe

wouldhaveknownhowtoutilisethekingfisher’sblue,thecrestandhacklesofthegolden

pheasant,orthekillingplumageofthewoodduck.

TheFisheriesExhibitionbroughtoutawonderfuldisplayofartificialflies,English,

Scotch,andIrish–IcravepardonofthejudgesfornothavingplacedtheScotchfliesfirst

–ofeverysize,build,andcolour.Indeed,asIrangedfromcasetocasetryingtoformmy

ownestimateofcomparativemerits,IfelttemptedtoexclaimwithDiogenesatthefair,

‘What a multitude of things are here of which I have no need.’ Still the beauty, the

delicacy, and in many cases the imitative skill of the work rendered the show very

attractive.

Anothersourceofinterestinawell-tiedfly,andnotablyintheverysmallest,isits

extraordinarystrengthanddurabilityconsideringthematerialsemployed.Ananglermust

no doubt have tied many a score of flies for himself ere he can fully appreciate this

excellence.Inacaseoffliessetupforshowitisassumedratherthanprovedtoexist;but

we may be sure that the exhibitor did not attain his reputation for such ‘marvellous

delicate ware’ – as Queen Bess said of her first silk stockings – without producing an

article capable of resisting both the strain of a good fish fighting for his life, and the

repeatedgrindingandchewingoftinyteeth.

Tobuildasalmonflystronglyiscomparativelyeasy.Thereisampleroomandverge

enough for the firmest lapping of the hook to the gut, and for the tying-on in due

succession of the various materials which form the body, legs, and wings of the highly

compositeinsect,whiletheloopatthehead,whichwasalmostunknowninmyboyhood,

givestheneedfulstrengthatthepointwherethefrictionisgreatest.Butwhenwelookata

tinyolive-dunorquill-gnat,suchasoftenplayshavocamongtheheavytroutofourbest

chalkstreams,wemaywellmarvelattheskillwhichhasmadeafewturnsoffinesilknot

onlyjoinhooktogutindissolubly,butbindminuteportionsofvariousmaterialtogetherin

afirmandshapelywhole.

Atroutfly,beitremembered,needsaboveallthingstobestrong.Neatnessandfinish

may often be dispensed with, if the colours be only right, but strength is indispensable.

Without it, the more attractive the lure, the more grievous will be the angler’s

disappointment.Thepointswhicharenaturallyweakestintheflyoughttobeespecially

lookedto.Judgingfrommyownexperience,Ishouldsaythatfourfisharelostfromthe

breakingorbendingofthehookforonethatescapesbythegutgivingway.Itismainly

with sneck-bend hooks that breakages occur, and these are apt to give way either just

abovethebarb,orattheanglenearesttoit.Withregardtothenumberoffliestobeused

onacast–avexataquaestioamongstanglers–noreallygeneralrulecanbelaiddown.In

fishing a stream where the fish are large and the flies to be used small, it will often be

found the best policy to use one fly only and that tied on a Limerick hook of the best

make.Indeed,whateverthecharacterofthestream,Ipreferahookofthatclassformy

stretcher.Itswimstruer,andasitcarriesitspointinthesameverticalplanewiththebend,

seldom fails to hook your fish in the lower jaw. But on the other hand, there are many

streams-inwhichasecondandevenathirdflywillgreatlyassistyourbasket.

Itisnotmerelythatyoumaypleasethetroutbetterbyofferingthemachoice,though

this is obviously true, and doubly so where the water often changes its character. The

motionofadroppercleverlyworked,especiallyoveraneddy,isessentiallydifferentfrom

thatofthetailfly,andimitatesaphaseofinsectlifewithwhichfisharefamiliar,thatin

whichtheflykeepsdimplingthewaterinaseriesofshortdescents,probablydroppingan

eggeverytimeittouchesthestream.Thenatureofthismotioniswellrecognisedbythe

term‘bobfly’sooftenappliedtothedropper,andtheyounganglerwilldowelltostudyit

carefullytillpracticemakeshimperfect.

Ifitwasnaweelbobbit,we’llbobitagain!

Itisinthisup-and-downplayoftheflythatthesneck-bendhookissovaluable,seldom

failingtotakeholdsomehow,somewhere.Whenitstrikesonabone,howevergoodthe

temper,itisnotunlikelytogiveway.Butifcarebetakentotesteachhookbeforehand

thesemishapswillbeveryrare.Ifyouhavehadadozenfliesdressedtoyourorder,and

cannotfeel surethatthehooks have beencarefullyproved,tie oneortwobyfixingthe

pointinaboardandgivingastrongpullonthegut.

Twice in my life I have come to utter grief by neglecting this precaution, the flies

beingineachcaseonlytooattractive,butthehooksalmostrotten.InonecaseIlostseven

fish in the course of an afternoon, which would, I honestly believe, have weighed very

nearly two pounds apiece. The other case, though less disastrous, was even more

remarkable,asIwasusingamedium-sizedflyonaScotchtarnwherethetroutransmall.

Itookaboveahundred,whichwouldhardlyhaveaveragedfiveounces,thoughtheywere

strongandred-fleshed.Butthewayinwhichthey‘chewedup’oneparticularbatchofflies

whichIhadhadtiedespeciallyforsmallrockylochswasreallyextraordinary,Itseemed

asiftheycrushedthehooksintheirmouths.Fullascoreofmyfavouritescamehometo

mebrokenatthebend,andinmanycasesIhadscarcelyfelttherise,sothatseveralfish

musthavehadtheirwickedwillofthedefencelessfly.

As I have already said, my losses through the breaking of the gut have been

comparatively few, and almost always distinctly due to my own fault. The point of

greatest danger is of course close to the head of the tail fly, where a momentary check

takes place in the free unfolding of the foot links, even when the cast is most carefully

made.Thefrictionatthisweakpointisnaturallyincreasedwhenafishisbeingplayed,

sinceifheisfirmlyhookedthegutisapttobestrainedwhenformingananglewiththe

wire. In dressing a large or a medium-sized fly something may be done to obviate this

mischief by a few turns of fine silk set with copal varnish round the gut just above the

headofthefly.Butinmeremidges–anditiswiththesethatthegreatestexecutionisnow

doneinourbesttroutstreams–thisprecautionisimpossible.

Itonly remainsthatthefly fisherlookoftenandclosely atthiscriticalpoint inhis

tackle,especially when the trout riseboldlyandthefunisfastandfurious.Itisagreat

bore,nodoubt,tohavetochangeakillingflyatthefirstsymptomsof‘fraying;’butafar

greatertoputonafreshonewhenthefirsthasbeencarriedoffbyagoodfish.

Thespecialdangerhereindicatedislikelyerelongtobeathingofthepast.Theeyed

hookisnowinthefield,andwhenperfectedwillrenderwhatisnowtheweakestpointin

thedelicategutrequiredfortroutfishingpracticallysecureagainstirregularfriction.But

thus far the ‘eye’ appears too clumsy for the tiny flies which most require it. Had I to

designaneyesuitedtothesmallesthooks,Ishouldborrowahintfromtheneedle-maker,

formingtheorificeforthegutlikethatinasmallgold-eyedneedle,thoughrounder,and

lining it with some soft metal. The lapping at the head of the fly would thus be quite

inconspicuous,whiletheshankofthehookwouldkeepatruelinewiththegut.Forthe

present,however,the‘capital’dangermustnotbeignored.

Every knot, again, is a weak point in the cast; especially if tied in a hurry or not

carefullysoaked beforeuse.A coupleofsparecollarswhich havelainintheslop basin

duringyourbreakfastmaybecarriedroundyourhatwithgreatadvantage.Apartfroman

uttersmashbyboughorroot–whichisneverimpossibleifyouareinahurry–itisoften

lesstroublesometochangethewholecollarthantorepairatriflingdamage.

Havingnowdismissedthepreliminaryquestionofstrength,Ifindmyselffacetoface

withtheextensiveandcomplicatedsubjectoffliesconsideredaslures;ofthebestfliesfor

use,andthecircumstancesunderwhichtheseorsomeofthesewillbefoundmostuseful.

To this subject no single essay can do justice, owing to the number of flies which

havearecognisedvalueonlywithinalimiteddistrict.Butinordertodealwithitatall,

one must first encounter that quaestio vexatissima – Whether artificial flies, generally

speaking,areimitationsofsomeparticularinsect,forwhichtheyaretakenbythefish,or

nondescripts (to borrow ‘Ephemera’s ’ form of expression) which are seized only on

accountoftheirgeneralappearanceoflife.Theformerpositionisgenerallymaintainedby

English authors on fly fishing; the latter by brethren of the angle north of Tweed, or

amongthemountainsofNorthWales.Now,thattheartificialflyshouldingeneralbean

imitation,andonclearandoften-fishedwatersaverycloseone,ofsomeparticularinsect,

Ihavenoshadowofadoubt;nordoIbelievethatanyonewhohasfishedintheDerwent,

theDriffieldwater,theTeme,ortheItchin,willhesitatetoagreewithme.

AgainandagainhaveIfoundthe‘Marchbrowns’supersedeeveryotherflyearlyin

the season, when the natural insect, which I had imitated most carefully, floated on the

waterbythousands;nordoIdoubtthatatsuchtimesMrBainbridge’sadvice,tofishat

once with three March browns slightly varied in tint and size, is most judicious. I have

seeninlikemanner the little ‘iron-blue’ona cold morning strong onthewater,when I

couldnotstirafinwithanyotherlure.Thedaywarmed–ashowersoftenedthewind–

andtherecentfavouritewasauselessappendagetomyline;whilealarger,gayerinsect,

visibleonthewater,warnedme,notinvain,thatthe‘yellowdun’mustnowbetakeninto

council.Howoften,again,inJulyandAugust,dotheartificialfernflyandantfly–killing

through the sultry hours while the natural insects are also conspicuous – give place

towardseveningtothatlate-flutteringtempterthered-spinner,whomIhavedroppedon

thewaterscarcedistinguishableamonghislivinglikenesses!

Thegreen-drake,again(betterknownperhapsasthe‘Mayfly’),isastrongcasein

point.Itisonthewaterlittlemorethanafortnight,alargeand‘ken-speckle’insect,and

throughout that time it is very difficult, during the hours of its appearance, to induce a

trout,inthestreamswhereitisbred,tolookatanyartificialflysaveapalpableimitation

ofthisbeautifulcreature.Tocompletetheargument,thesameimitationisutterlyuseless

onthoseEnglishstreamswhichdonotproducetherealinsect.

Again, the experienced fly fisher will acknowledge the fact, that what the initiated

call ‘palmers’ are taken, especially in swollen waters, in every river, and from the

beginningtotheendofthetroutingseason.Surelyitismorethanamerecoincidencethat

theroughcaterpillar,orpalmerworm,whichtheseluresaccuratelyresemble,shouldalso

beastirduringfullsixmonthsoftheyear,andbecontinuallysentdownthestreamwhena

suddenriseofthewaterwashesitsmargin?

Totheseexamples,whichIcitedinfavourofthe‘imitative’theorynearlythirtyyears

ago,Iwilladdtwoorthreemoredrawnfromsubsequentexperienceoroverlookedatthat

time.Therearecertainfliestiedindeliberateimitationoffemaleinsectscarryingattheir

tailsaballofeggstobedroppedonebyoneinthewater.Iwillinstancetwoofthese–the

‘Grannom’or‘Greentail,’andthe‘Governor.’Thegrannom–Ispeaknowofthenatural

fly – is a reddish brown insect, not uncommon in the bushy reaches of many southern

streams.Itflieshigh,however,andsorarelytouchesthewaterthatnoartificialcopyofit

isincommonuse.Butwhenthefemaleflydevelopsherovaandisabouttoshedthemshe

hoversclosetothesurfaceofthebrook,withagreenballbehindher,whichmayinmore

sensesthanonebesaidtowaituponherlatterend.Forasshedropseggaftereggonthe

water,theeyesofhungrytroutaresoonattractedtohermovements,andinsomeluckless

moment of contact with the water she, with the portion of her rising family not yet

launchedontheworld,disappearsdownafish’sgullet.

Now towards the end of April or beginning of May – for the breeding season of

insects depends greatly on the weather – I often use the grannom fly, sometimes with

signalsuccess.ButIhaveneverdoneanygoodwithitexceptduringthefewdayswhen

thefemaleinsectwithherqueergreenappendagewasactuallyvisibleonthewater.The

‘Governor’again–whichshouldratherhavebeenstyledthe‘Governess’–withitsbroad

bandoforangesilkatthetail,representsanotherfemaleflygenerallyseenonthewater

towards the end of July, conspicuous by a ripe cluster of orange-coloured eggs. Many

practisedanglersknownothingofthisfly,butIhavehadthelucktouseitoccasionally

whenthenaturalinsectwasstrongonthewater,anditwastakeninpreferencetoanything

else.Imayaddthattheheaviesttakeoflargetroutwhichevercametomyknowledge–

though,alas!Iwasnotthecaptor–wasmadewiththisflyontheupperwatersofFoston

Beck,nowinthehandsofColonelSt.Quentin.

Imightfairlyrestmycaseonthesetwoinstances,inwhichthepeculiaritiesofthe

naturalinsectduringonebriefphaseofitsexistencearereproducedwithsucheffectinthe

artificial fly. But I cannot pass by the ‘local value’ – to borrow an artist’s phrase – of

certain flies tied in imitation of insects unknown beyond a limited district. Every

Devonshire man knows the virtues of the ‘blue upright’ – a dusky, smooth-bodied fly,

varyingfrompaleslatecolourtoadeadblack.Itholds,infact,onDevonianstreamsmuch

thesameplaceasthemurderous‘bluedun’withitsdownybodyinagreatmajorityofour

Englishcounties.

Nowon my first introduction to a Devonshire streamI noticed great numbers ofa

slender,activeinsectwhichhadnorepresentativeinmyflybook,andwhichIfeltsureI

hadneverseenbefore.ButalocalartistsoonsuppliedmewiththeimitationIwanted,and

since that time I have killed more trout in Devon with the ‘blue upright’ than with any

otherfly, and have seenthe natural insect onevery stream I havefished in thatlandof

brooks.Surelythisismorethanamerecoincidence.

Allthisisso obvious, that myreadersmay ask how anyone couldeverpropose to

questionit?YetindefenceoftheScottish‘nondescriptarians’itshouldbesaidthatthey

cantellofexperiencesmuchatvariancewiththoseonwhichIhavebuiltmyinference.I

have fished in some forty Scotch lochs or tarns, rarely without fair success, sometimes

with brilliant results; yet where the Salmo fario alone is in question; I have but half a

dozenflieson my list for active service. Of these half-dozen twoonly,andthosebyno

meansthebest,resembleanynaturalflywithwhichIamacquainted.Idonotpretendto

explainthisfact, nor whatmysteriousharmony between a particularwingfeather and a

bodyofaparticularcolourrenderstheircombinationirresistibletothetroutinsomany

lochs of the most dissimilar character. Still less can I tell why in one loch there is a

standingfuroreforsmoothsilkenbodies,inanotherforroughmohairandswine’sdownof

the identical colours. Yet I have seen this deliberate preference for one or the other

materialprovedbeyondadoubtagainandagain

Theseandthelikeproblemscontinuallyrecur,andcontributetomakeflyfishingthe

intellectualamusementthatmanywiseandobservingmenhavefoundit.Atthesametime

theywarnustobewareofsweepinggeneralisations,andtogatherourfactsfromagreat

variety of sources, ere we generalise at all. It is certainly curious that a dear relative,

whomI‘coached’intherudimentsofflyfishingerehebecamehimselfanauthorityon

the subject, lays his qualified rejection of the ‘imitative’ theory at my door. I

recommendedtohimmythreefavouritelakefliesforuseonaScotchtour,andhefound

themsoeffectivethathehadthemreproducedinvariousminiatureformsforgeneraluse,

andhascertainlykilledfishwiththeminwaterswhere,frommyownexperience,Ishould

havetrustedtoaverydifferentcast.This,Iadmit,iscurious;butitdoesnotreallyaffect

theargument.Togiveitanylogicalweightwemustbegthequestionoflessormore;must

assume that the system which was not tried would not have proved comparatively

successful.

Withthisremark–whichfurnishesananswertomanyflyfisherswhosepracticeis

betterthantheirtheory–Imaydismissthisfirstofpiscatorialcruces.

Havingbeenformanyyearsthewillingvictimofnumerousapplicationsforpattern

fliesonthepartoffriends,acquaintances,andevenstrangersboundforthisor.thatfishing

district,andhavinginagreatmajorityofcasesreceivedthethanksofthosewhoconsulted

mefor thesuccessofmy prescriptions,ImaybeforgivenifIclaimto speak withsuch

authorityasisduetolongexperienceonthesubjectofTroutFliesforlakeandriver.For

laketroutIhavefound,asalreadystated,thataveryfewflieswillanswereverypurpose,

and I doubt very much whether three better patterns can be found than those

recommended in the first edition of ‘The Moor and the Loch.’ With two of these I had

beenfamiliarbeforeIreadMr.Colquhoun’swork,myknowledgeofthethird–whichhas

helpedmetomanyaheavybasket–Ioweentirelytohispages.

ThefliesrequiredforourBritishriversandbrooksarefarmorevarious,anddepend

fortheirsuccessonminuterdetailsofcolourandmaterial.Norcananyamountofgeneral

experiencemaketheflyfisherperfectlyathomeonanewriver,thoughitwillpreventhis

feelingquitestrange.Ihavekilledtroutin130streams(tosaynothingof50lakes);but

still,onwaterwhichIvisitedforthefirsttime,Ishouldbegladtotakeahintastothe

styleofflytobeusedforthenoncefromanyintelligent‘localpractitioner.’

The man of one stream, like the homo unius libri is a formidable person within a

limited range. On the same principle constant readers of sporting papers may benefit

greatlyby therecordedexperiencesofbrother anglers onparticularrivers.AndI would

recommend fly fishers, who have sufficient leisure, to ‘book’ accurately not only their

capturesbutabriefrecordoftheflieswhichoneachoccasionservedthembest,inorder

to prevent the results of their own experience from eluding their remembrance. Such a

recordisnottheformidableaffairitmightappearatfirstsight.Threeminutesattheclose

ofthedaywillanswereverypurpose.Ihavebeenaworkingmanallmylife,andhave,I

believe, at least an average memory; yet I do not regret the time which, after every

angler’sholidayenjoyedduringsomethinglikehalfacentury,Ihavegiventobriefentries

suchasthefollowing:

July5.–UpperLedditch.Warmday–lightS.W.breeze.Redsandfly;orlfly

(hackle)anddarkcoachman.Weight10Jlbs.Bestfish15oz.

By keeping such records one guards against false impressions as to the season and the

weather when a particular fly did execution on a given stream; impressions which will

oftenleaduswronginourchoice.Ishallnotattemptanyscientificclassificationofflies.

But though I do not pretend to the character of an entomologist, it may be useful to

beginners to remark that there are two great families of flies to which the fly fisher’s

imitationschieflybelong:(1)Ephemerae,(2)Phryganeae.

TheEphemeraeincludeagreatvarietyofspecies,fromtheMayflytothetinyJenny

Spinner.Theyhavealonglifeinthewateraslarvaeintheformoflittlegreendragons,

crawling about the roots of sedges and water weeds; and a very short one as perfect

insects, having their ‘little day of sunny bliss,’ during which the sexes mingle and the

femalesdroptheirovaonthestream.

Under certain conditions of the weather they ‘hatch out’ from the larva state in

prodigious numbers, leaving their empty skins, like insect ghosts, on rushes, flags, or

watersidegrass.IwasoncewitnessatBrayWeirearlyinJulytoasingularphenomenonin

theshapeofacountlessswarmof‘YellowSallies.’TheygatheredovertheThamesshortly

beforedusk,andformedadenseyellowcloudextendingsome150yardsinlength,30in

breadth,and3indepth;onlyaslightundulatingmovementinthemass,andtherestless

flashingupofscalefishfrombelowtosecurethestragglerswhodroppedoutoftheranks,

showingthatwhatIsawwasaprodigyofinsectlifeandnotanatmosphericphenomenon.

TheartificialflieswhichrepresenttheEphemeraareveryvariousinsizeandcolour;

buttheyareallalikeinattemptingtorepresentbythemostdelicatefeathers–forthemost

partmottled–thegauzywingsofthenaturalinsect.Theyarealsoalikeinhavingthree

‘wisps’behind–singlestrandsofhairorfeather–toimitatethedelicatefilamentsatthe

tail of the natural fly, which seem designed to steady and regulate the up- and-down

movementsoftheinsect,especiallyintheactofdroppingitseggs.

The feathers most used in dressing flies of this family are those of the wild drake

(darkbrown,palegrey,ordyedyellow);ofthestarling,landrail,snipe,anddotterel.

ThePhryganeaearealessnumerousfamily,nor,asfarasmyownobservationgoes,

dotheyeverappearonthewaterinsuchamazingswarms.Theyoften,however,muster

prettystrong,andcertainspeciesarecontinually‘hatchingout’duringagreatpartofthe

year from the bundles of vegetable matter whence their name of ‘faggot insects’ is

derived.Themaggot-likelarvaeformforthemselvescasesforshelterorsecurityinwhich

theydwellformanymonthsbeforetheyquitthewaterandtaketheairasflies.Theycarry

theirwingswhencrawling–whichtheydomuchmorefreelythantheEphemerae–not

raisedinpairsabovethethorax,butfoldedpent-house fashionabovetheabdomen.The

larvaearecommonlyknownas‘caddis’orcaseworms,andtheabodestheyconstructfor

themselves,partlybytheuseoftheirstrongnippersandpartlybytheaidofsomenatural

gluefurnishedbytheirownbodies,exhibitacuriousandinterestingvariety.These‘cases’

ascendbyagraduatedscalefromthesimplesttothemostcomplicatedforms.

First we have an inch of slender rush; then a more solid tenement formed from a

piece of stick, in which the grub takes the place of the pith; then two leaves gummed

togetherattheedges.Anonwefindafasciculusoftinytwigs,orasmallclusteredpillarof

rush-rods,cutaccuratelytoonelengthandcuriouslyjoinedtogether.Themostbeautifulof

allarecylindricalgrottos,sometimesnearlytwoinchesinlength,formedofsmallfresh-

watershells. Astudious entomologist who wasalso a fly fisher might do worse than to

makeacollectionoftheseingeniousdwellingsandfigurethe‘imago’hatchedfromeach.

Itwould,Ipresume,befoundthateachclassofdwellingbelongstoadifferentspecies.I

havefoundmanykindstogetherinonespringditchorsedgybackwater,sothattheremust

have been a choice of material, though I cannot affirm that when I have dislodged the

inmatesforbaitIhavenoticedanymarkeddifferencesbutthoseofsizeandcolour.

Itwouldbeacuriousexperimenttotransportalargenumber,sayoftherushworms,

toastreamwheretheywouldfindnorushes,andthentoobservewhether,aftertheflies

had hatched and bred, their progeny would disappear or would protect themselves by

adoptingsomenewbuildingmaterial.

But I am digressing. Let me return to my fly book, and say that the artificial flies

representingthePhryganeaehavemostlymottledbrownorduskywings,withdarklegs

andbrownoryellowishbodies.

A third class of artificial flies – taking the term in its popular acceptation, without

regarding the palpable misnomer – includes the palmers or rough caterpillars and the

beetles. These may be usefully classed together, as they are formed of similar materials

(thecock’shacklebeinggenerallydominantinboth),andusedinmuchthesamestatesof

the water. To these three distinct classes I would add for convenience a fourth or

‘miscellaneous’ class, comprising a great variety of insects not distinctively aquatic but

occasionallyattractivetotroutandgrayling.

IbeginmylistwiththeflieswhichIhavefoundmostusefulallthroughtheyearona

greatvarietyofwaters;purposelylimitingthenumber,inorderthatanglerswhotrustthe

resultsofmyexperiencemay,inthestockingoftheirflybooks,avoidthatembarrasde

richesseswhichwillleadthemtoperplexityattheoutsetanduselesschangesinthecourse

of a day’s fishing. It should always be remembered that the fly is often blamed for the

moodofthefish,andalteredperhapsjustwhentheyarebeginningtofeed.

TheYellowDun:Thisflyisgoodthroughoutthetroutseason,andistakenfreelyby

graylinginAugustandSeptember.

The Hare’s Lug: This is the form of the blue dun with which I have done most

execution through the year. In Wales, Scotland and the northern counties of England I

preferittoNo.1.

TheMarlowBuzz,orCockabundy(acorruptionof‘Coch-y-bonddu’):Thisnotonly

makes the best of droppers in rough mountain and moorland streams, where it is

indispensable,butiftiedverysmallanddarkmaybedependedoninthecleareststreams–

those of Hampshire, for instance, or Derbyshire – especially when there are but few

Ephemeraonthewater.

The Red Sand Fly: I have found this fly very killing from April to September in

various rivers; more so, however, in the midland and northern than in the southern

counties.Thereisasmallephemeracloselyresemblingitincolour,forwhichnodoubtit

isoftentaken.Itkillsbestwhentiedwithabodyyellowerthanthelandrailwings.

The Black Gnat: This is generally considered a summer and autumn fly, and it is

certainlymostdeadlyjustwhentheMayflyhasgoneoff.Butifitbedressed,asIwould

haveit,eitherwithadarkwingorsimplywithblackhackleandostrichherl,itwilltake

wellinspring–passingdoubtlessforWalton’s‘blackhawthornfly.’

ThePartridgeHackle:Thisflyisrarelynoticedbywriters,butIhavefounditmost

usefulthroughouttheseason;especiallyasadropfly.Itieitwithasoft-stemmed,dark-

mottled feather and an orange silk body; but I can hardly call it an imitation. It most

resemblesalargegrey-wingedgnat,likeaminiaturedaddy-long-legs,whichisoftentobe

seenonwatersideherbage;butitiscertainthatgoodtrouttakeitfreelyinallweathers,

whatevertheytakeitfor!

TheOliveDun:Ihaveusedthisflylessthanitsexcellencedeserves;butIknowthat

itisA1inthechalkstreamsinanybutverycoldweather,andbelievethattherearefew

Englishwatersinwhichitwillnottake.

The Alder Fly: This fly kills well after the leaf is out especially where the alder

grows freely. The body is always of peacock’s herl – the legs should be of a dark dun

hackle.Whenitistiedonalargehookitwantsadarkmottledwing,forwhichIprefera

browndrakeornight-jarfeather.

The‘Dark’Coachman:AsfarasIknow(butmystudyofbooksonAnglingceased

some twenty-eight years ago) this is a hardly recognised fly; but it is very useful,

especially in western counties, and where trout and grayling are found together. It is

simply the ordinary coachman – much used on summer evenings – with a starling’s

feathersubstitutedforthewhitewingcommonlyinuse.Itisdeadlyinbrooksthroughout

theyear.

AddtothesefliesaRedandaBlackPalmer(theformerribbedwithgold,thelatter

withsilvertwist),forusewhenthewaterisbeginningtoclearafteraspate,andyouwill

be‘armedandwellprepared’underordinaryconditionsinanimmensemajorityofBritish

streams.Ispeakwith some confidence on this head,asfor many years I notedtheflies

with which I killed on each angling holiday, and still continue to record any new

experience.Theelevenfliesnamedabove–addingtheRedSpinner(whereofhereafter)to

makeupthedozen–havecertainlybeenanswerableforfullythree-fourthsofmycaptures

inbrookandriver.

Letmenowsayawordoftheflieswhich,unlikethosenumberedabove,havebuta

shortreign,thoughforatimetheycanhardlybedispensedwith.OftheMarchBrownand

the Green Drake, which at once suggest themselves under this head, so much has been

written,andinsuchdetail,thatI might fairly say, in thewordsofthe briefest epitaph I

everread,‘Silenceiswisdom.’Idonotprofesstobeanauthorityineithercaseastothe

much-discussed niceties of feather or colour, and will merely remark that in my own

experienceIhavefoundbothinsectsworkbetterashacklesthanaswingflies,andprefer

themtiedashadeunderthenaturalsize.

The little ‘Iron Blue’ is a very killing fly on cool April mornings, and will take

occasionallyoncolddaysuptoMidsummer.

The‘JennySpinner,’astillsmallerandmoredelicateinsect,appearsatoddtimeson

warmevenings,andwillthenkillinthelowestandclearestwaters.

The Fern Fly I have found very taking, even at noon on sultry days in July and

August;butratherinstillpoolsthaninstreams,andonlyintheneighbourhoodofbracken.

TheRedAntFlycomesinverylate–generallyinSeptember,whenemmetflights

arecommonest–andis therefore rather a grayling than atroutfly.Thisfly, as also the

FernFly,isfiguredinthelistofgraylingflies.Inspiteofitspeculiarform,Ihavefound

the‘DarkCoachman,’tiedsmall,aneffectivesubstituteforit.Butofallflieswhichare

not‘permanent,’likeMissNipper,but‘temporary,’commendmetotheRedSpinner.In

warm evenings, far into the dusk, I have found it the deadliest of lures from June to

September. Its whirling flight and its colour make it conspicuous; but it figures in my

eveningcastwhetherIhaveseenitonthewingornot.Oddlyenough,Ikilledmybestfish

with it in Tasmania. The fault of the ordinary imitations is that the bodies are of too

crimsonatint.Ifyouqualifythepurered,letitbewithalittlegoldenbrown.

Imightaddtothislist,but,afterall,therealquestionforthepracticalanglerisnotso

muchhowmanyflieshecanutiliseashowmanyhecansafelydispensewith.Ihavenow

onlytonoticeafewimportantflieswhichhaveapurelylocalvalue,killinginonedistrict,

butbeingoflittleusebeyondit.Listsofthiskindaredryreadingatthebest,sotoavoid

tediousnessIwillnameonlythree.TheBlueUpright–mentionedalready–isabsolutely

indispensable in Devonshire. It varies much in the tying as to size, build, and shade of

colour;itsoneconstantcharacteristicbeingthehardsmoothbody.ForgeneraluseIprefer

itwithoutwings,tiedwithablackhackle,nottoostiff,andaslate-colouredbody.

The Silver Horns I have found very deadly in Salop and Herefordshire from the

beginningofJune.Thenaturalinsectisasmallmoth,glossyblack;withverylongblack-

and-whitehorns,easilyimitatedwithastrandofatealfeather.Itisveryconspicuouson

rankwatersideherbage,andIrarelyfailtousetheimitationalongsedgyreaches.Finally,

thereistheDerbyshire‘Bumble.’OfthisqueerflyIknownothing,savethatIhavekilled

withit,andhaveseenitsuccessfulinthehandsoflocalanglersaboutBakewell,Rowsley,

etc.Ihaveseenittiedwithallmannerofcolours,butalwayswithafatbodyofsmooth

floss silk, ribbed with some bright short- stranded hackle. Its special oddity lies in its

plumpness.

SeenincontrastwiththeordinaryDerbyshireflies–slenderandalmostmidge-like

things–itlookslikeMajorMonsoonamongasquadoflighthorse.Whatisittakenfor?

Nottheveritablebumble,surely,whichatroutrarelymeddleswith,andifinawhimsical

moodhesucksitin,eschewswithoutchewing.The‘greatrepresentativeprinciple’seems

quiteatfault.CanitbemeantforoneofthelocalColeoptera?Beetle–beadle–Bumble!

Aplausiblederivation.

Havingnowgivensomegeneralhintsastothebestmodeoffishingastream,with

somepracticalsuggestionsastothechoiceofflies,IAndthatthereisagooddealyetto

bedoneeretheparticularfishwhomIhaveinmymind’seyetakesuphisproperquarters

in the basket. My fly or flies are such as ought to kill – whether they will do so, or be

wastedasgoodmeatisbyabadcook,dependsonthehandlingofmyrod.Ihaveyetto

throwoverthefish,tohookhim,andtoplayhimwhenhooked.Iwouldsayawordon

eachof these processes, and donot despair of advancing under each head something at

once new and true. This would be scarcely possible had writers qualified their general

rulesbydrawingtherequisitedistinctions.

We are told, for instance, to throw a perfectly straight line, that we may reach the

farther and strike with the greater certainty, and I admit the general principle. But on a

brightdayandinamuch-fishedstream,suchcastingwillnotserveyourturn,unlessyou

aimatreachingan individualfish. Rather shake out your fliesloosely, with a quivering

motion of the rod, and let your links of gut drop lightly, in irregular undulations. The

greenesttrout,undersuchcircumstances,takesalarmata‘straightline’drawnacrossthe

surfaceofthewater.Bearthesameconsiderationinmindwhenworkingyourfliesdown

andacrossthestream.

Again,inthrowingforafishwhoseexactpositionyouknow,allthebookstellyouto

casttwo orthreefeetabove him,andletthestream carrytheflydown totheexpectant

trout–agoodruledoubtless,forthegeneralguidanceofatyro,butforthemoreadvanced

piscator, in sultry weather and bright shy waters, in place of ‘feet’ he may safely read

‘inches.’Itwillnotdothentoletanoldtroutscanandstudytheinsectapproachinghim.

Dropthefly‘reetowerhisneb,’asayoungfamiliarofmineatDriffieldusedtophraseit,

andtentoone,havingnospaceforreflection,hewill‘takethedeath’ontheimpulseof

themoment.

Connectedwiththefirstdroppingoftheflyistheworkingofitonandinthewrater.

Drawing it straight along, especially up stream, though common, is a ruinous error. In

salmon fishing this is well known: the line is slackened at short intervals between the

sweepingmovementsoftheflyacrossandagainstthestream;andthelureismadelifelike

andattractiveby thealternatecontractionand expansionofthefibresformingitswings

andlegs.Letyourtroutfliesbeplayeduponasimilarprinciple,butmorevariously,and

more down stream. Let the tail fly seem struggling in vain to resist the current which

carrieshimdown,and the near dropperdipenticinglyas if in layingeggs.A tremulous

motion of the wrist is sometimes most alluring. In the stillest waters, on a warm day, I

have killed good fish by throwing far, and then suffering my whole cast to sink ere I

movedmyflies.Troutwilltakethemthussunkiftheydonotseetherippleofthelineat

thesurface.

Wewillnowsupposeyourfishtohaverisen–thenextpointistohookhim,ifindeed

yourlineisnotsotautthatyoufeelhehashookedhimself.Todothisyoumust‘strike,’as

the common term is; which has been correctly, if not satisfactorily, explained as ‘doing

somethingwithyourwristwhichitisnoteasytodescribe.’Isthis‘something’tobedone

quicklyorslowly,sharplyorgently?Nottodistinguishtoominutely,wewouldsay,strike

asalmonmoreslowlythanatrout,atroutthanagrayling,alakefishthanariverone,and,

generallyspeaking,alargefishthanasmallone.Astothedegreeofforce,agentletwitch

generallysuffices–atallevents;moreisdangerouswithanybutverystrongtackle.

Note especially, that in order to strike quick, you must strike gently. This requires

illustration.Layyourflyrodonalongtable,placeacorkeighteeninchesinfrontofthe

top;graspitasinflyfishing,andstrikehard,makingthebuttthepivot.Thecorkwillbe

knockedoffbytheforwardspringoftheupperhalfoftherodbeforeanybackwardaction

can take place, and thus much time will have been lost before the line can be in the

smallestdegreetightened.Remember,too,thegreatincreaseofrisktoyourtacklewhen

thelineisthusslackenedbeforesustainingaseverejerk.Ninefishoutoftenthataresaid

tobreakthecastinglineareinfactlostbytheeagerviolenceofthestriker,actingupon

dry or ill-tied knots. I could say more on this subject did space permit. Thus much,

however,as a partingprecept Never be ina hurry, especiallywhen you seea good fish

rise.Takeyourtime,ashewilltakehis,andtheresultwillnotdisappointyou.

Ourfishisnowhooked,andthenextquestionishowtodealwithhim.Someofour

angling friends call this ‘working a fish,’ some ‘playing’ – the former term, perhaps,

having an objective, the other a subjective reference. Nevertheless, Halieus must

sometimes work very hard, or Salmo will have the play all to himself. Two general

principles may be laid down: first, the strain kept up on the fish should be the greatest

attainable without overtaxing the strength of the tackle – which should be a known

quantity – or the hold of the hook, which the most experienced angler cannot always

calculateaccurately;secondly,thedirectionofthebuttshouldnevermakeanobtuseangle

withtheline–inmostcasesadecidedlyacuteone.

Asfor‘showingafishthebutt,’itisverydesirableingeneral.Butifyoudosowhen

fishingwithasingle-handedtroutrodinadeepstreamwithhollowbanks,youonlyaid

that inward rush of your fish which is but too likely to wreck your tackle. Never bring

yourfishtothesurfacetillheisquitespent;hemaybreakthehold,ifnotheavyenoughto

breakyourtackle.Don’tgotroutingwithoutalandingnet,whatevercertainwritersofthe

rough-and-readyschoolmay say. And ifyou have an attendant,don’tlet him land your

fishtillyouknowthatyoucanfullytrusthim.

Thusfar Ihavedweltwhollyon whatmaybecalledthe destructivesideofthe fly

fishingquestion,andhavetriedtoshowhowtheaccomplishedprofessorof‘Fineandfar

off’maysurmountobstaclesandprofitbyopportunitiesinthefillingofhiscreel.Butas

the number and the skill of our fly fishers are continually increasing, the question still

remainshowthebreedofBritishSalmonidaecanbekeptuptomeetthegrowingdemand.

Everytrue brother of the angle who pursues his pastime in a liberal and unselfish spirit

ought,therefore,todirecthisattentiontothebreedingandfeedingofthesefish,valuable

astheyareatonceforsportand for the table. And it is important at the outsetto draw

attention to some conditions of this twofold problem which seem to be but imperfectly

understood.

Inthefirstplace,thefactmustberecognisedthatitiseasiertokeepupthenumber

than the size of the trout in our best streams. Modern agriculture with its demand for

thorough drainage tends to diminish the ordinary volume of water in our brooks and

rivers. Fifty years ago, when there came a heavy spell of wet weather a great extent of

spongy moor and meadow land along the watercourses imbibed and held up a large

proportionoftherainfall.Thespatecamelesssuddenlyandlastedlonger,andinordinary

weatherthe banks continually gave out water to keep up the stream.Nowitiseither‘a

feastorafast.’Thewell-laiddrainsflushtherainwaterrapidlyintothestreams;thefloods

comedownsoonerandlastforashortertime,andtheordinaryleveloffour-fifthsofour

troutriversisverymuchbelowwhatitusedtobewhenagriculture,thoughmorethriving,

waslessscientific.

Thisdiminutioninthevolumeofwatermeans,ofcourse,areducedsupplyofinsect

foodforourtrout.Noristhisall.Farmersandmillerscombineinmanydistrictstokeep

the weeds close cut, and every weed-cutting destroys by wholesale the larvae of those

insectsonwhichthetroutdependsmostforhisordinaryfood.AsIwalkalongsomewell-

knownbeckandseehugeheapsofwaterweeddryinginthesun,Ifeelsorelytemptedto

use a naughty word when I think of the millions of possible Ephemerae which have

‘closed their little being without life,’ hopelessly entangled in the ruins of their green

abodes.

IknowmorethanonetroutstreamwheretheMay-flyhasdisappearedwithinthelast

ten years, and have heard of sundry others. Of course this implies a diminution of the

averageweightofthefishinsuchstreams,supposingtheirnumberthesame.Afortnight’s

steady feeding on the grey and green drake used formerly to produce a marked

improvementintheweightofthetroutaswellasinthecolouroftheirflesh,sothatthose

taken in the latter half of June with the black gnat or red-spinner were altogether a

‘superiorarticle.’Now,thelargerfisharenotattheirbesttilltheendofJulyorbeginning

of August, and the number of those which never get into condition during the fishing

season, but remain, like the Ancient Mariner, ‘Jong, and lank, and brown,’ is steadily

increasing,exceptinafewfavouredreacheswherethereisagooddepthofwaterwitha

strongsedgyborder.ImayremarkbythewaythatthePhryganeaeappeartosufferless

from excessive weedcutting than the Ephemerae; doubtless because their larvae crawl

aboutmoreinopen spaces,and,fromtheprotectionaffordedbytheir‘cases,’arebetter

able to extricate themselves when hauled ashore in a mass of weed. The orl flies and

caperers,forinstance,keeptheirgroundbetterthanthemoredelicatefliesoftheCaddis

family.

RevertingnowtowhatIhavecalledthetwofoldproblemofbreedingandfeedingan

increasedstockoftrouttomeettheincreaseddemand,Imaystatewithouthesitationthat

thedifficultyinbreedingfishinsufficientnumberswillbefarmoreeasilyovercomethan

thatoffeedingthemuptoarespectablesizeandcondition.Nodoubttheshrinkingofour

brooksalreadyalludedtohasdamagedmanyofthebestspawninggrounds,andexposed

others in an increasing degree to the depredations of that worst class of poachers who

destroythefishontheredds.But,ontheotherhand,artificialbreedinghasforsomeyears

pastbeen betterunderstoodandmoreextensivelypractised intheUnitedKingdom;and

thoughwearestillfarbehindtheUnitedStates–andprobablybehindCanada–inthis

departmentofpisciculture,yetIthinktheFisheriesExhibitioncertainlygaveastimulusto

trout breeding which will not only keep up the tale of fish in well-stocked waters, but

restoreafairheadoftroutinstreamswhencetheyhavealmostdisappeared.

An interesting article published in the ‘Standard,’ on the breeding establishment at

Howietown,showsthatbythejudiciousoutlayofaverysmallcapital,millionsofsmall

fry may be yearly brought into the market at moderate prices and yet with a handsome

profit to the breeder. We may, I think, assume that for the future there will be little

difficulty in obtaining any reasonable quantity of stock trout from this and similar

establishments.Thechiefquestion for the purchaserwillbe what size ofstockwill pay

himbest.

For a preserver who has, in connection with his own trout stream, the requisite

appliancesfor‘hatchingout’eyedova,orfeedingbabyfishjustfreedfromtheumbilical

sack, trout, in one of these two stages, will probably be the best investment. But for

turning directly into the river the stock should be yearlings not less than five inches in

length. They are easily moved if two conditions be borne in mind. First, the vessel in

whichtheyarecarriedshouldbesmoothwithin,topreventbruising,whichisapttosetup

fungoiddisease;and,secondly,thewatershouldbekeptinmotion,aërated,infact,tosuit

thebreathingofthefish.This,indeed,istheoneindispensableconditionforkeepingthe

trout,innorth-countryphrase,‘wickandheerty’ontheirjourney.Thelateanglingeditor

oftheFieldtoldme,astheresultofhisownexperienceintransportingfish,thatheknew

no better vessel for the purpose than the ordinary glass carboy used for chemicals. Its

merit,Ipresume,liesintheperfectsmoothnessoftheinterior.Suchavessel,however,is

fitted only for a small live cargo. As the removal of trout in large numbers becomes a

morefamiliarprocess,weshalldoubtlessseeingeneralusetravellingtanksmuchlikea

modern watering cart, but provided with mechanical means for keeping the water in

motion.

My attention was first drawn to this subject many years ago, long before I had

discardedthespinningminnowforthefly.Iusedtocarryaboutascoreofliveminnowsin

a common soda-water bottle – just the glass carboy on a small scale – which I planted

neckupwardinmycreel,withanotchinthesideofthecorktopermitfreechangeofair.

They never ailed anything as long as I kept moving; but if I sat down for a meditative

weed – and where can this be better enjoyed than in a shady nook by the waterside,

‘Propteraquaerivumsubramisarborisaltae’?–everyminnow–outofpurecussedness

asitseemed–wouldsickeninfiveminutes,andifIfailedtonoticethefirstsymptoms

wouldbe‘anunpleasantdempbody’inaquarterofanhour.Likeminnow,liketrout.

Sometwentyyearslater,whenIhadbeenlongfamiliarwiththecauseswhichmade

repose so fatal to my bait fish, I was actively engaged in a society for preserving the

ThamesaboutMarlow.Systematicpoachinghadmadesuchhavocwiththosefinestreams

thataThamestrouthadbecomearareandalmostlegendaryfish;andwhenwehadput

downourpoachersandproperlystakedthe‘ballastholes,’wheretheymurderedourfish

withthecastingnet,wefounditnecessarytorestocktheriver.Iobtainedagoodlylotof

trout from a Buckinghamshire stream some twenty-five miles distant, and had them

brought to Marlow by no better conveyance than open tubs in a common cart, with

floatingboardstochecksplashing.Theroadwasluckilyaroughone,andthedriverhad

strictorders–tosaynothing ofanextrafee – tokeepcontinuallyatajogtrot,that the

water might not stagnate. The fish all arrived at the Anglers’ Inn, Marlow (long may it

flourish!)inperfecthealth,thoughsundryofthemwerelargefish,weighingfromtwoto

threepounds.

Ourcommitteewere then sitting, and after a glanceatthetubsIwentbacktojoin

them, taking it for granted that the trout would be at once turned in below the weir,

accordingtoinstructionspreviouslygiven.Butaftersometenminutesitstruckmeasodd

thatIhadnotseenanyofthetubscarriedpastthewindow.Jumpingupandcallingtothe

resttofollowmeIrantothecart–notaminutetoosoon.Halfthefish–andallthelarge

ones–hadalreadysickenedandweregaspingsideup.Wehurriedtheminhothastedown

to the water, and the fresh stream just saved their lives, one fish only proving past

recovery.Fiveminutesmoreofstillwater,andthewholecargowouldhavebeenlost;asit

was,theintroductionofthosetroutrestoredthebreedwhichhadbecomealmostextinctin

thatfinereachoftheriver.

Theywereturnedin,ifIremember,abouttheendofAugust,afteraseasonduring

whichIcouldonlyhearofthreetroutkilledbyfairanglingfromMarlowWeirtoSpade

Oak.Inthefourthseasonafter,Itooksomefortymyself,thoughhardlyvisitingtheriver

twiceaweek.

Ihavetoldthisstoryatsomelengthtoillustratethenecessityofkeepingthewater

aeratedbymotionwhenstocktroutarebeingtransported;butitmaypointanothermoral,

viz.thatitisdesirabletousesizeablefishforrestockingexhaustedstreams.

Letmeaddhere,thatIambynomeansfancifulaboutstockingwater,whetherpool

orstream,withwhatiscalleda‘finebreed’oftrout.Suchabreedresultsfromcenturies,

perhaps, of superior feeding, and trout of such a race, if removed to waters where the

dietaryislessgenerous,willbeaptto‘dwindle,peakandpine,’oratbestwilllosetheir

distinctivesuperiority.Ontheotherhand,fishtakenfromahungrywaterandturnedinto

onewherethebilloffareismoreliberalcannotfailtothrive.Ihaveseenmanynotable

instanceswheretinybrookfish,whichathomewouldneverhaveexceededfourorfive

ounces in weight, have been removed into a large sheet of deep water, and have there

becomelargeandgood–worthyofanangler’srespectandaffection.Iwillmentiontwo

examples.OnahighmoorlandbesideLartingtonHall,onthebordersofcountyDurham,

runsasmallburn–thesamewhich,aftergatheringitsdarkpeat-stainedwaters,plunges

downromanticDeepdaletojointheTeesaboveBarnardCastle;‘scenessungbyhimwho

singsnomore.’

Onthismoorlandalargepoolwasformed,ofperhapsthirty-fiveacres,itsformation

aided by the course of the burn. The moss-hags which had quaked along the winding

banksofthestreamletwerescoopedawaytillthegravelbelowwasreached,andthepeaty

soil was used to form a raised barrier round the extensive hollow, so as to deepen the

watersstillfarther.Aboutfiveyearsafterthisartificiallakehadbeenformedandstocked

fromthebitburniethatfedit,Ihadthepermissionoftheowner,GeorgeWitham,Esq.–a

namethenwellknowninthescientificworld,butmytaleissomefortyyearsold–totry

theflyonesummer’seveningonitswaters.Iwasveryfortunate,eitherinmydayormy

choiceofflies,orboth;forthoughIhadbeentoldthatthefishcouldrarelybecoaxedto

rise,Ikilledinashortevening’sfishing,withmyScotchlakeflies,eleventrout,ofwhich

thesmallestweighedaboveapound,thelargesttwoandthree-quarters.

Imadeayetheavierbasketinaroughafternoonthefollowingyear.FinerfishIhave

rarely seen, small-headed, hog-backed, and strong on the line. They took the fly in the

grandeststyle;showingsnout,backfinandtail,andcomingdownontheirpreywithsuch

certaintythatImissedbutonefishineachday.Thewater,aswellaspartsofthebottom,

beingdarkish,andthedepthconsiderable,theiroutsidehuewascloudedgoldratherthan

silver,buttheycutasredastroutoftheThames.

IknowasimilarinstanceinadeepreservoirontheBrownCleeHill,fedbyapetty

brooklet.ThefishinthepoolarePatagonians,andnotmorelargethangood–thoseofthe

brookofthesmalldimensionssuitedtotheirresidence.Thusthereisbutonestepbetween

thetwoquestionsofbreedingandfeeding.Awell-fedtroutwill,generallyspeaking,bea

goodtrout,andalargerangeofwaterwillsupplyitsinhabitantswithatleastarespectable

dietary.Inthiswaymillsdotheanglergoodservice;thefishinthemilldamhave,soto

say,alargerpasture, and mostly weighheavierthanthose in the shallowreachesof the

Thames.

Thefirstandmostobviousmethod,then,forcounteractingthecausestowhichIhave

pointed as tending to reduce the volume of our streams and the amount of trout food

whichtheysupply,liesindeepeningandwideningportionsofthosestreams.Thiscanbe

easily done in many of our brooks, by raising barriers to hold up the water, and by

enlarging and deepening portions of their courses at the small sacrifice of a few square

yardsofpoorsoiladjoininganaturalhollowintheirbeds.Thefishintheartificialpools

thusformedwillbebetterfedandconsequentlylargerthanthoseintheordinaryshallow

courseofthebrookor‘peltingriver’–toborrowShakespeare’sphrase–whichfavours

themultiplicationoftroutbutfailstosupplythemwithabundantfood.

Ofcoursewemustrememberthattroutwater,whetherpoolorriver,mayeasilybe

overstocked.InthecourseofaramblethroughanunfrequentedpartofLochaber,Ionce

cameuponatinytarn,fedbyaburnwhich,thoughofthesmallestsize,affordedexcellent

gravelly bottom for ‘redds.’ I made a few experimental throws over it, and each time

landedafishoneveryfly.Iaddedtwosmallhacklestomyordinarycastofthree,andhad

fivetroutlingshookedinasmanyseconds.Imadeadozenmorecasts,andeachtimetook

five fish. They were so greedy that they would have the hook, so small that I had no

difficultyinsendingthewholequintettflying.

HadI had any object in further slaughter – a feudwiththecookatInverlair,oran

extensivecontractforpottedtrout–Icouldeasily,withtheaidofmygillietounhookthe

fish,havetakenathousandbraceofthesehungryfryinaday.Minewereperhapsthefirst

artificialfliestheyhadeverseen, forthetarninquestionliesquiteoffthebeatentrack,

though near Lochs Treig and Ouchan, which would have naturally attracted any

wanderinganglerinthoseregions.ButsuchacaseofoverstockingIneverwitnessed.

Withinamileortwo,andonthesamestretchofmoorland,butatalowerleveland

wherethedepthofpeat was far greater, lay anothertarnoffouror five acres in extent,

whichhadno‘feeder’orpossiblebreedingground,andmusthavebeencasuallystocked

bysomeviolentoverflowofaneighbouringburn.Ihadheardoflargetroutinthis,and

trieditfrommerecuriosity,havingneverseenanythingmoredrearyandunpromising,less

likeaChristiantarnthanareachoftheStyx.Ibasketedfiveorsixonly;notthatthefish

wereshy,butsimply,asIfullybelieve,becausetheywerefew.Theywereallnearlyofa

size,aboveapoundandunderapoundandahalf;theiroutsidecolourprettymuchthatof

a red Indian, and not unhandsome. But when sent up to table they proved simply

uneatable,havingthe‘peatreek’sostrongthatItastedonemerelyfromasenseofduty,

anddealtwiththemouthfulasDrJohnsondidwiththehotpudding–‘Afoolmighthave

swallowedit.’Nothingbetterinflavourcouldhavebeenexpectedfromamereturfhole,

but the weight of these fish may illustrate what I have said of ‘range of water’ as

conducivetosize.

Therearemanylargepiecesofwater,eitheraltogetherunusedorgivenuptobaser

fish, which would carry a good head of trout It is always assumed that these require

runningwater,oratleastapoolfedbyastreamorspring.Butifturnedoutyoungthey

willgrowsurprisinglyinwaterabsolutelystagnantbutforapassingbreezeorshower.I

knowasmallpondintheEastRidingwithnofeederoroutlet,muchresemblingthechalk

pondsontheHampshireDowns.Itisirregularinshape,butinareaaboutequaltoacircle

ofthirtyyards’radius;shallowatthemargin,butdeepeningtoasmallislandinthecentre;

the ground shelving towards it for some distance, so that a heavy rain soon tells on its

level.Itsordinaryinhabitantsarenumeroustenchandgold-fish,withafewminnowsof

extraordinarysize.Intothispondtheowner,whoisnotonlyaskilfulflyfisherbutmuch

interested in pisciculture, turned a few small trout from the Driffield Beck as an

experiment.TwoorthreeyearsafterIoftensawagoodfishrisingnearthelittleisland,

andaboutfouryearsafterthestockwereturnedinoneofthemwastakenweighing4lbs.

7oz.Ididnotseethefish,butwasassuredthathewasingoodcondition.

Hewasturnedlooseagainafterahastyweighing,buthehadseenhisbestdays,and

in the following season was finally drawn out a mere living skeleton. Under the

circumstanceswecanhardly‘wonderagreattroutshoulddecline.’Thewonderlayinthe

dimensionsheactuallyattained.

InanothercaseIstockedwithtinytrout,caughtwiththehandfromtheverysmallest

of Kentish brooks, a little pool of about twelve yards by five, formed merely for

picturesqueeffectinthebeautifulgroundsof‘TheHollands,’nearTunbridgeWells.Here

therewasasortoffeeder,butsosmallthatanordinarypitchermightduringninemonths

oftheyearhavereceivedallthatflowedinthecourseofaminutefromthe‘littleNaiad’s

impoverishedurn.’InthethirdyearafterwardsItriedthepondthusfedwithextemporised

tackle – a hazel stick, a line of Irish thread, and a glass minnow which happened to be

travellinginmyportmanteau.InlessthanhalfanhourItooktwotroutweighinglb.each;

bothwellfed,handsomefish,firmandpink-fleshed.

ImentionthesefactsbecauseIwouldfainseetroutmoregenerallyintroducedinto

ornamentalwaters.Forinstance,IfeelassuredthatthesheetofwaterinBatterseaPark,if

judiciouslystockedwithsmallfishfromasmallstream,wouldcarryagoodheadoftrout,

whosemovementswoulddivertmanyatoilingartisan,unusedtoanynoblerfishthana

half-grownrudd.Therearemanyofourcanalsinwhichtroutmightthrive.Withinafew

fieldsoftheDriffieldBeckanotableexamplemaybeseeninacanalconnectingthetown

ofDriffieldwiththeHumber.Oddlyenough,thenativesalwayscallit‘theRiver.’

Some forty-five years ago, in very bad fishing weather, I wanted to carry home to

Hullanextralotoffish,andthoughtIwouldtrytheriverheadatanhourwhen,according

tomyexperience,brooktroutarehardlyawake.Itookafairstockofminnowswithme,

andmademyfirstcastinthemorningtwilight,soonafterfouro’clock.Betweenthathour

andsevenIgotthreeandahalfbraceoftrout,averagingmorethanapoundandahalf,

anddecidedlybetterfedfishthanthoseusuallycaughtintheClubwaterevenatthatdate,

when minnows and May flies still abounded. A finer dish I have rarely seen; but I was

grievouslyvexedatnotbeingabletobeguileone‘mostdelicatemonster,’weighing,Iam

sure,fullninepounds,whomorethanoncefollowedmyminnowbutwastoowarytotake

it.TwoyearsagoIsawaseven-poundfishfromthesamewater,inperfectcondition,andI

suppose a score or so of heavy fish are caught there yearly; but there has been a great

fallingoffinnumbers.ThesizeandflavourofthesefishIattributetotheabundanceof

food.

All along the course of the canal, and especially about the locks below which the

troutaremostlyfound,thesmallscalefishseemtocrowdthewater,andonemightfancy

atroutrevellingwithouteffortinoneperpetualfeast.

IftheDriffieldfolkshadonlyenterpriseenoughtoturnin,say,threehundredbrace

ofstockfisheveryyear,therewouldbemorefirst-ratetrout–first-ratebothastosizeand

condition–caughtinthatshortstretchofinlandnavigationthaninanequallengthofany

EnglishriverwithwhichIamacquainted.

Therearedoubtlessothercanalsinwhichsimilar,thoughnotequal,resultsmightbe

attained.IrememberformerlyhearingofsomegoodbasketsmadeinonenearChirk.Of

course,wherethereisastrongheadofpiketroutwillstandbutapoorchance;otherwise,a

canalcarriedthroughagoodtroutingcountryoughtitselftobe‘troutable.’Itis,Irepeat,a

merequestionoffood,whichwillgenerallyaboundinlargebodiesoffairlyclearwater.

No doubt the angler in a canal, or in one of those waste reaches of water which

bordersomanyofourrailroads,mustforegothepoetryofhiscraft.Notforhimarethe

‘liquidi fontes et mollia prata’ – the gushing streams and flower-enamelled meadows

whichcontributesolargelytotheenjoymentofaflyfisher’sramblebybrookorriver.Yet

toanartisanescapedfromthewearytownonalongsummer’seveningorarareholiday,

his sport will bring its own enjoyment and even its surroundings, if not distinctly

picturesque,willhaveacertainruralcharm.Thelevellineofwateralongwhichheplies

hiscrafthasatleastitsgreenfringeanditsborderoffieldstorestandrefreshhiseye;and

ifalongwithafewfishforthe‘missis’hecancarryhomeabunchofmarshmarigoldsor

forget-me-nots,ayellowiris,oraspikeofpurpleloose-strifeforthe‘kids’,hewillbewell

pleasedwithhishumbletrophies.

PhilanthropyinourEnglandtakesathousandforms;anassociationforstockingthe

openwatersnearesttoourtownswiththebestfishtheyarecapableoffeedingwouldbea

beneficentandpopularnovelty.AndIfeelsurethatifevertheexperimentbetriedona

large scale, no little surprise will be felt even by experienced anglers at the ease with

whichtroutwilladaptthemselvestowatersapparentlyunpromising.

I have pointed out, under the general head of ‘Flies,’ the chief ingredients of that

insect diet on which trout so largely subsist. But as that diet is, for reasons already

mentioned,becomingscantierinmanyofourbeststreams,weshoulddowelltostudythe

meansofsupplementingitwithotherkindsoffood.Itis,Iamafraid,uselesstoattempt

restoring the larger Ephemera in waters whence they have died out, drainage and weed

cuttingremainingthesame.The flies are too delicate to befitforbreeding after a long

journey,anditwouldbedifficultto obtain the larvae in sufficientquantitiestogivethe

experiment a fair chance of success. As regards the Phryganeae, there are some

neighbourhoods where a few sharp lads might gather ‘caddis’ almost by the bushel for

turning out in the adjacent trout stream. But this could only be worthwhile in a land of

springditchesandshallowdrains,andeventhenitisbynomeanssurethatthestockof

fliescouldbepermanentlyincreased.Instreamswherethetroutrunlargemuchmight,I

think,bedonebyprovidingthemwithcheapfishdinners.Atroutovertwopoundsweight

generallybecomes‘piscivorous’ifhehasachance,andneverattainssolargeagrowthas

whenheisabundantlysuppliedwithminnowsorothersmallfry.Itistruethatakindof

‘stallfeeding’maybepursuedwithgreatsuccess.

Abouttheyear1840,adistinguishedofficerinformedmethatataWaterlooBanquet

whichhehadrecentlyattendedtherewereserveduptwotroutnearlyofasize,fromthe

preservesofSirHomePopham,nearHungerford,whichtogetherweighed36lbs.These

fishhadbeenfedonchoppedliver,andmyinformantassuredmethatnosalmoncouldbe

bettereating.ButafewyearsafterwardsIheardofastillheavierspecimen,weighing23

lbs.7oz.,sentuptoLondonfromthesameneighbourhood.

This, as far as I know, was the largest specimen of Salmo fario on record in the

BritishIsles.

Afishoftwenty-onepoundsissaidtohavebeencaughtintheriverExe.Iremember

the capture – with pike tackle – of one over fifteen pounds in Marlow Pool, and have

heard of other fish from the Thames that weighed eighteen pounds. The Driffield Club

usedtoexhibitastuffedseventeen-pounder,caughtindays whentherewasaperiodical

migrationofcountlessminnowsupthevariousfeedersofthe‘Beck,’pursuedbyflightsof

thesmallblack-headedternor‘carr-swallow.’ButtillIhearofarivalcandidateforfirst

honours,IshallstillsaytothatnobletroutofHungerford,‘Tumaximusillees.’

Thesystemoffeedingwhichgavehimandsundryotherstately‘bulks’–likeArac’s

brethren–tothemarketwasbrieflyasfollows.Twoadjacenttanks–fortheeatersandthe

eaten–weresuppliedbyarunningstream,andnowandthenalargehoopedlandingnet

withsmallmeshwasdippedintothereservoirofbait,anditscontentshandedovertothe

cannibalshardby.Thenensuedagrandscene:adozenspeckledgiantsappeared,rushing,

plunging,gulping,walloping,tillthelastvictimhaddisappeared,whentranquildigestion

becametheorderoftheday.Underthissystemoftraining,atroutonalargescale,caught

lankandleanafterbreeding,mighteasilydoublehisweightinthecourseoftheseason.It

should,however,beremarkedthatmuchwillturnon thesmallnessofthefry.Troutare

sadlyindifferenttofamilyties,buttheywillthriveontheirinfantgrandchildrenorgreat-

grandchildren, whereas the occasional assimilation of an adult son or daughter will not

keepthemincondition.Theheaviestmealwillnotfattenwhenittakestendaystodigest.

Hencethegreatvalueofagoodsupplyofminnowsinatroutstream.Easilycaughtand

greatlyrelished,theytendtocheckthepracticeofinfanticideamongelderlytrout,while

theyarefatteningfrombeingreadilydigestible.

Ihaveroughlyguessedattwopoundsastheweightbeyondwhichatroutshouldnot

bewhollydependentoninsectdiet;buttheysometimestaketotheminnowveryearly.I

rememberwatchingafishontheupperwatersoftheFromeextremelybusyamongsome

fryjustwhereasmalldrainjoinedthestream.Iwasflyfishing,but,failingtoraisehim,I

caughtatinystickleback,clipped offthe spines, andthrewitto him on a doubleworm

hook like a fly minnow. He took it instantly, and on landing him I found that, though

weighing little more than three-quarters of a pound, he had actually forty-six small

minnowsin his maw, the uppermost freshly swallowed,while those farthest downwere

morethanhalfdigested,andperhapsmorenumerousthanImadethemoutbythetaleof

backbones.Thisfish,thoughhehadtakentoaminnowdietsoyoung,wasverythickand

firm-fleshed.

Butitisforkeepinguptheconditionofreallylargefishthatanabundantsupplyof

minnowsisespeciallydesirable,andIwouldstronglyurgeproprietorsandanglingclubs

tolosenoopportunityofobtainingadditionstothelocalstock.Thereareplentyofsmall

streamsand springditcheswhereminnowsabound, with notrouttokeeptheirnumbers

down, and it will be best to obtain them from a great variety of waters. Care must of

coursebetakenthatnofryof‘scalefish’findaplaceamongthem.

Nexttotheminnowinvalueasfoodfortroutcomesthatverydelicatelittlefish,the

stone-loach,or‘beardie,’thedelightofeveryurchinwhohas‘paidlitintheburn,’whereit

isfoundcuddlingcannilyundertheshadysideofastone.Elderlytroutpursuetheloach

most greedily, and seem to prefer it even to the minnow. I have never known the

experiment tried of introducing it into a trout stream, though I have known several in

which it was quite at home. But from the great variety of brooks in which it thrives,

ranging from Scotland to Devonshire, I think such an experiment would be well worth

trying. It would succeed, I feel assured, wherever there are plenty of gravelly shallows,

brokenbystonesfromthesizeofafisttothatofabrickbat.

The‘miller’sthumb,’or‘bull-head,’hasnearlythesamehabitsastheloach,andis

relishedbytroutinspiteofhisspinyshoulders.

Again,therearecertainsmallcrustaceans,popularlyknownas‘fresh-watershrimps’

(Cammarinae, I think, is their learned name), which are found in fine sand in sundry

streamsknownforthefirmnessandflavouroftheirtrout.Butofthehabitsofthesequeer

littlewrigglersIknownothing.Ihavemerelyageneralimpressionthattheyoughttobe

classedamong‘movablefeasts’fortrout,withavaguehopethatsomebrotheranglerwith

equal zeal and more knowledge will succeed in introducing them to new waters forthe

fatteningofunderfedfish.

Itiswellknownthatsmallshellfishformalargepartofthedietonwhichfishthrive

inmanycelebratedlakes. Loch Leven may bementionedas a case in point,thoughthe

area of the weed beds from which its trout pick their favourite food has been greatly

reduced.Thegillarooseemstoowehisspecialexcellencetothesame‘hardmeat,’andI

havelittledoubtthathisdistinctivegizzardismerelyanorgandevelopedinthecourseof

manygenerationstoaidinthecrunchingofshellfish.ButIhaveneverseenitsuggested

thatthetroutofourbrooksandrivershavethesametastefortheseroughmorsels.There

is,however,onegenus–thatofLimnaeus–severalspeciesofwhichmight,Ithink,do

good service in a trout stream. One especially looks as if it would be ‘catawampously

chawedup’byanytroutofgoodtaste.Theshellisveryfrail,withawidetransparentlip;

andinwarmweatheryoumayseethembyhundredsfloatingoverthesurfaceofaweedy

poolwiththislipupwards,surmountedandoverlappedbyatemptingexpanseofsoft,fat

body,mostinvitingtoanyhungryfish.Theyare,itistrue,chieflyfoundinstillpools,but

wouldthriveintheslowsedgyreachesandquietbackwatersoflargestreams.

This is not a mere conjecture of my own. A valued friend, the late Mr. Morton

Allport, of Hobart Town, to whose judgment and energy Tasmanian pisciculture owed

muchofitssuccess,importedanumberoftheseshellfishsoonaftertheintroductionof

EnglishSalmonidae into the island,andwatchedtheir multiplicationwith great interest.

Hefoundthattheywouldthriveinquietstreams,andshowedthemtomeclusteringround

abedoftheEnglishwaterlily.Theywere,inhisopinion,excellentfoodforbothtroutand

perch.

Ihaveyetonemoreformoftroutdiettomentionwhichmaysurprisemanyofmy

readers. I speak of a certain very small leech, never, I believe, found in rivers, but

abundant in sundry lochs. I must confess myself utterly ignorant of the laws which

determine the habitat of these delicate crawlers, but I have found trout literally gorged

with them who were far above the common standard in colour and flavour; and were I

about to establish a normal training school for Salmonidae, I would stock my lake or

reservoir with a few hundred of these hirudines, obtained, e.g. from Llyn Manwd, near

Ffestiniog.

I have gone into these details from a conviction that the trout fishing of the future

mustturningreatmeasureonthequestionoffood,andthatanyandeverymeansshould

be tried to increase the supply. In dry seasons, the upper waters of our streams require

especial looking to, when they are too much shrunk tp attract the fly fisher. It is

occasionallynecessarytomovelargenumbersofthefishdownthestreamasitssources

fail; but, short of this extreme case, a palliative may be adopted – more wholesome, I

admit,thansavoury–byakeeperwhowillcondescendtodetails.

A few of the crows, magpies, stoats, or cats, that have fallen victims to his

professionalzeal,maybehungonbranchesoverhangingthewaterholesinwhichthefish

are gathered to keep their enforced Lent, and a goodly shower of gentles will greatly

softentherigourofthefast.Infact,nosourceofsupplyshouldbeoverlooked.

Fewanglersareunacquaintedwiththeannoyanceoffrequentwasps’nestsalongthe

bank of the stream they are fishing. I have myself more than once been driven to

ignominiousflightfromapromisingpool,andthethoughthascomeintomymind,‘Ihope

when that nest is taken its fragments may be thrown into the stream.’ If anyone asks,

‘Why,what’sthatgoodfor?’IreplywithShylock,‘Tobaitfishwithal!’

GRAYLING

Ihavethusfarspokenalmostexclusivelyoftrout.Thegrayling,however,deservesmore

thanamerecasualnotice,andCotton’sghostmighthauntmeifinwritingof‘fineandfar

off’Iignoredthefishhelovedsowell.

Andindeed, ‘formyownparticular,’Igreatlyadmirethe grayling,who,Ithink,is

lessprizedthanhedeserves.Hisbeautyistheleastofhismerits–yethowbeautifulheis!

Takenoutofseason–inJune,forinstance,orearlyJuly–thedullyellow-brownofhis

back and sides is not attractive; but when he has recovered his condition, and adds the

charmofcolourtohisalwaysgracefulshape–whenheshowsarichdarktintdowntothe

mesialline,andsilvermailasbrightasthatofthesalmoninlevellinesbelow,whilehis

lofty back fin, like some ‘storied window, richly dight,’ transmits the sunshine through

purple, red, and gold, no lovelier prize, save the rarely caught red char, can grace an

angler’s creel. The curious vegetable fragrance, again, whence he draws his name of

SalmoThymallus,contrastsagreeablywiththeancientandfish-likesmellwhichclingsto

otherfinnycaptives.

For the table, I should place a well-grown grayling in autumn or winter above the

averageof river trout, while the ‘shetts,’or two-year-olds,are in season allthe summer

through,andifjudiciouslyfriedarenearlyequaltoasmeltinflavour.

Cotton is in a measure right when he calls him ‘the deadest- hearted of fishes,’

making ‘no great stir’ on the hook. He bores steadily down toward the gravel, working

mostly up stream, but rarely making a sudden rush or attempting to weed himself. Yet

even this dispraise needs some qualification. In small streams I have several times

encounteredgraylingwhofoughtfortheirliveswithallthedashaswellasthedoggedness

oflustytrout,thoughIhavenevermetwiththelikeinalargeriver.Imightmakeafair

guessatthecauseofthisdifference,butprefertorecordthesimplefact.

Ihaveseldomfishedforgraylingwithanylurebuttheartificialfly.Tome,indeed,

thecrownofallflyfishingisabrightbreezydayontheTemeorLugaboutthemiddleof

August, when the grayling are coming on and the trout not yet gone off. The sport is

variedbutalmostcontinuous; there is seldom a reach tobe ‘skipped’ onyourriver-side

beat. From the dashing rapid haunted by trout you ascend to the steadily running ford,

from two to four feet deep, in which you know that the grayling lie thick – ‘not single

spies, but in battalions.’ At the top of this again you come on a deep pool, with foam-

flecked eddies where the trout reassume their sway, while on the confines of these

differentreachesyoumay hook either trout orgraylingor both together.A brace ofthe

formerwithoneofthelatter,orviceversa,makeratheranexcitingcomplication.

Thisdelightfulchapterof‘dual’capturesendswiththefirstweekofSeptember;but

therestillremainsagoodspellofgraylingfishingpuretsimple.Theydrawtogethermore

andmoreinthequietfords,andfeedmoreboldlyandcontinuously.

Sunshine sometimes appears to improve the sport, and on ‘a glorious day in the

golden-brightOctober,’withthemostordinarycareincastingtowardsthelight,youmay

notonlytakefishafterfishalongsixtyyardsofwater,butonreachingtheendmayretrace

yourstepsandfishitoveragainwithequalsuccess.Whengraylingarerisingfreelyyou

mayfillyourbasketinperfectlysmoothwaterbyalongcastwiththefinestgut.

Afewwordsastothestyleofcastingwhichshouldbeadoptedmaynotbeamiss.In

thefirstplace,Icareverylittleforup-streamordownstreamfishingwhengraylingaremy

object. I cast right across the ford, with just a shade of upward tendency. Whether in

working the stream I shall move up or down its course will be matter of convenience

dependingprincipallyonthesunandwind.

Grayling being chiefly found in the lower and broader reaches of the river, and

affectingthemid-channelratherthanthesides,cannotbereachedby theup-streamcast

unless you are wading deep, and not always then. If you wade you had better move up

streamyourselftoavoiddisturbance,butyouwillstill,Ithink,succeedbetterbythrowing

acrossthanahead.Graylingbeing,asIhavesaid,gregarious,youwillofcoursegreatly

improveyourchancesbyfishingwithatleasttwoflies,andinafair-sizedriverIseldom

uselessthanthree.Herethecrossthrowhasanobviousadvantage.Ihavekilleddoublets

adozentimesaday,withnowandthenthreefishatacast.

‘Fineandfaroff’shouldbetheflyfisher’smaximwithgraylingevenmorethanwith

trout.Butnotthelessmusthestudytothrowaslittleshadowaspossible.Thegraylinglies

chiefly in the open, and is easily to be approached under cover, so that everything may

dependonyourbeingontherightorwrongsideofthewater.

It should be borne in mind that the grayling shoots upwards at the fly almost

vertically,and, if there isany eddy, oftenmisses it Throwover him again andagain no

matter how quickly; you will have him at last. I remember killing a good fish at

Leintwardineathiseleventhrise.Astothelife-likeworkingoftheflyIhavealreadysaid

my say, and I will only add that in grayling fishing I repeat my cast more frequently,

caeterisparibus,thanwhenthrowingfortrout.

OffliesIhavebutfewonmylist,someofwhichIhavenamedalreadyasfavourites

withtrout.Generallyspeaking,graylingfliesshouldbesmallandofamarkedcharacter.

Wren-tailwithanorangebody–agrandkillerinDerbyshire–thefernfly,antfly,silver

blue and orange tag, with a small but showy red spinner for the evening, are all that I

shouldspeciallyrecommend.

ThoughIcarelittleforgraylingfishingexceptwiththefly,Ioughtfairlytomention

that the heaviest fish are caught with other lures. I have heard of very large fish out of

season taken with trout flies in summer in the Test and Avon. But, putting aside these

worthless captures, grayling of the very largest size are chiefly taken by ‘sinking and

drawing’withtheartificialgrasshopper,orwithwormorgentle.Formyself–andIthinkI

havescoredprettyheavily–thelargestgraylingIevertookwiththeflyweighedbuttwo

poundsandthree-quarters,nordoIremembertohaveeverraisedalarger.

Theyrunmuchinsizes,andinthestreamsofShropshireandHerefordshire,whereI

ammostathome,theSeptemberfish,representingthewell-grown‘shetts’oftheprevious

year, run close upon three-quarters of a pound, while those a year older weigh about a

poundmore.Theselatterarereallynoblefish,andgiveexcellentsportwithfinetackle;

yettheyfallfarshortofthosekilledwiththegentle,especiallywhencombinedwiththat

attractivelure,the‘artificialgrasshopper.’

The heaviest basket I ever heard of was made at Leintwar- dine by the late Sir

CharlesCuyler–asportsmanwhohad,Ibelieve,nosuperiorwiththegunandveryfew

withtherod.Theexactweight,takenatoneboutwiththe‘pointed’grasshopper,Icannot

recall,butthebestninefishweighedtwenty-sevenpounds.

The grasshopper, as I tie it, has a plumpish body, ribbed with alternate strands of

greenandgoldenflosssilk,withanarrowstripoffinequillorstrawlaidlengthwiseon

eachside.Thehookisaboutthesizeofthatusedforasmallgreendrake,andalongthe

backofitislappedasmallslipoflead,tofacilitatesinking.Careshouldbetakenthatthe

bulkofthegrasshoppermaybechieflyatthebackofthehook,inordernottointerfere

withthehold,andthereshouldberoomforacoupleofgentlesorasmallworm-tail.

Asthelargefishsuckthisinafteramostgingerlyfashion,itisusualtohaveaninch

orsoofasmall-barreledquill,somethinglikeaminiaturefloat,slidingalongtheline,just

farenough from thehook to be always kept in sightduring the processof ‘sinking and

drawing.’ When a fish takes, this is seen to make a slight but sudden downward

movement,sothattheangler’seyegiveshimwarningbeforehishandcanfeelthetouch.

Were I deliberately pot fishing without regard for the daintiness of my favourite

sport, I could easily – especially in a bright low water – increase my take of fish by

‘pointing’ my fly hook. An ant’s egg serves the purpose well, being both cleaner and

lighterthanagentle.IrememberearlyonaJulymorningmentioningthistoafriendwho

wasdrivingmeovertoLeintwardine.W—hadlittlehopeofsport;theriverwaslow,the

fishshy;thegraylingespecially,hetoldme,weresulkinginshoalsatthebottomofthe

deeppools.

‘Were it not for your club rules,’ said I, ‘which you tell me are so very strict, you

might pick out a few of those fellows by pointing your fly hook with an ant’s egg.’ he

repliedthatitwasnottobeheardof,yetmethoughtwasrathercuriousastotheforbidden

process.

Wepartedshortlyafteratthewater-side,andbeforewemetagainintheafternoonI

hadagrandbasketoftrout.Theriverwassolowthateverystakeshowed;thefishcame

strongonthefeed,andbehindeverystakeIcouldseethesuckofagoodlysnout,sothata

longcastup stream withmytwo-handed rod wasabsolutelymurderous. W— haddone

very little with the trout, not having fished so ‘fine’ or so ‘far off,’ and having been

unluckyinhischoiceofwater.Butthereweretwoorthreereallyhandsomegraylinginhis

basket,againstwhichIhadnothingtoshow.Ihadkilledtheonlyoneofdecentsizewhich

Ihadseenriseduringtheday,andevenhewasnogreatthings.Coulditreallyhavebeen

meamaximaculpathatIhadtakennofishlikethosebeforeme?

W—answeredmyquestionsastotheflyhehadusedwithanadmirablesteadinessof

countenance; but when ‘still I gazed, and still my wonder grew,’ he could stand it no

longer,andburstintothatcheeryringinglaughwhichhismanyfriendsroundtheCleewill

recallsowellandsoregretfully.Itwasimpossiblenottojoinchorusashejustarticulated,

‘Ants’eggs.’

Thegentle,usedbyitselfonaverysmallhookandthrownlikethefly,isverykilling,

especiallyafterChristmas,whenbreedingtimedrawsnear,andthegraylinggrowsluggish

anddainty.Thewormwillkillthroughautumnandwinter,andiseasiertomanagethan

thegrasshopper,asyoumaygiveyourfishmoretime.But,afterall,givemeanopenford,

aclearcast,andtheartificialfly.

This irregularity of ‘location’ is very puzzling, especially when we consider how

closelysomeofthestreamswhencetheyareabsentresembleothersinwhichtheyabound.

The hypothesis which regards the grayling as a foreign fish, imported by the monks at

someunknowndate,seemsquiteuntenable.Itis,however,moretothepurposetoinquire

whether these valuable fish might not with advantage be introduced into many waters

where they are hitherto unknown; and on this question I have no doubts. Let us have

grayling in as many counties as the nature’of the streams will permit – at all events, in

many more than at present. There are some first-rate trout streams into which, on the

principleof‘lettingwellalone,’Ishouldhesitatetointroducethem,forfearofseriously

reducing the supply of trout food. It should, however, be remembered that in shallow,

rapidreachesofwater,andwhereverthestreamisviolentaswellasdeep,graylingwill

notrest.Nordo they ever work upstream,having(unlike the trout) a tendencytodrop

down from the upper stretches of water when these grow shallower till they reach the

fords, when they find themselves at home – calm, even-flowing reaches, of moderate

depthandspeed.Thustheeffectoftheircompetitionforfoodisnecessarilylimited,while

theadvantageoftheirneighbourhoodtothetrout–as,forinstance,inthebestDerbyshire

streams – is found not only in the possession of two game fish for sport or the table

insteadofone,butintheextendingthelegitimateanglingseasonthroughtheautumnand

wintermonths.

I have myself had no experience in the artificial breeding of grayling, and cannot

pretend to say whether their introduction to new waters would be best achieved by this

methodorbymovingaconsiderablenumberofmoderate-sizedfish.Butwithourpresent

knowledgeandapplianceseitherplanmightsurelybecarriedoutwithlittledifficulty.If

the fish are to be transported alive, the best time for their compulsory migration would

probablybetheverycloseoftheyear,thattheymayhavetheadvantageofcoolweather

fortravelling,andtimetosettledownintheirnewquartersbeforethebreedingseason.

There are however plenty of other streams, from the lowlands of Scotland to Kent

and Sussex, where the grayling might be introduced with every prospect of success.

Amongthose nearesttoLondonIshould name theStour,andperhapsthe Darenth.The

DriffieldBeckbelowWandsfordMillseemsexactlyfittedtocarrygraylingsidebyside

withtrout,butIdonotpretendtoenumeratethestreamsinwhichtheexperimentshould

betried.Iwishrathertosetanglingclubsandriparianproprietorstoworkinwhatseems

tomeamostpromisingfield.Especiallyletitberememberedthatthegraylingisrathera

northernthanasouthernfish,andbeyondtheBritishIslesthrivesbestinhighlatitudes.I

donotseewhyweshouldnothaveourfinestspecimensfromthenorthofScotland.At

presentIknowbutonestreamwhere‘Thymallus’hasbeennaturalisedduringthepresent

generation – the Corve, a small tributary which joins the Teme at Ludlow. There may,

however, well be others, as in a conversation a few years since with the Editor of the

Field,hetoldmeofsomegraylingwhichhehadrecentlytransportedbyrailwithperfect

success.Thesefish,however,weredestinedforasouthernstream.

Here I might fairly lay down my pen; but age has its privileges, and holding with

Cicerothatthegreatestofthese is‘authority,’I amtemptedtoadd a fewmiscellaneous

hintsonmattersinterestingtotheangler,trustingthatwithafew,atleast,ofmyreaders,to

whom I shall not be, like one of my ancestors, a mere nominisumbra, they will carry

someweight.

And,first,astotackle.Neverbuyacheaprod;itmaybeadmirablyfinished,butthe

chances are against its being thoroughly seasoned. It is only the great houses’ that can

affordtokeeptheirstaveslongenoughinstocktoinsuredurability.Green-heart,andsome

American ‘arrangements in cane and steel,’ are now much in fashion, and I believe on

reportthatyoumaynowobtainarodofgreaterpower–especiallyforthrowingagainst

thewind–thanthosewhichhavecontentedme.Still,soundhickoryisnottobedespised.

Ifyouwishyourrodstolastlong–andthetwoonwhichIdependhavebeeninuse

fiftyandtwentyyearsrespectively–lookcarefullytothemattheendoftheseason.Let

themberevarnishedandrelappedinthewinter,andhavealltheringssavethoseonthe

butt moved some points round, so as to shift the strain and obviate any tendency to a

permanentbiasor‘cast’inthewood.Asplicerodhasmoreperfectplaythanajointed

one, and is worth setting up if you live on a river; but otherwise the jointed rod of the

present day, with ends carefully brazed to prevent swelling in the socket, and patent

ferrulestosavetheawkwardprocessoflappingthejointstogether,isahandytoolenough

for practical purposes. On a wet day it is a good precaution to rub a little oil or deer’s

greaseroundtherimofeachferrule.

As for the reel, good ones are now as plentiful as blackberries. The circumference

shouldbelargeandthebarrelshort,sothatasingleturnmaygatherinorreleasemany

inchesofline.Multipliersmightbepronouncedanabomination,didnottheproverbforbid

ourspeakingillofthedead.Anglersgenerallyplacethereelwiththehandleontheright,

butIsuspecttheoppositepracticeispreferable;thecontrolofthefishwillthusbeleftto

the‘betterhand,’whiletheleftwillsufficefor‘pirninginand‘pirningout.’

Withregardtoreellines,Istilladheretotheoldsilkandhair,butIcanwellbelieve

that oiled silk, sufficiently tapered, is better in a high wind. Its weight, moreover, is a

constantquantity,whilethatofsilkandhairvariesunpleasantlyinrainandtowardswhatI

heardaLancashirekeepercall‘t’faageendo’t’dey.’

As to the gut collar, the question of ‘tapering’ is yet more important; in fact,

perfection in casting cannot be attained unless this be’ fine by degrees and beautifully

less.’IhaveneverboughtanyasperfectlyadjustedasthoseIhavetiedformyself.Butthe

graduatedarrangementofthelinksisdelicateandlaboriouswork–moretrying,Ithink,to

thesightthaneventhedressingofflies,andthedifficultyofthetaskofcourseincreases

withyears.Itisagoodplantohavethegutsortedbeforehandintodistinctsizes–thick,

medium,fine,andfinest–andtotieagoodmanycollarsatonesittingwhenyoureyeand

handarein.Beverycarefulwithyourknots,andneverattempttomakeonetillthegut

hasbeenthoroughlysoakedintepidwater.Payahighpriceforthebestgut,particularly

forpickedsamplesofthefinest.Engine-drawngutisgenerallyworthless;singlehairisfar

preferable– indeed,werenotthedocking ofhorsessouniversal,it mightbeoftenused

with advantage, as it falls more lightly, reflects the light less, and when taken from an

undockedstallionisofsuchalengthastoreducetheknotstoaminimum.

Thebestchanceofobtainingfirst-ratehairwould,Ithink,befromsomeofthedray

teams of great brewing firms. In some of our open northern streams good hair is

invaluable. But it must be used with caution. Hair is very elastic, but will not bear a

continuedstrainlikegut.Leaveittiedatastretch,anditwillshortlybreak.Hence,with

even the strongest hair you must play your fish with a lighter and, so to say, a more

variable hand than when using gut tackle. As for creels, a small one may do for brook

fishing,butforuseongoodwatersletitberoomy–enoughsotoholdatleasttwenty-five

poundsoffish.I havenotbeen speciallyprivilegedinaccesstotheverycreamoftrout

streams – have never, for instance, fished at Stockbridge or in the renowned Lathkill –

have never had a day in the water at Cheynies, immortalised by that genial sportsman,

AnthonyTrollope,orintheupperwatersofFostonBeck,admirablypreservedbyColonel

StQuintin.Nor,again,haveIeverhadleisuretopickmydays,buthavetakenmychances

ofaholidayorhalf-holidaywhentheyoffered.YetIhavenotinfrequentlyfilledabasket

ofthesizerecommendedtillitoverflowedintomypockets.

Bythebye,Ithinktheformofthecreelsingeneraluseagreatmistake.Theyshould

be made much longer at bottom, so that a good weight of fish may be laid out without

their pressing on each other, or being disfigured by bending. In an ordinary basket, the

undermostfishona good day aregrievouslycrushedby the last comers – asorrysight

whenlaidout.

Questions of dress come near to those of tackle. A broad-brimmed stiff felt hat is

your best thatch for all weathers. Wear woollen from head to fool, and knickerbockers

withthethickestInvernesshoseratherthantrousers.Ifyouhavetowade,youmustclothe

your nether man accordingly; but do not wade oftener or longer than is absolutely

necessary,especiallywhenthereareotheranglersonthestream.Ifyou‘establisharaw’

onyourfoot,don’tlay it up and ‘swearatlarge,’butwash the place carefully, and clip

awaythelooseskin.Thenmixthewhiteofafresheggwithafewdropsofbrandy,andlay

it over the bare place with a feather. When the spirit evaporates – as it will in a few

minutes–afinetransparentfilmwillbeleft.Repeatthisprocessthreeorfourtimes,and

youwillhaveaperfectartificialskin,whichwillneitherwashoffnorruboff.Ihavedone

along day on themoors with such afalsecuticle on heel andtoe without pain or even

inconvenience.

Butyourflyfishermustbefedaswellasclothed;andthoughbyvirtueofhishealthy

callingheoughttomakeasubstantialbreakfast,somewheretowards2p.m.(generallythe

slackest time of the day) he will feel that Nature abhors a vacuum. Something he must

haveinhispouch

Quodinterpelletinani

Ventrediemdurare.

Whatthatsomethingshallbemustdependonhistasteandthestateofthesideboard.But

ifheinclinestothesweetsimplicityofsandwiches,lethimmakethemofhamslicedvery

thin,andoverlaidwithmarmalade.Thecombinationmayseemstartling,butwillbefound

mostpalatable,particularlyinwarmweather.Alayerofunpressedcaviare,again,witha

squeeze of lemon and a sprinkling of mustard and cress, though less substantial, has a

pleasantrelish.

Asforfluids,duringmanyyears,whenIwaswelluptothemarkasapedestrian,I

foundnothingbetterinalongdaybymoororriversidethananoccasionalmouthfulof

coldtea.ButIwouldmentionforthebenefitofthosewho,likemyself,areinthedown-

hilloflife,thatIhavefoundagreatresourceagainstfatigueinapocketflaskofthe‘Vin

Mariani.’Itisanextractofthe‘cocaleaf,’thesustainingpowerofwhich(seeKingsley’s

‘WestwardHo!’)hasbeenforcenturiesknowntolabouringmeninCentralandSouthern

America. There are many preparations, but I find this the best and pleasantest. It is

procurablefromRoberts,theBondStreetchemist.

Theluncheondisposedof,thereremainsahighanddoubtfulquestion–shallPiscator

smoke? I think the ayes have it. For myself, in spite of King Jamie and his modern

supporters,Icannotdispensewithmywater-sidecigar,especiallyonahotafternoon.No

one, I think, can fully appreciate the effect, at once soothing and restorative, of a well-

timedweed,whohasnotenjoyeditinatropicalclimate.Oftenafterawearyridethrough

Australianbush,theglassstandingat110ºoreven120ºintheshade,mypulsesthrobbing

andeverynerveajar,Ihavethrownmyselffrommyhorse,setmybackagainsttheshady

sideofahugegum-treebole,andafterafewwhiffsofareadycheroothavefeltmyself

calmedandrefreshed‘beyondtheMuse’spainting.’

EveninEnglandthere is many a sultryafternoonwhen the fly fisher,afterfouror

five hours on the water, will enjoy the fragrant leaf with similar zest. And, luckily, the

hottestpartofasummer’sdayisusuallyatimewhenthefisharelittleonthemove,so

thathemayhavehissmokeoutwithoutsacrificinghissport.Indeed,ifhemeanstomake

alongdayinJulyorAugust,hewilloftendowelltoprolonghisrest,andwhileawayan

hour or two with a well-chosen pocket volume of Horace, for instance, or Boswell’s

‘Johnson,’or Percy’s ‘Reliques’ – anything that may be engaged by snatches, without

continuousreading.Therearetimesofsultrystillnesswhentoofferaflytothesulkylow-

lyingtroutisas useless as whistlingjigstoa milestone. Nevertheless, the angler atrest

willdowiselytokeephisearsopen,andtocastanoccasionalglanceoutofthe‘tailofhis

eye’upanddownthestream.Threeorfourheavyrisesseenorheardinsuccessionmay

givehimunexpectednoticethatthefishareastiragain.

And here let me remark, that there are few questions concerning trout at once so

interestingandsodifficultofsolutionasthatwhichtouchesthetimesoftheirfeeding;the

hoursanddays when they are likely totakefreely.Tothefirst part of the questionitis

easy to return a general answer; subject, however, to frequent exceptions, due to what

seems like pure caprice or ‘cussedness’ on the part of the fish. As a rule, from the

beginningofApriltothecloseoftheseasonthesuresthoursforsportarethosefromnine

totwelve.

In spring, however, the fish often continue rising freely far into the afternoon,

whereasinsummer,unlessstrongwindorheavyshowerscometofreshenthemup,they

mostly go off the feed between one and two, coming on again after a longer or shorter

interval,andrisingboldlyfromanhourbeforesunsettoanhourafter–aslonginfactas

youcanseetothrow.This,however,isonlyinwarmweather;ifadrycoldwindcomesup

lateintheafternoonyoureveningcastwilldisappointyou.Yetthisonlyholdsgoodasfar

astheBorder;inthenortherncountiesofScotlandtroutarealmostinvariablyastirona

goodfordtowardsduskinJulyandAugust.

Lookingfarsouthagain,ImayremarkthatinDevonshireduringthespringmonths

somethingmayalwaysbedonebetween2.30and4p.m.

So much for the ‘happy hours.’ I have still to inquire what constitutes a good fly

fishing day; and my attempt at an answer must involve a sweeping confession of

ignorance. Most anglers indeed will agree in praising a day of chequered cloud and

sunshine,withastrongyetsoftbreezefromthewestorsouth-west;andthereisnodoubt

thatonsuchadaygoodsportisgenerallyattainableandtheflyfisher’scraftispliedunder

thepleasantestconditions.YetonshywatersIthinkIhavemademyheaviestbasketsina

stiffnor’-wester with a dark skyandfrequent bursts of heavyrain.Thefish are thrown

morecompletelyofftheirguardandtaketheflywithoutmisgivingasabatteredandhalf-

drownedinsect.Largerflies,too,andstrongergutmaybesafelyused.

Yet this only brings us to a conclusion which might have been taken for granted a

priori;viz.thatroughenedwatersanddimmerlightmakeitmoreeasytodeceivethefish.

Butaneastornorth-eastwindveryrarelyproducesthesamesatisfactoryresults.Thismay

inpartbeduetothesmallershowoftheflywhenthewindis‘snellandkeen;’yetthis

explanationhardlymeetsthecase,astroutoftentakeverywellwhenfliesarescarce.We

may,however,assumeitisageneralthoughunexplainedrulethatamoistairisbetterthan

adryone.

Inwaterswithwhichwearefamiliarsomethingmaybelearnedfromthecolourof

thesurface.IwasfishinglongagowithmybrotherinLochFruchie,andtakingfish,such

astheywere,veryfast.Suddenlytheoldboatmansaid,‘Yemaypitdoonyergaudnoo.’

My brother to humour him at once laid down his rod. I being, rather what Mrs Tabitha

Bramble calls an ‘imp-fiddle’ in such matters, merely asked why? ‘She’s the wrang

colour’washisbriefanswer;andcertainly,thoughthebreezecontinued,theaspectofthe

lochhadbecomedullandsullen.Ifishedon,however,andinthecourseofthenexthour

caughtonesmallfish,whentheveteranverypointedlysaidtomybrother–ignoringme

asunteachable–‘Noo,MrJohn,yemaytakyergaudagain.’Andsureenough,thehueof

thelakehadgrownbrighterandlivelier,andthefishcameonthefeedagain.

Ihavebornethislessoninmindeverafterwards,andhavecertainlyfoundthatwhen

thewaveletsonarippledpoolshowablueorblue-blacktint,thereissporttobehad,but

whentheywearadullleadencolourthefishsulk.Whytheydosoisanothermatter,asto

whichthisdeponentsayethnot.Again,afteraroughstormynight,troutseldomrisewell

beforeeleveno’clock;this,however,isprobablyowingtotheirhavingbeenonthefeed

allnight.

The worst of all days, undoubtedly, is one when a thunderstorm is threatening but

delaystoburst.Thecloudsarepiledinheavymasses,andeverybreakintheirarrayshows

aluridlightgleamingthrough,ofanindescribabletintbetweenamberandlilac;theairis

hushed and still but for an occasional hot gust, which seems to come from nowhere in

particular. You feel oppressed yourself, and hardly wonder that ‘the springing trout lies

still.’Indeeditisacommonapologyforanemptycreelthat‘thereisthunderintheair.’

Butintruthwhenthestormactuallybreaksoveryouitgivesyouagrandchanceof

sport.IshallneverforgetashortboutoffishingwhichIenjoyedoneeveningjustabove

WansfordBridge.Ihadbeenearlyonthestream,thoughwellawarefromtheaspectofthe

skythatmycakewasdoughtillthethreatenedelementalwarwasfairlyletloose.Iworked

mywaydoggedlydownthebeck,castingfromtimetotime,asonSamWeller’stheoryI

might have eaten oysters, ‘out of sheer desperation.’ A few little fish I certainly took –

theyalwayswillcomewhenyouhavetoputthemback–andonesolitarypounder,who

musthavebeeneithereccentricorlife-wearytoriseonsuchaday.

Butitwastediouswork–theheatoppressive,theairdead.Evenmyattendantboy

losthisfaithinmystar–tookshortcutsandlongrests.Ispunoutmyluncheon,smoked

morethanwasgoodforme,andthoughIstillheldonfortheheavierwaterbelow,Ioften

doubtedmyweatherforecast,andwishedmyself‘takingmineeaseinmineinn.’Butthe

stillnesswasatlastbrokenbydistantmutteringsofthunder;thecloudsbankeduphigher

andhigher,andjustasIhadreachedtheopenwaterbetweenWansfordmillandbridgethe

storm was upon me, with deafening peals and a slanting deluge of rain. Luckily I was

waterproof,havingonestiffcapeovermyshouldersandanotherbuckledroundabovemy

hipsandprotectingmeasfarasmyknee-boots.

Thewindwastoofurioustopermitcasting,butasitblewdirectlyonmybackIhad

simplytoletoutasmuchlineasIwantedandletitfallasIcould.NeverdidIseegood

fishrisesofast.Theflywasseizedassoonasitreachedthewater,andtheonlydifficulty

inkillingthefishlayintheviolenceofthewind.InlessthananhourandahalfIbasketed

twenty-onefishweighingtwenty-eightpounds.Thiscouldnothavebeendonewithinthe

time had I not, in anticipation of the wild weather, been armed with stronger gut and a

largerflythanusual.Four-fifthsofthefishweretakenwiththeblue-bottle,anexcellent

flytowardsthecloseofsummer,whenthenaturalinsectgoesdaft(tousetheYorkshire

phrase)andcannotkeepitselffrom‘thedrink.’

Manysimilarexperienceshaveledmetotheconclusionthatinbright,shywatersa

thunderstorm sets the big fish feeding ‘audaciously.’ And it seems probable that the

suddenchangesinthemoodofthefishwhicheveryanglermusthavenoticedaredueto

the electrical condition of the atmosphere. It often happens that trout all at once cease

rising,theriverwhichjustbeforewasalivewithrisesbecomingabsolutelydead.Insucha

caseanoldhandwillsitdownandwait.Daysmaybebetterorworse,butthereishardly

everaday,exceptonathick,risingwater,whenthefishdonotcomeonthefeedatsome

timeortimeswhichthewaryanglerwillnotletslip.‘Toutvientitquisaitattendre.’

Evenodderthanthesuddensulkingoftroutisthefittheyoccasionallytakeof‘short

rising,’whenaftereverypromisingbreakyoufeelonlyaslighttwitch,andneversucceed

in hooking your fish. Whether this is due to some ocular deception which makes them

miscalculatetheirrise,orwhetherforthetimetheyaremerelyamusingthemselveswith

the fly, like ‘MacFarlane’s geese, that liked their play better than their meat,’ I cannot

pretendtodecide.Thefitseldomlastslong,andwhileitdoesittriestheangler’stemper

sorely. I remember once in a Devonshire brook raising from twenty to thirty fish in

succession without a single capture. The sky changed, and I took seventeen without a

miss.

Thismayshowthatafterseveralfailuresaflyfishershouldnotconcludetoohastily

thathehas‘tailored’hisfish.Theymayneverhavehadthehookintheirmouths.When

troutriseshort,itisagoodruletogiveupstrikingaltogether,andbecontentwithkeeping

atautlinetillsomedeterminedfishhookshimself.Ifyourflybenothastilypluckedaway,

atroutwhohasmerelynibbledatthewingsortailmayatasecondorthirdrise‘gothe

entireanimal.’

Ifyouhookafishfoul–andthesymptomsarenottobemistaken–riskyourtackle

rather than slacken your hold. He will never dislodge the hook unless by your timid

handling.Ioncehookedathree-poundernearthetail–luckilyonanopenstretchofwater

–andheldontohimtillinhisstrugglesdownstreamheswungintotheshoreandwas

cleverlynettedbyafriendlylooker-on,whohadcontinuallyshriekedtometo‘givehim

line.’ He dropped off the hook the instant he was netted, and I showed my friend with

pridethattherewasasmallscaleonthepointofthehookbelowthebarb.Thefishhad

beenliterallykilledbytheholdofthemeretipofthesteelonhistoughskin.

But I am running riot in old reminiscences. Happily, they are at least cheerful and

blameless records, and raise no ‘accusing shades of hours gone by.’ No doubt, the fly

fisher has what Mrs Ramsbottom calls his ‘little Piccadillies;’ he does sometimes fish a

littlebeyondhisliberty,andperhapsonaverybaddaywhenhehaslandedatroutbarely

uptothemarkinpointoflengthgivesthebenefitofthedoubttothecreelandnottothe

fish. But on the whole I have found my brother anglers worthy men and pleasant

companions,withwhomacquaintancereadilyripenedintofriendship.

Theirquietconversewithnatureseemstosmoothdownasperitiesofcharacter,and

they move ‘kindly men among their kind.’ There are few of them, too, who have not

duringtheirdeviousramblesnotedsomethinginthefieldofNaturalHistorywhichthey

canimpartinconversation.Speakingasoneofthefraternity,Ithinkthecautionwemost

need is the time-honoured Ne quid mimis. The fly fisher’s art is so interesting and so

many-sided that its votaries are too apt to fancy themselves justified in making it a

businessinsteadofarecreation.Ihaveknownveryclevermenwhodevotedsomeeight

monthsof the year toa series of ‘fishings,’and tosalmon gave upwhat was meant for

mankind.

IambynomeanssurethatIshouldnothavefallenintothesameerrormyselfbutfor

theblessednecessityofwork,earlylaidonmeandscarcelyabatingwithyears.ButIam

very certain that had I done so I should have penned these pages, the records of my

experienceasaflyfisher,withregretinsteadofpleasure.

IfImayventureafew‘morelastwords5tomybrethrenoftheangle,theyshallbe

echoesofafarewellutteredlongago.

Finally, pursue a liberal sport in a liberal spirit. Help a brother angler freely,

especiallywhenlessablethanyourselftoaffordawell-stockedflybook.Neitherpoach

yourself nor encourage poachers by purchasing fish procured by doubtful means. Spare

smallfish(exceptinthoseover-stockedwaterswhereallaresmall)andlargefishwhen

outofseason,butnotpastrecovery.

Abjure lath fishing, cross fishing, netting and spearing, and renounce salmon roe

excepttothinthetroutnearthespawningbedsofsalmon.Andwhenyouhavefilledyour

creel,maintaintheoldreputeofthebrotherhoodbyaliberalandnotexclusivedistribution

ofyourbooty.

Somayyourintervalsofwell-earnedrelaxationbylakeorstreambewelcomeand

fortunate.Somaygenialskiesandsoftshowersaddfreshnesstotheairandbeautytothe

landscape.Somayhandandeyeworktrulytogether,whetheryouwieldtheflyrodorlay

itasideforthepencil.Somayyoureturnhomeunjadedfromyoursport,withalightheart

andaheavybasket–happy,aboveall,

Toknowthereisaneyewillmark

Yourcoming,andlookbrighterwhenyoucome.

H.R.Francis.

Chalk-StreamFishingwiththeDryFly,andMay-Fly

Fishing

CHALK-STREAMFISHINGWITHTHEDRYFLY

Thatdifferentriversrequiredifferentstylesoffishing,or,inotherwords,thatthehighest

artaspractisedinonelocalityisoccasionallyalmostuselessinanother,maynow,Ithink,

belaiddownasananglingaxiom;certainlyitisarulerecognisedinpracticeby,atany

rate,mostflyfishersofexperience.Ononerivertroutwilltakethefly‘wet,’onanotherit

is almost essential to use it ‘dry;’ whilst on some waters, like the well-known lakes of

Westmeath,forexample,theonlytimewhenanythingworthcallingsportistobehadis

whilstthe‘flyisup,’thatis,duringtheseasonoftheappearanceoftheMayfly,andthen

theluremustbethenaturalinsectitselfusedwithablowline.Theextenttowhichthese

differencesmayexistindifferentstreamsisoftenonlyfoundoutbytheflyfisherthrough

thedisagreeable experienceofemptybaskets,on firstvisitinganewlocality. Many and

manyatimehasanangler,skilledinallthenicetiesoftroutfishinginhisownHighland

streams,beenutterlybaffledwhenhefirstessayedhisluckwiththewell-fed,nottosay

pampered,fishofTest,Itchen,orKennet.Anditisnot difficulttofindtheexplanation.

Thecharacteroftheclearchalkstreamsofthesouthisentirelydifferentfromthatofthe

rocky mountain rivers and peat-stained torrents of the Highlands, and consequently the

habitsofthefisharealsowidelydifferent.

The chalk-streams are wonderfully prolific in insect life, far and away beyond

anythingofwhichthetroutofScotlandorIrelandhaveforthemostpartanyexperience

andbesidesthenumberlessfliesbredinoursouthernstreams,thereisalwaysanabundant

storeoflarvae,shrimps,watersnailsandothertroutfoodwhichfindtheirhabitatamong

theweeds,tosaynothingofminnowsandsmallfryonthegravellyshallows.Sothat,with

a large choice in their feeding, the fish soon wax fat and dainty, and while a trout in a

rapid mountain or moorland stream has to be on the look-out all day long for anything

ediblewhichcomeswithinhisken,andeventhenhashardworkattimestokeephimself

inrespectablecondition,achalk-streamfishisalwayspicksomeandhardtoplease,and

will only take the fly when the natural insects are sailing down in goodly numbers. At

othertimesheiseithershelteringamongtheweeds,orelsebusywithbottomormid-water

food.

Inmanystreamsajudiciouscastofthreefliesthrownintolikelyspotswithalight

and skilful hand will bring fish to the creel fast enough, but this kind of fly fishing for

chancefishisseldomproductiveofanysportonachalkstream.When,however,thereisa

heavyrise,andeverytroutisbusilyengagedintakingfly,itwillbenoticedthatthefish

takeupafavourablepositionjustbeneaththesurfaceofthestream,andfeedsteadilyand

persistentlyinthemostquietanddeliberatemannerpossible.

A movement of a few inches, a careful scrutiny, and a gentle unobtrusive ‘suck’

describesexactlytheusualmannerinwhichachalk-streamtrouttakeshissurfacefood.It

isquiteunliketherushandthesplashwithwhichaScotchoraDevonshiretroutleaves

the shelter of a submerged rock to secure the passing fly, and everything combines to

makeitdifficultfortheanglertokeepoutofsight,aswellastoputtheflyoverthefishin

aneffectiveand natural manner.Whena chalk-stream fish is feedingatthe surface, the

angler’sflyisalwaysbroughtintocomparisonwiththenaturalinsectsfloatingdown,and

littlesport is to be expected unlessthe artificial fly is most skilfully madeand skilfully

handled.Itmustbesufficientlyneatandnaturalinappearancetodeceiveanyfish,andit

mustbethrownsoastofloat‘cockily’liketherealflyitisintendedtoimitate.

Frequentersofchalk-streamsfishalmostexclusivelywithasingledryfly,andonly

whenthe fish arevisibly feeding atthe surface. Theangler selects hisfish, gets behind

him(thatis,belowhim),andpreparesforacastupstream.Thentakingtwoorthreefalse

castsintheairtojudgetheexactdistance,theflyisthrownwiththeintentionofmakingit

alight gently a foot or two above the rising fish and exactly in his line, for a well-fed

chalk-streamtroutwillrarelygoevenafewinchesoutofhiswayforapassingfly.Ifthe

flyfallsshortorwide,itshouldbelefttillthelinehasfloatedsomedistancetotherearof

thefish,whenitmustbepickedoff,whiskedthroughtheairtwoorthreetimestodrythe

wingsandhacklebeforeanewcastismade.Ifthereisnoclumsinessseveraltrialcasts

maybemadebeforetheexactdistanceisfound,andthefishwillgoonrisingundisturbed;

buttheslightestbungleonthepartoftheanglerisfatalandputsthefishdownforthenext

halfhour.Ifitberememberedthatmostofthebestfishlieclosetothebankandthatthe

flyhastobesentdownfloatingnaturallycorrecttotheveryinch,itwillbeseenthatthere

is room for great exercise of skill, and to succeed even moderately well requires a vast

amountofpractice.

Itwillalwaysbeamootpointhowfaritisnecessaryornottopresenttorisingfish

an exact imitation of the fly on which they happen to be feeding. And the greater the

experienceofananglerthelesswillhebeinclinedtolaydownthelawonthisandkindred

questions: he will have learnt that his preconceived notions, based on extensive

observation and practice, have frequently been completely upset by some sudden and

unintelligiblecapriceonthepartofthefish.

Theanglersonemeetsonachalkstreamgenerallyhavesomeinterestinentomology,

anditistheexceptionforaskilfulfishermannottoknowsomethingofthenaturalflies

whichtemptthetrouttothesurface.Ontheotherhand,itisgenerallyadmittedthatwitha

shyfish it is halfthebattletoputthe fly right atthefirstcast;inother words, a fishis

oftenthrownoffhisguardcompletelybyawell-directedfly,nomatterwhat,solongasit

comesdownexactlyintherightspotbeforehissuspicionsarearousedbyseeingafootor

two of glittering gut pass over his nose half a dozen times. So that there is a certain

amountoftruthinthesaying,‘Itisnotsomuchtheflyasthedriver’thoughtheoriginator

ofthisHampshiremaximishimselfquiteasfamousforhispracticalknowledgeofflies

andflytyingasheisforhisskillinhandlingarod.

But the angler who really desires to get the most enjoyment out of his sport will

never be contented with the utilitarian view which measures a day’s sport solely by the

weightofthebasket;hewillalwayshavepowersofobservationkeenlydeveloped,some

atleastoftheinstinctsofthenaturalistwillbepresent,andthemarvellousprofusionof

insectlife–whichisthepeculiarcharacteristicofthechalkstreams–cannotfailtoexcite

his interest. And, other things being equal, there can be no doubt that the entomologist

alwayshasagreatadvantageoverthemanwhoknowsnothingandcaresnothingabout

the habits and life history of the flies of the streams he frequents. Moreover, there are

some days, as all experienced anglers will admit, on which any efforts however skilful

appeartobeuselessuntiltherightflyisfound.Thenpossibly,afteranhourormoreof

fruitlesswhipping,thespellappearstobebroken,andfishafterfishfallsavictimtothe

attractions of a single fly, the only pattern in the angler’s store which for the time

possessesanycharm.

Acertainamountofflyfishingentomologymay,ofcourse,belearntfrombooks,but

the only knowledge which can be really useful is that which the fisherman acquiresfor

himselfbyhisownhabitsofobservation.Thenoviceshould,therefore,makeapracticeof

studyingthefliesbythewater-side;hewillsoonlearntorecognisesomefliesataglance,

but,howeverproficienthemaybecome,itishardlylikelythathewilleverbeablewholly

todispensewiththeusefulhabitofdippingupfromthewaterafewofthenaturalinsects,

ratherthanfishforamomentindoubtorhesitation.Toreadilyrecognisetheflyonwhich

thefisharefeeding,andtobeabletomatchitwithagoodimitationofhisownmaking,

givesapeculiarpleasureandconfidence:iftothistheanglercanaddtheconsciousnessof

skillanddexterityintheuseofhisrod,hemaywanderfromstreamtostreamindependent

oflocalfanciesandpiscatoryheirlooms,but witha good prospectofsportwhereverhe

mayfindarisingfish.

Thefollowingisalistof the mostusefulfliesfor chalk-streamfishing.Itdoesnot

professtobeexhaustive,butitwillbesufficient,Ithink,toguideonewhoisstrangeto

thisstyleoffishing,andtoenablehimtoequiphimselfwithsuchfliesasmostsouthern

anglersconsidernecessary.Severaloftheseflieshavealreadybeendescribedbymeinthe

FishingGazette,butrecentexperiencehassuggestedslightmodificationsinafewcases.

However,thepatternsheregivenhaveallbeenputtofrequenttrialbyexperiencedanglers

ontheTest,Itchen,Kennet,andotherstreams,andmayallbereliedon.

Ibeginwithseveraldressingsofthebestofallchalk-streamflies:

THEOLIVEDUN

Body: Olive silk. I know nothing better than Mr Aldam’s ‘gosling green,’ but it wants

mostdelicatehandling,andgreatcareshouldbetakennottohavetoomuchwaxonthe

tyingsilk,oritwilldarkentheflossandspoil the fly. Aribbing of finegoldwireisan

improvement.

Wings:Darkstarling.

LegsandWhisks:Hacklestainedolive–nottooyellow,butadullbrownolive.

Body:Quilldyedolive,withorwithoutgoldtag.Wingsandhackleasbefore.This

pattern admits of several shades, and is, perhaps, the best all-round pattern that can

possiblybeusedinHampshire,fromoneendoftheseasontotheother.Itisalwaysworth

atrial.Itissoldinthousands,andslaysitsthousandseveryyear.

Thesamepatternasthelast,withlightbrownfibresofhare’sfurtiedinforlegs.Very

goodinApril,andanexcellentfloater.

Body:Leveret’sfurdyedolive,ribbedwithgoldwire.

Hackle and wings as belore. This is known as the ‘rough spring olive.’ A useful

variety.

Hook,0and00.

THEINDIA-RUBBER-BODIEDOLIVEDUN

This is a ‘detached-bodied’ fly (figured in the illustration annexed, the numbers

correspondingwiththenumbersofthefliesinthislist),andifcarefullymadeisamost

killingpatterninApril.EveryyearsinceIfirstdiscovereditsmeritsontheWinnalClub

water at Winchester I have found it useful, frequently killing with it when the usual

favouriteshavebeentriedinvainoverrisingfish.Therubberbodywasnotmyownidea,

thoughIbelieveIwasthefirsttotryitandproveitsvalue.

Theflyismadelighterordarkeraccordingtothecolouroftherubber,andwingsand

hackle must be chosen to match the body. The hackle should be of a brownish olive to

harmonisewiththebody,which,whenhelduptothelight,hasatranslucentappearance,

asliketothebodyofanaturaldunasitispossibletoobtain.Itisonlyintheearlyspring

thatIeverdomuchwiththisfly,andthenIuseitonaNo.00hook.

Itisextremelydifficulttotieitsmallanddelicateenoughforsummeruse,butIhave

killedwithitinAugustona000,thesmallestsizemade.ForlatesummerandautumnI

generallyadopthorsehairbodies,asthehaircanbedyeddifferentshades,andcanbeused

of a pale watery hue which cannot be got in India-rubber. I am never without a few of

thesedetached bodied duns, and theyhave again and again procuredme sport when all

elsefailed;butitmustbedistinctlyunderstoodthattheyareonlykillingbecauseoftheir

closeresemblanceincolourandtransparencytothenaturalinsect.Somepeopleseemto

thinkthatitisthedetachedprojectingbodywhichmakestheflyattractive,andsotheytie

detachedbodiesofquillandsilk,whichare,ofcourse,dullandopaque,andveryinferior

tohair or rubber.In fact, I considerit is labour wastedto tie detached bodiesexcept of

translucentmaterial;andifsilkorquillbeused,itisfarbettertouseitonthehookinthe

ordinaryway.

HARE’SEAR

Body: Hare’s fur ribbed with gold, and fibres picked out for legs, winged with dark

starling.ThisflyisagreatfavouriteontheTest.

Hook,0or00.

THEREDQUILL,GREYQUILL,ANDGINGERQUILL

Body:Undyedquill.

LegsaridWhisks:Redhackle.

Wings: Darkish starling. The grey and ginger are generally dressed with lighter

wings.

Hook,0or00,usuallythesmallersize.

The Red Quill is, perhaps, the best all-round evening fiy that can be used in the

summermonths.

THEIRONBLUE

ThisflycomesoutthicklyonsomepartsoftheTest;itislesscommonontheItchen,and

in some places it is rarely seen at all. When it does come out the fish generally refuse

everythingelse.Itvariesagooddealincolour,butIbelievethebestgeneraldressingto

be:

Body: Quill, dyed a dark blue with a violet shade. Some prefer mauve silk with

mole’sfur.

Legs and Whisks: Dark honey dun, the natural fly having yellow tips to its dusky

bluelegs.

Wings: From the breast of a water hen, or from the tail feather of the greater

titmouse.

Hook,00or000.

THE‘LITTLEMARRYAT’

ThisisafancyflywellknownatWinchester,andindeeditisaprimefavouriteallover

Hampshire.Itbearsacloseresemblancetosomeofthepalewaterydunswhicharealways

tobeseeninwarmweather.ItbeginstobeusefulattheendofApril,andifdressedof

suitablesizeitwilldowellfromMaytoSeptember,andwilloftenkillthebestgraylingin

October.

Body:Verypalebuffopossumfurspunonlightyellowsilk.

Wings:Mediumstarling.

LegsandWhisks:ThepalestfeatherfromabuffCochinChinacockerel.

Hook,0or00.

THEREDSPINNER

Ofallthenumberlesspatternswhichhavebeendevisedtoimitatethegauzytransparency

ofthisfly,Ibelievethistobethebest;oflateyearsithasbeenmostsuccessfullyusedin

Hampshire,andisknownasthe‘DetachedBadger.’

Body:Detached,madeofreddishbrownhorsehair,andfirmlywhippedtothehook

withstrongwell-waxedsilk.

Legsand Wings:A‘badgerhackle’dressedbuzz.Thishackleis difficulttoobtain,

andisofarustygreyinthecentre(almostblack),withbrightshininggoldentips.

Hook,0or00.

WICKHAM’SFANCY

Oneofthemostusefulfliesthatcanpossiblybeused,whetherfortroutorgrayling.Itis

alwaysworth a trial, thoughwhatthefishtakeitforit is impossible to say.Itisavery

attractive,brightlooking fly, and anexcellent floater, but it sometimesdoes wonders in

rough,wetweather,whendryflyfishingishopeless.Itshouldbemadeasfollows:

Body:Goldtinselribbedfromtailtoheadwithredcock’shackle.

Wings:Darkstarling.Landrailmakesanicevariety.

Hook,00to1or2.

FLIGHT’SFANCY

ThisflyhailsfromWinchester,and itisveryusefultowardstheendofApril,whenthe

olivesarebeginningtogetlighterinshade;andallthroughthesummermonthsasmall

‘light’mayberesortedtowithconfidencewhendelicatedunsareabout.

Body;Paleyellow,orprimrose,flosssilkribbedwithfineflatgoldtinsel.

Wings;Lightstarling.

LegsandWhisks:Palebuff,or,forachange,honeydun.

Hook00or000.

With this list of flies a fisherman may consider himself well equipped for the first two

monthsoftheseason,andtherearemanydaysineverymonthofthesummerandautumn

whenthesesamefliestiedsmallerwouldbefoundsufficienttoinsurethebestofsport.

I do not believe in dividing artificial flies according to months, and a good

comprehensiveassortmentofspringpatternswill,withslightmodifications,alwaysbeof

generaluseatalltimesandinallweathers.Still,therearesomeveryfavouriteflieswhich

do not appear before May, and as these sometimes entirely monopolise the attention of

everyfeedingfish,theymustbeaddedtothelist.Ileaveoutthegreenandgreydrake,as

theyarenotfound oneverywater,andalmosteveryanglerhas hisownspecialpattern:

but,inmyopinion.Mayfliesarefrequentlytiedtoolarge,andIbelieve,whateverpattern

beadopted,thebestsportwillbeobtainedbysmallflies.

THEBLACKGNAT

The natural fly has a long, thin, shiny black body, not a bit like the fluffy little lump

usuallyseenintheimitation.Thenthewingsarelongandliefoldedquiteflat(notsloped

like those of a sedge or alder), and projecting over the tail end of thebody, showing a

shiny, metallic, gauzy film, in strong contrast to the black body, and which cannot be

imitatedbyfeather.

ThisishowImakemypattern.Ona00or000hookIputalongishbodyofblack

ostrichherl,whichhasfirstbeenstripped.ThenIcutastripofpikescaletheproperlength

andshapetorepresentthetwofoldedwingsandtieitflatonthetopofthehook,taking

caretoshowtheprojectingbitabovementioned.ThenoverandinfrontofthewingItake

twoorthreeturnsof a small black starling’sfeather,andtheflyis finished. It does not

floatverywell,butinfinestillweatheritis very effective;and the pike scale, tiedasI

havedescribed,willstandagreatdealofwhipping.

Those who object to the pike scale wing can substitute starling feather, but the fly

willbelesslifelike,andonahotAugustdaycertainlylesskilling.

THESEDGE

Thelasttwoorthreeseasonsthisflyhasnotpreserveditsreputationasastandardpattern

forlatefishingonasummer’sevening.Ithasbeenamysterytomanywhousedtolook

uponitasanever-failingresource.AfewyearsagoitkilledsplendidlyatWinchester;and

IrememberseeingamancometotheOldBargestream,ateighto’clockoneeveningin

August,andkillfivebraceofgoodtroutwithhisfavouritesedge.Herarelyusedanything

else in the evening; and I, myself at that time fished it with more confidence than any

otherfly.ButIhavedoneverylittlewithitlately,andmystockofsedgeshasnotwanted

replenishingforalongtime.

Whenthetroutandgraylingreturntotheiroldtastes,thefollowingwillprobablybe

foundthebestdressingforthesedgeanditsvariations:

The Silver Sedge, which I believe is no sedge at all, but an imitation of the small

grassmothwhichfluttersaboutinthemeadowsbytheriverside.

Body: White floss silk, ribbed with silver; hackled all over with buff or light red

hackle.

Wings:Landrail.

Hook,00to1.

THEREDSEDGE(OR,SEDGEPROPER)

Body:Redfurfromhare’sface,orfox’sear,orfromthereddestpartofanopossumskin.

Ribitwithgoldthreadandwindonaredhacklefromtailtohead.

Wing:Aruddyfeatherfromalandrail’swing.

Hook,00to1.

TheBigSedge:Thisisthelocalname,butIprefertocallitthe‘Cinnamon.’Itisa

fat, toothsome morsel, nearly an inch long, and answers capitally on a moonlight night,

whenitiswarm,still,andfreefrommist.Ihavekilledmanyheavyfishwithit,especially

inSeptember,duringtheharvestmoon.

ThedressingIpreferisthesameasthatgivenfortheredsedge,onaNo.2hook,and

winged with the reddest part of a cock landrail’s wing, or, better still, with one of the

undercovertfeathersofthepeahen,whichareveryfaintlymottledwithadarkershadeof

brown.

Thoughtruetonature,Ithinkitisamistaketodressthebodythick,fortheflyisapt

tobeheavyandlumpy,andsofloatbadly.

THEALDER

IsveryusefulinJune,andonsomeriverswillkillintheMay-flyseasonbetterthanthe

drake itself. It is in great favour with the Fairford anglers, and the natural fly is very

plentifulontheColne.

BodyBronze-colouredpeacockherl.

Hackle:Black,oradull-colouredfeather,withblackcentreandruddytips.

Wings:Fromthetailfeatherofahenpheasant.

There is another very good variety known as the ‘Button/’or ‘red-winged alder’

which should be dressed as before, only that the wing should come from the red tail

featherofapartridge.

Hook,No.2.

THEBROWNQUILL

VeryusefulinAugustandSeptember.

Body:SomelightquilldyedinJudson’slightbrown.Verygoodimitationshavebeen

producedbytakingordinarypeacockquillandbleachingit.

LegsandWhisks:Ginger.

Wings:Mediumstarling.

Hook,00.

THEINDIANYELLOW

Body:Adelicatebrownsilkribbedwithbrightyellow.

LegsandWhisks:Arichbuff.

Wings:Fromtheunderwing-feathersofayounggrouse.

Hook,00.

This fly has a very prominent reddish brown head, which may be imitated by a

coupleofturnsofdarkorangesilk.

Thegrouse featheristheright colourexactly,butitis verysoft,andmakesa poor

wingforfloating.Itisapitysomeotherbluefeathercannotbefoundsuitableforthisfly

andthenext.

THEBLUE-WINGEDOLIVE

This fly is larger than most of the duns of the summer months and generally makes its

appearancejustatdusk,whenitsometimescomesoutinmyriads.

AtWinchesterinSeptemberIhaveseentherivercoveredwithit,andrisingfishonly

afewyardsapartasfarasonecouldsee.SomeoftheheaviestfishIhaveeverkilledin

Hampshirehavebeentakenwiththisfly;stillIhaveneverbeensatisfiedwithanyofthe

imitationsIhaveyetdevised.

The body is of delicate greenish olive, legs a pale watery olive, and the wings

distinctlyblue,likethoseoftheIndianyellow.Ihavemadethebodyofsilk,wool,dyed

fur,ribbedwithgold,andwithquillofdifferentsorts.Ihopesomedaytohitofftheright

shadeindyeingfibresofthecondor’swingfeather,andalsotodiscoverwhatwillmake

thebestwing.Possiblythebluefeatherfromamerlinhawk’swingmightdo,orperhaps

thecoot’swingmightsolvethemystery.Itmustnotbeasoftfeatherwhichsucksupwater

andgetssoddendirectly,forthenaturalflysitsupandridescockilyonthewater,andno

half-drownedimitationcaneverdomuchexecution.Iamconvincedwehavenotgotthe

rightpatternyet.

Hook0or00.

THELITTLESKYBLUE

ThisisasplendidgraylingflyinAugustandSeptember;infact,allfree-risingfishtakeit

wellinthewarmautumnmorningsfromtentomidday.

Body:Palestrawcolour,ofsilk,quill,orfur.Ihavekilledwellwithallthree,butsilk

Ilikeleast,asitchangescolourafteritiswetmuchmorethanothermaterials.Legsand

Whisks:Lighthoneydun.

Wings:Apaledelicateblue,bestimitatedwithajay’swingfeather.

Hook00or000.

THEREDTAG

Thisisgenerallyregardedasagraylingfly,butattimesitdoeswonderfullywellamong

trout.Thebrighterthedayandthehotterthesunthebetterdoesthisflysucceed.Itisnot

generally known that when trout are ‘smutting’ – i.e. feeding on that tiny black midge

whichbafflesallimitation–theywilloftentakeasmallredtagravenously.Ononeofthe

hottestdaysinAugust1884,fishingatmidday,Ihookedeightlargetroutwiththeredtag,

andthisonapieceofwaterwhichitwasusuallyconsideredhopelesstofishbeforedusk.

Asforgrayling,whentheyarelyingbaskingonthegravelinabouttwofeetofwater,the

red tag will almost always bring them up. I have had splendid sport with it on many

occasions.Thisisthedressing:

Body:Peacockherl,shortandfat,withatiny redtagofflosssilk,wool,orscarlet

ibisfeather.Flosssilklooksverywellwhenitisdry,butitshrinksupwhenwet,andoften

losesitscolour;Ihavealwaysfoundwoolmuchmorekilling.

Attheshouldershouldbewoundadark,rich,redhackle.

Hook,0,00,or000.

THEJENNYSPINNER

This is the transformation of the iron-blue dun, and is one of the most beautiful and

delicatefliestobefoundbyriverside.Itisoftenseendancingupanddowninthousands

afterahotday,andthefactthatitisbynomeansuncommononriverswheretheironblue

isscarce,leadsmetothinkthatsomeothersummerduns(possiblythelittleskyblue)turn

tothisdelicatetransparentspinner.Itisimpossibletoseeitonthewater,andatbestitisa

mostdifficultflytoimitate.Forthesetworeasonssportwithitissomewhatuncertain.

Itshouldbedressedwithadetachedbodyofwhitehorsehairtippedwithacoupleof

turnsofmulberrysilkandwhitewhisks.Tiethebodytoa00or000hookwithmulberry

colouredsilktoshowtheheadandthoraxofthatcolour.Wingitwithtwohacklepoints

fromaverypaleblueduncock,almostwhite,andletthelegsbeofthesamecolour.Orit

maybedressedbuzzwithapalegrizzledhackle,liketheredspinner,No.6.

THEINTERMEDIATE

IusethisnametodenoteaclassofdelicateflieswhichIusewithconsiderablesuccessin

summerfishing.

Everyone must have noticed how the different duns seem to run by different

gradationsfromonekindintoanother,sothatsometimesaflypickedoffthewatercannot

definitelybenamedaccordingtoanyofthestandardsofclassification,andyetitbearsa

considerableresemblancetoseveralfliesweareaccustomedtocallbyname.Ihavefound

itveryusefultotievarioushorsehairdetachedbodiesofpaleanddelicatetints,andthen

matchthesewithwingsandhackle;choosingdifferentshadesofhoneydun,lightbuff,or

oliveforlegs,andvaryingthecolourofthewingssoastosuittherestofthefly.

Itakeimmensepainsoverthesepatterns,and,byconstantlystudyingthechangesin

thenaturalinsects,amenabledtoproducedelicateandlife-likeartificialswhichfrequently

bringagoodfishtomybasketafterhehassteadilyrefusedtobetemptedbyotherflies.

Thislistis,Ithink,comprehensiveenough.Somewillthinkitneedlesslylong,and

others will miss some favourite pattern of their own special fancy. But, in giving my

opiniononthesubjectofflies,Ihavedescribedthosewhichmyownbookcontains,anda

supplyofwhichIalwaysliketokeepuptoworkingorder.Iftheyaredressedofsuitable

size,andareusedwithfinegut,theywillsufficetogivesportifsportistobehad.Anyone

who fails with such a list as this will, I am convinced, find fly fishing generally an

unprofitablepursuit

H.S.Hall

MAY-FLYFISHING

The true May-flies of the British angler belong to the order Neuroptera, to the family

Ephemeridae, and to the genus Ephemera. In the majority of the colder and more rapid

Englishstreams,suchastheTestorItchen,E.danicaisthepredominantspecies,whilein

the more sluggish rivers or lakes E. vulgata is commonly found, and more rarely E.

lineata.Thesethree–theonlyEnglishspecies–mayberecognisedbyminutedifferences

in size or colouring, slight variations in neuration of wings, or in the markings of the

thoraxorabdomen,etc.,allofwhicharenodoubtofconsiderablevaluetothescientific

entomologist, as enabling him to separate the species, but are of no practical use to the

anglerforthepurposesofhissportWhenhefindsinthiscountryoneoftheEphemeridae

of large size, with wings erect dotted with four or five dark spots and tinged with a

delicateshadeofyellowish-greygreen,withbodyofapalestrawcolourmarkedinthe

lowersegmentswithafewbrownstreaks,thethoraxofadeepbrown-blackwithapale

sepia blotch in the middle of the back, and the three setae of nearly equal length, and

especiallyifhefindsthisinsectonthewaterattheendofMayorearlyportionofJune,he

maybecertainthatitisaspecimenoftheGreenDrake,orsubimagoofoneoftheabove-

named three species. Having once seen the subimago, he will find no difficulty in

recognisingthesameinsectafterthefurthermetamorphosistotheimago,SpentGnat,or

BlackDrake.

Notonlyarethethreespeciessocloselyalliedandsosimilarinappearancethat,for

allanglingpurposes,theimitationofanyoneisquitenearenoughtoserveasanimitation

of all, but, beyond this, their life-history is, as far as known, identical, whether in the

immaturelarvalstageswhenunderthewater;orthesubimagorisingfromthesurfaceof

thestreamandflyingtotheshore;ortheperfectinsect,theimago,underwhichformthe

reproductivefunctionsareexercised.

Theeggs,whendepositedonthesurfacebythefemaleimago,sinktothebottomof

theriver,andafterthelapseofacertaintimetheyoungMay-fliesarehatchedoutinthe

formoftinyactivelarvae.Itisprobablethatthecomparativetemperatureanddepthofthe

water,andthesurroundingcircumstancestendingtoincreaseordiminishthequantityof

lightandsunshine,mayhavesomeeffectinretardingoradvancingtheperiodintervening

between the deposition of the eggs and the birth of the larvae. Having succeeded in

hatchingtheeggsofEphemeradanicaincaptivity,Iaminapositiontogivesomeprecise

data,which,however,mustbetakenasshowingtheresultonlywiththisparticularspecies

underparticularconditionsoflightandtemperature.AnumberofeggstakenonJune9,

1887,hatchedonAugust15inthesameyear,aperiodofsixty-sevendays.

Thenew-bornlarvaeatoncecommencediggingtheirwayintothemudbymeansof

their tusk-shaped mandibles and forelegs, and form tubular horizontal galleries of a

diameteronlyslightlygreaterthanthatoftheirbodies,but,accordingtotheobservationof

Pictet,notsufficientlylargeforthemtobeabletoremainintheseretreatswhilegrowing.

Astheyincreaseinsizetheydesertthegalleriespreviouslydugandformfreshones;as,

however, they always affect water of a certain depth, in rivers subject to sudden floods

they are obliged to change their quarters from time to time in order to preserve these

conditions.

Asthelarvagrowsitshedsitsouterskinmanytimes,somefurtherdevelopmentof

thevariousorganstakingplacewitheachmoult.Theentirelarvalexistenceispassedin

comparativelystillportionsofthestream,buriedinthemudatadepthvaryingaccording

1o the temperature; thus, in very cold weather it has been found burrowing more than

threefeetintheriver-bed,intheearlyspringatadepthofabouteighteeninches,whileat

thecommencementofJuneitisonlyaninchortwobelowthesurface.Itisquitepossible

thatthisstatementmaygiverisetosomecontroversy,andinstanceswillbegivenofthese

larvaebeingfoundinfast-runningstickles,orshallows,andonhardcleangravel,andon

this evidence anglers will be asked to discredit the careful observations of naturalists

repeatedoverandoveragainduringthelastcentury.

There is, however, no doubt that some considerable number of May-fly larvae are

fromtimetotimefoundinrapidwaterwherethereisnotsufficientmudtocoverthem.

This seeming anomaly is, to my mind, quite capable of being explained. Every flood,

everycleaningoftheriver,everydisturbanceofthemud,andeverycuttingoftheweeds

mustofnecessitysetadriftacertainnumberoflarvae;theseareunabletoprogressagainst

orevenacrossthestream,andthemomenttheyfindtheyarebeingcarrieddown,instead

ofexhaustingtheirstrengthbyvaineffortstostemthecurrent,theyletthemselvessinkto

the bottom, and crawl along until they find a suitable place, in which they once more

commence their burrowing operations. Hence the occasional presence of larvae on hard

gravelly scours; and, of course, the greater the number of May-flies on a river, and the

morefrequentthecausesofdisturbance,themorenumerousarelikelytobetheoccasions

onwhichthelarvaeandnymphsarefoundonwhatmustbeconsideredunsuitableground.

After a certain number of moults the wing-covers attached to the thorax become

visible;atfirsttheyaretransparentandverysmall,butgraduallygrowlargerandbecome

darkerincolourasthedevelopmentofthewingsfoldedupwithinthemprogresses.From

the time of the first appearance of the wing- covers the name nymph is applied to the

immature insect, but, beyond that it has grown larger and slightly darker in colour, and

that the mouth organs and branchiae are further developed, it has altered very little in

appearancefromthenew-bornlarva.

Before treating of the next change, from nymph to subimago, there are two points

requiring consideration, and on these two points, unfortunately, very little reliable

informationcanbeobtained.Theyarefirstly:thelengthoftimeinterveningbetweenthe

depositing of the eggs and the appearance of the winged subimago on the water; and

secondly:thenatureofthefoodonwhichtheinsectsubsistsduringthelarvalandnymph

stages.

When,withthekindassistanceofafriend,IfirstsucceededinhatchingMay-flyeggs

in captivity, we entertained strong hopes of being able to work out these two important

questionsofthelife-history.Muchtimewasconsumedindailymicroscopicexamination

of the eggs as the gradual development of the embryo proceeded. To provide as far as

possible in captivity the same circumstances and the same surroundings as the larvae

wouldhaveexperiencedinthenaturalstate,mud,gravel,andweedsfromtheriverwere

distributedinthetroughsinwhichtheeggswerehatching.Agravecauseofanxietywas

that,ofcourse,wecouldonlyuseLondonwater,andverypossiblyinthefiltrationwhich

it undergoes the most necessary food for the young larvae might be removed. All our

efforts,however,wereinvain.Inafewweeks,outofmanyhundredsofthousandsofeggs

hatchednotasinglelivingspecimencouldbefound.

Althoughmuchdisheartenedatthisfirstfailure,andhavingbeenintwoconsecutive

seasonssincepreventedfromtryingtheexperimentagain,Idonotconfessmyselfbeaten,

andfullyexpectsomedaytosucceedinrearingfull-grownMay-fliesfromeggshatched

incaptivity.

Thereare,however,sufficientdatatojustifythepositivestatement,thatnotlessthan

two years elapse between the laying of the egg and the appearance of the winged

subimagoonthewater.Everyyearsince1886Ihavesearchedinthemudduringthedrake

season,andhaveinvariablyfoundtwosizes:one,quitenearthesurface–thenymphjust

onthepointofchangingtothesubimago–andtheother,muchdeeperinthemud,ahalf-

grown larva without any trace of wing-covers. In no single instance was a larva found

eitherinan intermediate stage orsmallerthan the half-grownspecimens,and hence the

evidencemay,Ithink,bedeemedsufficienttoestablishthefactthatthetimeoccupiedin

thegrowthofthewingedinsectfromtheeggistwoyears,andnomore.

As to the food question. Pictet declares that he has discovered remains of small

insects or aquatic worms in the alimentary canal of the larvae. An earlier authority –

Swammerdam – says that he has only found ‘terre glaise,’ or clayey earth. Pictet’s

observations are, as a rule, so accurate and so reliable that it would be an act of

presumptiononmyparttocasttheleastshadeofdoubtonanywordhehaswritten,yet,as

farasmyownexperiencehasgone,anumberofautopsiesperformedatvarioustimes,and

many microscopic examinations of the larvae in various stages of preparation and

mounting, have failed to bring to light anything beyond semi-digested vegetable and

earthy matter. Yet the formidable mandibles of the larvae and the other fully developed

mouthorgansseememinentlyfittedtodealwithlivinglarvaeorinsects,althoughPictet

throwsdoubtonthisuseforthemandibles,ashedistinctlystates,whenspeakingofthe

galleriesinthemudinwhichthelarvaelive–‘Fliesfouissentavecleursmandibuleset

leurspattesantérieures,unpeusemblablesàcellesdescourtilières.’

Thenymphhavingnowarrivedattheperiodofitsexistencewhenitisonthepointof

undergoingthemetamorphosisfromlarvatosubimago,isworthyofcarefulexamination.

Ithasat this stage, whenviewedunder the microscope, averycurious appearance. The

outlineofthenymphitselfisunchanged,buttheentiremargin,whetherofbody,legs,or

setae,hasasemi-transparentappearance,withinwhichisseenadarkopaqueinsect,very

similarin contour to the nymph itself,but more slenderin all its proportions. The head

withtheantennaeandeyes,thethoraxandlegs,theabdomenandsetae,areeachdistinctly

visiblewithinthecorrespondingorganofthenymph;andthewingsareneatlyfoldedup

andpackedinsidethewing-covers.

Submergedaboutaninchunderthemud,generallyamongtherootsoftheweeds,the

nymph works its way out of the soil and rises in a series of jerks to the surface of the

water.Onarrivalthere,undernormalcircumstances,thelarvalskinissplitlongitudinally

up the back of the thorax by a violent effort; through this aperture the thorax of the

subimagofirstprotrudes,followedbythehead;nextthelegsstruggleout;theabdomen

and setae are then drawn out, and lastly the wings emerge one after the other from the

wing-covers, and are unfolded and extended. The subimago remains a few moments

floatingonthesurfaceofthewater,orsupportedonthenymph-shuck,untilthewingsare

dry,andthen,astheGreenDrake,fluttersbeforethewindinaheavylabouredflighttothe

shore,unlessinthemeantimeithasfallenapreytooneofitsmanyenemiesamongthe

fishorthebirds.

Theaboveisthenaturalorderofthemetamorphosisundernormalcircumstances,but

veryfrequentlytheexactsequenceisdestroyedbysomeslightaccidentormishap.Thus,

asanexample,somenymphswillreachthesurfacetoosoon,andfloatmanyyardsdown

beforethesplittingopenofthelarvalenvelopecanbeaccomplished;others,again,will

have partially or even entirely emerged from the shuck before reaching the top of the

water,andmaypossiblybedrownedorfatallycrippledinthewings.Again,inmanyways

the order in which the various organs will become detached from the exuvium can be

altered:thewingsmaybedrawnoutofthecoversbeforetheabdomenandsetaeleavethe

larvalskin,orpossiblyoneormorelegsononesidemaygetentangled,toextricatewhich

averydecidedeffortmayberequired.

Suchorgansasareonlyofuseinthemudorthewaterareshedwiththeexuvium;

amongthesemaybenotedthemandibles,thepowerfuldiggingclaws,andthebranchiae,

whose function it is to separate from the water the air required by the nymph for

respiratory purposes. The hairs which fringe the antennae, legs, body, and setae of the

nymphareabsentfromthewingedinsect,theantennaearemuchshortened,andthemouth

organsaregenerallyatrophied.Thesetaeofthesubimagoaresomewhatlongerthanthose

ofthenymph.

The subimago having flown ashore, finds shelter from the sun on blades of grass,

sedges,oramongtheleavesoftrees,andafteraperiodoffromtwenty-fourtothirty-six

hours–thelengthof time being greater or less according to the temperature–thefinal

change to the imago or perfect insect takes place. As a preparatory step, the subimago

fixesitsclawsfirmlytosomesolidbody,suchasawall,orpost,orboughofatree;its

outerskinisthendistendedandsplitsuptheback,theheadandlegsaredrawnout,then

the abdomen and setae, and lastly the wings. As the wings of the imago are withdrawn

fromtheouterskinwhichformedtheexteriorsurfaceofthesubimagowings,theselatter

collapseatonce,sothattheexuviumleftbytheimagohas,toacertainextent,thesame

outward appearance as the nymph-shuck, the most apparent distinction between them

being the presence on the nymph-shuck of the branchiae, arranged on each side of the

backoftheabdomenatthejoints.

Thehairswithwhichthesurfaceandmarginsofthesub-imagowingswerecovered

areabsentfromtheimago;thesetaeandforelegsinthislastmetamorphosishavebecome

much longer, and this increase is more marked in the males than in the females. Thus,

according to the dimensions given in the Rev. A. E. Eaton’s ‘Revisional Monograph of

RecentEphemeridaeorMay-flies,’themostmodernandreliableentomologicalworkon

thesubject,thesetaeofthefemaleincreasefromabout16-19mm.inthesubimagoto24-

26mm.intheimago,whileinthecaseofthemalethesetae,inthesubimagomeasuring

fromabout17-21mm.,extendtoasmuchas36oreven41mm.intheimago.

The male imagines are seen dancing up and down in the air in clouds, and the

moment a female appears a number of them start in pursuit of her. Sexual intercourse

takesplaceintheairduringflight,themalelowermost.ToquotethewordstheRev.A.E.

Eaton:

Dartingathismatefrombelow,andclaspingherprothoraxwithhiselongated

foretarsi (whose articulation with the tibia is so constructed as to admit of

supinationofthetarsus),hebendstheextremityofhisbodyforwardsoverhis

back,graspswithhisforcepsthehinderpartofherseventhventralsegment,and

withhisoutercaudalsetaeembraceshersixthsegment.Thesetwosetaeexhibit

near their origin a strongly marked articulation, where they can be deflected

abruptly so as to lie forwards over the back of the female, parallel with one

anotherbetweenherwings.Meanwhilethecouplegraduallysink,thefemalenot

being quite able to support herself and mate, and by the time they reach the

ground,ifnotbefore,theirconnectionisusuallyterminated.

Thefecundatedfemale,afterrestingawhile,repairstothewaterand,hoveringoverit,just

touchesthesurfacefromtimetotimeasshedropspartoftheeggs.

Theonlypurposeforwhichtheyseemtohaveexistedinthewingedstate,viz.,that

ofperpetuatingthespecies,havingbeenaccomplished,bothsexesfallalmostlifelesson

the water, with their wings extended and lying flat, and at this period of their brief

existenceareusuallydesignatedbyanglerstheSpentGnat.

The immature May-flies at the earlier stages being burrowing larvae living in the

mud(‘larvesfouisseuses,’asPictetstylesthem),donottoanygreatextentserveasfood

forthefish.Acertainnumberareoccasionallyfoundduringthespringinthestomachsof

trout, but it is probable that when an autopsy reveals the presence of any considerable

numberoftheselarvae,itisduetosomedisturbanceofthemudoftheriverhavingsetthe

larvaeadrift,and,naturally,ahungrytroutfindingaquantityofpalatablefoodsuchasthis

within his reach would, if possible, gorge himself with it. I know, from undoubted

evidence,that from one fish in the Kennet more than one hundred May-fly larvaewere

takeninspring,butconsideringtheenormousquantityofMay-flypresentinthisriver,it

isnotsurprisingthatafterafloodorduringweedcuttingafishshouldfindhundredsof

larvaehelplesslycarriedalongbythestream.

The first stage at which the trout can get the chance of feeding freely on the

Ephemera is when the nymph is working its way out of the mud and swimming to the

surfaceofthewaterforthepurposeofeffectingthetransformationtothesubimago.When

this first occurs the fish seem afraid of an insect so much larger than the forms of life

which have previously formed their staple diet. After a time, attracted by the great

quantityofthesecreatures,theygraduallybecomebolder,and,aftertryinganoccasional

oneand finding them to theirtaste, soon commenceto chase the active nymphs,taking

themeagerly,withaloudsplashingnoiseandmuchmovementbeneaththesurfaceofthe

water.Beforelongafishintheactofseizingthenymphissurprisedtofinditeludehis

grasp,andtoseethewingedinsectemergefromtheshuckonthesurfaceofthestreamand

leave the empty exuvium behind. The next time this happens he will possibly take the

subimago,andthushegetshisfirstimpressionoftheMay-flyitself.Thisexuviummust,

however,be asucculentmorsel,asnot infrequentlythefishwill takeitinpreferenceto

eitherthenymphorthesubimago.

Ifonlyfishermencouldbepersuadedtoleavethetroutaloneatthisstage,theywould

inafewdaysgetthoroughlywellontotheGreenDrake,andfeedonthefloatingflywith

a sense of security. It is, however, vain to indulge in any hope of inducing the modern

schoolofanglerstopractisethisdegreeofpatienceandtemporaryself-denial,althoughif

theywouldonlyoncetrytheexperimenttheirsportwouldnodoubtbesoimprovedthat

theywouldhavenocausetoregretit.Asitis,everyproprietororlesseeofafishery,and

equallyeverymemberofacluborsubscriptionwater,expectthekeepertosendthema

telegramattheveryfirstsignofaMay-fly.Withoutamoment’sdelay,eachandeveryone

of them must postpone every engagement made, whether business or social, and hurry

downtotheriver-side.Atoncetheeageranglermustputuphisfavouritepatternandkeep

casting it over the feeding fish: a few – very few – he kills, some he pricks, and many

more he makes so shy that they will not rise for another week, and thus never do get

thoroughlywellontotheflyatall.Aswellmightonetrytostemtherisingtideashopeto

convince fishermen that it is good policy to leave the trout alone and let them feed in

safetyforafewdaysonthewingedinsect;andas,aboveall,itismydesiretomakethis

chapter of practical use, I suppose it is necessary to pander to the taste of the fly

fisherman,andtrytoteachhimhowtocatchthetroutwhiletheyaretakingthenymph.

ItisnotdifficulttodiscriminatebetweentheriseofatrouttakingtheMay-flyitself

on the surface of the stream, and the movement of one taking the nymph swimming

upwardsthroughthewater.Whenfeedingonthenymphthefishisbulging,thatis,darting

backwardsandforwards,totherightandtotheleft,drivingaheavywavebeforehimand

makingaloudfloopingnoiseashesnatchesathisprey,butveryseldomtakingitonthe

surface.Ontheotherhand,whentakingthesubimagoheispoisedclosetothesurface,in

midstream occasionally, but more generally on the edge of a run behind weeds, or in a

favourable corner close under the bank, quietly and gently sucking in flies one after

anotherastheysailsmoothlydownoverhisnose.

When the fish are bulging, perhaps the best pattern of all to use is a hackle fly

dressedasfollows:

Hackle:Awell-markeddarkishfeatherfromthebreastofanEgyptiangoose.Ifoneis

insufficient,usetwo.

Body:Palemaize-colouredflosssilk,ribbedwithastrandofpeacockherlofapale

cinnamoncolouratroot–thepaleportionoftheherlatshoulder,andthemetallicpoint

showing about three turns of a dark rib at the tail end. A strand of white condor with

blackishpointisperhapspreferable,andcertainlystronger.

Whisk:Threeorfourstrandsofbrownmallard.

Hook:3or3long.

ItisadifficultflytodressowingtothestubbornnatureoftheEgyptiangoosehackle.

Theaccompanyingplategivesagoodillustrationofthesizeandgeneralappearance.

This fly should be fished floating, but not too dry, as it is intended to imitate the

subimagowhenonlypartiallywithdrawnfromtheshuck,butnotaltogetherclearofit.

IftheEgyptiangoosepatternisnotsuccessful,thefollowingmaybetried:

Wings:Rouendrakedyedasomewhatbrowngreen.Thisshadeisusuallyknownas

the ‘Champion,’ being the colour of the wings of a pattern the late John Hammond of

Winchesterdressed,andcalledbythisname.

Head: Bronze peacock herl. Hackles: The first a grey partridge dyed in strong tea,

andthesecondapalegingercock.

Body:Strawormaizehusk,ribbedwithfineflatgoldandcrimsontying-silk.

Whisk:Brownmallard.

Hook:2.

Overbulgingfishitshouldbefishedonlymoderatelydry,andflat,notcocked.The

samepatternfishedquitedryand cockedisaverygood one –infact,perhaps thevery

best–forfishtakingtheGreenDrake.

Itmaybevariedbyomittingthetinselandribbingthebodyrightdownfromshoulder

totailwiththecrimsontying-silkandgingerhackle.

WiththesetwopatternsofChampion,and,forachange,onedressedpreciselylike

them,butwiththewingsdyedofamoregreenishhue,andthetwofollowingimitations,

anyfishermancantravelalloverthekingdom,andkillthetroutwhereverandwhenever

theyarereallyfeedingonthesubimago:

Wings:Canadiansummerorwoodduck.

Head:Bronzepeacockherl.

ShoulderHackle:Hengoldenpheasant.

RibbingHackle:Palegingercock.

Body:Strawormaizehusk,ribbedwithcrimsontying-silk.

Hook:2or3.

Wings:Rouendrake,undyed,whichisbetterthantheordinarymallardwing,asthe

markingsaremoredistinct.

Head:Bronzepeacockherb

ShoulderHackle:Henpheasant,slightlydyedapalemediumolive.

RibbingHackle:BlueAndalusiancock.

Whisk:Brownmallard.

Body:Strawormaizehusk,ribbedwithpaleolivetying-silk.

Hook:2or3.

ForimitatingthespentgnatthereisnopatterntoapproachMr.Marryat’s,dressedas

follows:

Wings: Four dark grizzled blue Andalusian cock hackles set on horizontally quite

flat,andatrightanglestothehook-shank.IfdarkAndalusianhacklesarenotobtainable,it

isfarbettertouseordinaryblackhacklesthanlightduns.

Head:Bronzepeacockherl.

ShoulderHackle:Greypartridge.

RibbingHackle:Badger.

Body:Whitequillorwhiteflosssilk,ribbedwithastrandofpeacockherlwhichis

cinnamon-colouredatrootanddarkatpoint,orcondor,asintheEgyptiangoosepattern,

thedarkportionshowingaboutthreeturnsatthetailendofbody.

Whisk:Brownmallard.

Hook:3or3long.

The sizes of hooks given in all the above patterns are those of the ordinary eyed

hooks.

A few words will suffice to indicate the rod and tackle which will be found most

serviceable for this class of fishing. A moderately stiff single-handed glued cane rod of

elevenfeet, intwoorthreejoints,willbeafar morecomfortableweaponto wieldthan

anydouble-handedone,althoughifthereareanyconditionsunderwhichadouble-handed

rod could be preferred, it would be when fishing the floating May-fly; yet it is not so

handytouse,cannotthrowanylongerdistance,andispowerlessagainstthewindwhen

compared with the single-handed rod. If the built cane be deemed too expensive, a

greenheartrodofthesamelengthandcharactercanbesubstituted.

A good bronze or ebonite revolving-plate reel, large enough to hold at least forty

yards of line. A pure silk solid plaited line, moderately stout and parallel through the

centralportion,buttaperedforthelastfiveyardsateachend;thisdressedinpureboiled

oil,accordingtoMr.Hawksley’simprovedplan,andoccasionallyrubbedwelloverfrom

endtoendwithreddeerfattomakeitfloat.Gutcastnottoofine–infact,moderatelyfine

undrawnforthepoint,taperedgraduallytoquitestouttroutgutattheloopbywhichitis

attachedtothereelline.Withalandingnetandbasket,thegeariscomplete.

Astohooks,theargumentthatisapplicabletoshowtheadvantageoftheeyedhook

forsmallfliesisstrengthenedtenfoldinregardtothelargersizes.Iwould,however,offer

onewordofcounsel:donotbepersuadedtobuyMay-fliesdressedonhooksanylarger

thanthosespecifiedforthepatternsgiven,nor,infact,foranyMay-flies.Nos.2,3,and

fortheoutsidelimit3long,arequitelargeenough.AsmallMay-flywilloftenhookand

killafishwhichwillonlysplashatandrefuseoneofthemonstrositiesfrequentlyfoisted

ontheunwarybythetackle-makers.

Havingrod,line,cast,andflytogether,thenextpointtoconsiderishowtousethem.

I would premise that, without washing in any way to be dogmatic, all the experience

gainedduringmanyyearshastendedmoreandmoretoconvincemethat,whatevermay

be the case with imitations of other Ephemeridae, with the May-fly it is of the greatest

advantage to fish dry or floating. The only stages at which it is possible for the natural

May-flywhentakenbythefishtobeentirelysubmergedisinthenymphstatejustbefore

changingtothesubimago,andthespentgnat,whichwhenquitedeadmaypossibly,after

somelapseoftime,becomesoddenandsink,althoughonthislatterpointIaminclinedto

thinkthatitisfarmorelikelytoshrivelupandbecomedisintegratedonthesurfaceofthe

water.If,however,theanglerdesirestofishitunderwaterorsunk,hemustomitthatpart

oftheinstructionsrelatingtodryingthefly.

Thefirstcasttolearnistheordinaryoverhandedone,inwhichthehandholdingthe

rodisraisedsoastocarrytherodbackwardsashortdistancebeyondtheperpendicular,

feeling the line all the time, and, after a decided pause, just as the weight of the line

commencestobendtherod-topbackwards,thehandisbroughtforwardanddownagain

with a slightly increased velocity. The motion of the hand throughout is smooth and

withoutjerk,andshoulddescribeaslightcurve–theobjectofthiscurvebeingtoprevent

thelinewhentravellingbackwardsfromcomingincontactwiththerod,orthelineitself

whencomingforward.Iftheflyisdrythecastonthewatermaybeatoncecompleted,but

ifnot,thebackwardandforwardmotionmustberepeatedasufficientnumberoftimesto

thoroughlyfreethehacklesandwingsoftheflyfrommoisture.

AttimessomedifficultyisfoundindryingaMay-flysufficiently.Inthiscaseoneof

twothingshasprobablyhappened:eithertheflyisthoroughlysodden,whenitisaswell

toputupanewone,andleavetheothertodryinyourhat,aftercoaxingthewings,etc.,

intopositionwithyourfingers;orthewingshavegotturneddownandcaughtunderthe

bendofthehook,whentheflywillneitherdryrapidlynorfloatwell.Asthehandcomes

forwardtherod-pointmustbelowered,andtheline deliveredatalevelof aboutayard

abovethe water.Thehandisthenslightly checked,andthefly fallslightlyandwithout

splash.Thecheckingofthehandservesatwofoldpurpose:firstly,causingtheflytoland

onthe surface withoutdisturbance,andsecondly, deliveringitwithplentyof slack line,

which,asshownlateron,willpreventorretarditsdragging.

If it is necessary to make a very long cast, the hand when travelling back must be

raisedabovethelevelofthehead,soastoliftthelineashighaspossiblebehind.Thisis

calledthesteeplecast.,Itmaybelaiddownasanaxiomthatthedistanceananglercan

castislimitedbythelengthoflinehecankeepintheairbehind,withtheadditionofa

few yards he can slide from the hand while delivering the fly; hence the advantage of

steepling when trying to make an extra long throw. It is also necessary to steeple when

thereisabankorbushesimmediatelybehindtheangler;evenwithverylonggrassitis

oftenuseful.

If the wind is dead in the face of the fisherman he must use a somewhat shorter

lengthofgut,andfollowthepreviousinstructionsforcasting,uptothepointofdelivering

thefly;butwhenthearmattainstheangleof45°withtheplaneofthewateritmustbe-

well extended, the knuckles turned down, and a cut made downwards and towards the

body,theelbowbeingatthesametimeraisedandtherod-pointcarrieddowntothelevel

ofthewater.Ifaccuratelytimed,thisbackmotionactsasacheck,andtheresultisthatthe

lineisextendedintheteethofthewind,theflytravellingoutstraight,andfallinglightly

andwithoutdisturbance.Thisiscalledthedownwardcut.

For fishing against a very light wind, or across any breeze short of half a gale, no

style of casting is to be compared with the underhanded or horizontal cast. As may be

inferredfromitsname,itisacastmadeunderhandedorwiththerodheldinahorizontal

position.Themovementsarepreciselysimilartothoseoftheoverhandedcast,exceptthat

therodisinahorizontalinsteadofaverticalposition,andthemotionofitisinadirection

parallel to the surface of the water instead of at right angles toit, as in the case of the

overhandedcast.Thelineshouldbereturnedunderanddeliveredovertherod.

Therearemanygoodreasonswhytheunderhandedcastshould at all times, where

practicable, be used by the angler who desires to be successful. With it he can throw

againstamoderatewindoracrossastrongone,andhisflywillinthemajorityofcases

landonthewatercocked,orfloatingwithitswingsupinthenaturalposition.Thislastisa

veryessentialandimportantpointwhendealingwithshyfish,andwithnoflyandinno

styleofanglingtosogreatadegreeaswiththeMay-fly.Besidestheseadvantages,thereis

anotherwhich,ifpossible,isevenofgreaterconsequencethaneither,viz.,thatwiththe

horizontalcastthefishermanhimselfwillworkmoreeasilykeepingquitelowdown,and,

whetherreturning,casting,ordryingthefly,neitherhisrodnoritsshadowisevernearly

sovisibleto,andconsequentlylikelytoscare,thefish.

There are only two difficulties to overcome when commencing to learn the

underhandedcast.Thefirstistogetoverthecrampcausedbythealterationinpositionof

the hand and the strain on a set of muscles which are scarcely used at all with the

overhanded cast. The second, that from the fact of the rod-point, and therefore the fly,

travellingalongthearcofacircleofwhichthehandisthecentre,andtheplaneofwhich

isparalleltotheplaneofthewater,itisfarmoredifficulttoplacetheflyaccuratelyover

therisingfishthanwiththeordinaryoverhandedcast,whenitisdirectedinastraightline

down on to it. Both of these difficulties are, however, overcome by practice and

perseverance, and having once mastered this cast, the angler will never fail to use it in

preferencetoanyother.Itshouldalsobenotedthatwiththiscastaflycanbeplacedunder

overhangingboughs,orupunderabridge,whereitwouldbeanutterimpossibilitytodo

sobyanyothermeans.

Ifthebeginnerfindsthat,withoutbeinghimselfabletospecifythecauseofhisnon-

success,heisnotprogressing,andifhecannotgetafriendwhocancasttotellhimofhis

faults,asageneralrule,andinallstylesofcasting,hemaysafelyinferthatheisgetting

intothehabitofeitherusingtoomuchforce,orofcastingandreturningtooquickly;very

possiblyhemaybefallingintoboththeseerrors.

Whereverpossiblethrowupstream,andlettheflycomedowntoyou;thefishwhen

feedingare invariablypoisedwiththeir heads lookingupstreamwaiting for thefliesto

floatdowntothem,sothatwhenfishingupyounotonlypresenttheflytothefishinthe

more natural manner, but being below them have a better chance of not being seen

yourself.Astheflycomesdowntoyou,itisnecessarytodraw,inslowlybyhandapartof

theslackline,otherwisethisslacklineonthewaterislikelytoretardtheeffectofstriking

so much as to make you miss the fish. The line must not be drawn in too rapidly, or a

decidedpullordragontheflywillbecaused.Whereitisimpossibletofishuporacross,

the only plan is to drift from above or cast down stream; just as the fly is descending

checkitsothatitfallsshortofthefullcast,and,loweringthehand,thenletitfloatdown

toandbeyondthefishwithoutdragbeforerecovering.Itshould, however, be remarked

thatwhendriftingeveryanglermustexpecttomissagreatproportionofthefishherises,

and,further,hemustnotbesurprisedtofindthatthefirstcastoverarisingfishwillinthe

majorityofinstanceseitherrisehimorsethimdownaltogether.

There are in every reach of every stream places where the dry-fly fisherman may

confidently expect success with a rising fish, and others where he may with equal

confidencepredictfailure.Asafundamentalprinciple,theartificialflyshouldfloatdown

to a feeding trout in precisely the same direction and at precisely the same pace as the

natural one. This is merely tantamount to saying that the object of a scientific dry-fly

fishershouldbetosomanoeuvrehisartificialflyastomakeitasfaraspossiblecopyin

itsmovements,asitshouldinitsappearance(thoseofthenaturalinsect.Thenaturalinsect

emerges from the nymph-envelope on the surface of the stream, and as far as it drifts

downonthewateriscarriedalongatthesamespeedandinthesamedirectionastherun

inwhichithappenstobewhenfirstclearoftheshuck.Undernoconditionisitverylikely

forashyfishlikeatrouttotakeaflydeviatingfromthisnaturalcourse,andthemorea

riverisfishedtheshyerthetroutbecome,andthelesslikelytheyaretoforgiveamistake

inthisrespect.

Wherevertherunofthewaterhastheeffectofcausingtheartificialflytodrag,there

thefishermanislikelytofindhimselffoiledinallhiseffortstorisethefish,andtheplace

should,asarule,beavoided.Ontheotherhand,wherevertherunofthewatercausesthe

artificialflytofollowexactlythecoursetakenbythenatural,therearisingfishislikelyto

be tempted by a good imitation delicately and accurately placed. As a general rule,

wherevertheactionofthewateronthelinecausestheartificialflytodeviateinpaceor

directionfromthatwhichthenaturalinsectwouldfollowinasimilarposition,awakeis

producedbehindthefly,andthisistechnicallytermeddragging.

There are three conditions under which dragging may take place. A fly may travel

eitherfasterorslowerthanthenaturalinsect,orinadifferentdirectionfromit.

Theflytravelsfasterthanthenaturalinsectinaplacewheretheanglerhastothrow

acrossthestream,andwherethemostrapidportionofthecurrentisbetweenhimandthe

spotwherethefishisfeeding.Theflythendragsbecausetheactionofthestreamonthe

linecausestheflytotravelatthepaceofthisthemorerapidstream,insteadofattherate

oftheportionoftheriverwheretheflyisfloating.Itfurtherhasthetendencyofdragging

the artificial fly more or less across the normal direction of the stream. This form of

draggingcanbeobviated,oratleastdelayeduntiltheflyisbelowthefeeding-placeofthe

trout,bythrowingthelineinacurvewiththeconvexsidedirectedupstream,anduntilthe

pressureofthewaterhasdeflectedthiscurveintoastraightorconcavelinenodragcan

takeplace.Inaverywidestream,withthecurrentthroughoutnearlyuniforminforce,the

sametendencytodragexists,andthesameremedycanbeapplied.

Anotherplacewheretheartificialflytravelsmorequicklythanthenaturalinsectis

wherethefishisrisingonasmoothglideimmediatelyabovearapidrun,andinthiscase

thedragcanbedelayeduntiltheflyisbelowthefishbythrowingaveryslackline–that

is,placingtheflywiththelastyardorsoofthegutextended,andtheupperpartofthe

castandaportionofthereellinelooselyorincurvesonthewater.Thecheckreferredto

intheinstructionsformakingacastisthemosteffectivemethodofproducingthisresult,

anditisfareasiesttoaccomplishwhenwadinginadirectlinebelowthefish.

Ifafishisrisinginaslowrunningbay,theartificialflycastwithatightlinewillbe

carrieddownatthepaceofthefasterstreamoutside,andinthiscaseagaintheslacklineis

theonlymeansofpreventingthedrag.Withastrongwindblowingstraightupstreamafly

cast in the ordinary way, and fished from directly below, will be dragged down by the

extendedline,fromthemomentitreachesthewateruntilithasfloatedashortdistance,

andthusleftslacklinebelowthefly.Topreventthiskeepthepointoftherodwellupuntil

theflyhaslandedonthewater,thenatoncedropthehandandrod-pointsoastoslacken

theline.

Whenthelowerpartofthereellineliesonaneddy,itwillcausetheflytodragby

making it float more slowly than the pace of the stream. Slack line will naturally delay

this.Whendriftingorusingthehalf-drift,thelineasitcommencestotightendelaysthe

paceofthe fly, andthuscauses it to drag.Plenty of slack, loweringthehand as thefly

travels,andevenwalkingslowlydownthebank,willretardthis.

Inasmalleddywherethenaturalinsectsfloatinadirectionoppositetothegeneral

runofthestreamoutside,aflymustdrag;butinalargeeddyitissometimespossibleto

cast up the eddy and let the fly drift down it, thus placing oneself apparently in the

positionofthrowingdownstream.

Draggingowingtotheflydriftingacrossthenaturalrunofthestreamisaveryusual

causeofnon-success.Perhapsthestrongestexampleofthisiswhencastingtoafishrising

under and close to the opposite bank: the moment the line is extended the fly begins

describingasegmentofacircle,ofwhichtherod-pointisthecentreandthelengthofline

theradius;andhere,again,theslackerthelinethelongerthedragisdelayed.Itisstrange

howoftenfishermenfailtonoticethisclassofdrag,andwonderattheirbeingunableto

getanofferfromafishrisingfreely,andinaplaceapparentlysofavourable.Itisinacase

of this description that the advantage of a well- fatted line is most evident, as it floats

downwiththefly,whiletheordinaryvarnishedsilklinesinksandcausestheflytodrag.

Theresultofallconsiderationofthequestionofdraggingtendsinonedirection,and

thelessontobelearntcannotbetoostronglyimpressedonthemindsofanglerswhowish

tobesuccessful,andarethereforealivetothefactthattolearnthisoranyotherartthey

mustcontinuallystudytofindouttheirmistakes.Oneoftenhearsapprobationexpressed

ofthecastingpowersofvariousfishermen;inthewordsofthemajorityoftheiradmirers

they are loudly praised for throwing so ‘straight a line.’ I cannot conceive a stronger

condemnation.Inalmosteverypossiblepositionwheredragislikelytooccur,theremedy

suggestedisaslackline,andIbelievethatthestraightlineisoftenacauseoffailurein

wet as well as dry fly fishing, the drag taking place beneath the surface of the water,

especiallyinfaststreams.

When to cast to a rising fish is at times important. In changeable weather, for

example,selectamomentwhenthesuniscoveredbyacloud,inhotbrightweatherwait,

ifpossible,foralightpuffofwindtoripplethesurface.Whenthenaturalfliesarefloating

downindrovesofsomesixorseven,withintervals,andespeciallyinthecaseofthespent

gnat,atroutwilloftentakeeveryonepassingoverhim;insuchacasedonotselectthe

interval,butratherstrivetoletyourartificialflycomedownthefirstofadrove.Withvery

shyfishonacalmdaytakingonlyanoccasionalfly,itissometimesagoodplantowait

patiently,andjustasherisescastintotheveryringhehasmade;ifhemissesthenaturalit

isalmostcertainthathewillcomeattheartificial,andevenifnot,hewilloftenturnround

andseizetheimitationaswellasthelivinginsect.Aftersuchafishhasleisurelytakenthe

flyandgonedownintotheweedstoruminateisperhapstheveryworstmomenttoselect

forthrowingtohim.

Aboveall,rememberthatthefirstcastoverarisingfish,beforehissuspicionshave

beenaroused,isthemostlikelyonetokillhim.Ifitwerepossibletogaugetheprobability

oftemptingatroutunderanycircumstances,andreducetheproblemtoaquestionofodds,

Ishouldsaythatifatthefirstcasttheoddsarethreetooneagainstrisingthefish,atthe

secondtheyaretentoone,andatthethirdoranysubsequentcastfiftytoone.Ifyouwish

tokillshyfish,takeasyourguidingprinciplethatdelicacyandaccuracycombinedinthe

firstcast,beforethetrouthascaughtaglimpseofeitherthefisherorhisrod,isthegreat

desideratum.

Donotcastexcepttofishfeedingorpoisednearthesurfaceonthelook-outforfood.

Markaccuratelytheprecisespotoftherise,andwhendoingsodonotforgetthatthering

madebythetroutiscarrieddownatthepaceofthestream;thus,thoughyoucannotplace

the rise too high, you may easily place it a yard too low down; and this is a fortunate

circumstance,asitisafatalerrortomakeyourfirstthrowtoohighupandbringtoomuch

ofthegut,andpossiblypartofthereelline,overyourfish’snose.Crouchdownandkeep

welloutofsight;crawluptotheplacefromwhichyoucanmostconvenientlyreachhim.

Onapuffydaymoveduringacatspaw,waitduringthecalminterval,andcastduringthe

nextcatspaw.

Usethehorizontalcastwhereverpossible,andatthefirstattemptplacethefly,quite

dryandcocked,lightlyonthewatersothatitwillfloatdownoverthefeeding-placeof

yourfishaccuratelyandwithoutdrag.Ifyousucceedinrisingyourfish,strikefromthe

reel–thatis,withoutholdingthelineinanyway;rememberitrequiresverylittleforceto

drivethebarbofthehookhome,andanyexcessisworsethanuseless.Whileplayingyour

fish,keepontakinghimdownstreamsoastodrownhimasquicklyaspossible,andatthe

same time take him away from his lair, where every impediment by the assistance of

whichheislikelytobreakyouiswellknowntohim.Donotattempttonetyourfishuntil

heisexhausted;thebestindicationofthisisthatheturnsonhissideontopofthewater.

Morebigfisharelostbyprematureattemptsatnettingthanfromanyothercause.Sinkthe

netdeepanddrawhimoverit,thengentlyraisethenetanddrawhimashore,butdonot

attempt to lift him out at arm’s length. If sizeable, give him his quietus with one smart

blowatthesummitofthespinalcolumn;ifundersized,returnhimgentlytothewater.

If you cannot succeed in rising your fish, and determine to seek for one feeding

elsewhere,retirefromthewaterwiththesamecautionyouexercisedwhenapproaching;

still keep well down, crouching or kneeling; again remember to move during a puff of

wind and wait during the calm intervals, and altogether be most careful not to show

yourselfandthusmakehimstillshyerthanheisalready,andthisasmuchforthesakeof

thenextfishermanwhomaytryhimasforyourown.Noteparticularlythatatalltimes

whenmoving,whethercrawlinguptothewaterorbeatingaretreatfromit,theslowerand

moredeliberatethemotion,thelesslikelyyouaretoscarethefish.

EveryoneoftheprinciplesIhavestriventoinculcateapplywithequalforcetodry

fly fishing of every kind and description, whether with duns, sedges, or May-flies, and

most,ifnotindeedallofthem,areequallyapplicabletotroutfishingwiththesunkorwet

fly.

Thereare,however,certainspecialpointsandprecautionsnecessarywhenfishingthe

May-fly.RememberthatallthevolumesofmatterwrittentoprovethatMay-flyfishingis

aneasypursuit,tobefollowedinadilettantifashion,loungingalongtheriverbankinfull

viewofyourfish,havenoapplicationtothechalkstreams‘thattroutfeedingonitarenot,

to use the witty expression of a first-rate performer, willing to ‘take anything, chucked

anyhow;’thatduringthedrakeseasonfisharejustasdifficulttocatchandasunlikelyto

forgiveamistakeasatanyothertimeoftheyear.Thelargestfishintheriveraregenerally

feeding, and are the special objects of the angler’s attention, and the larger the fish the

moreexperiencedandshyertheyarelikelytobe,andconsequentlymoreeasilyscaredor

setdown.Thesameaccuracy,thesamedelicacy,thesamefreedomfromdrag,thesame

carefulstalking,thesamecaretokeepoutofsightnotonlytheangler,butalsohisrodand

line,arejustasnecessarythenasinanyotherpartoftheseason.

Donotcasttoofrequently.Ifaflyfloatedaccuratelytwiceorthriceoveratroutisnot

taken,eitherrestthefishUntilhehastakenanothernaturalfly,or,iftooimpatienttodo

so,goontoanother,andreturn to him a quarter of an hour lateron.Duringtheriseof

May-flyfishoftentakeuptheirquartersinunexpectedplaces;averyfavouriteoneisina

smallrunbetweenaweedpatchandthebank,orintheslackwaterimmediatelybelowa

bankof weeds, and, especially whentaking the spent gnat, inalmost stagnant water. In

fishing stagnant places leave the fly on the water as long as it floats, as a trout will

frequentlycruiseroundandroundsuchaplace,andaftersomeminutessuddenlycomeup

andtakeyourfly.Aboveall,donotneglectsmallcarriersortributarystreams,asthevery

largestfishareoccasionallykilledinthemwithMay-fly.Whentakingthespentgnattrout

generallytravelmoreorless,anditiswelltonotethedirectioninwhichtheyaremoving

whentheyriseatthenatural,andcastwellaboveinthatdirection.Notethattheverybest

conditioned and largest trout in a river generally feed on the spent gnat, and rise very

quietlyandwithnomorecommotioninthewaterthanthemarkofaminnow.Itmaybe

laiddownasarulethatthebestfishusuallyfeedwellonthenymphandspentgnat,and

badlyonthesubimago.

Thereasonprobablyisthatwhentheyarewellonthenymphandtake,ortrytotake,

an occasional winged fly just out of the shuck, they are often baulked by the drake

managingtoflyawayjustatthemomenttheyarerising;hencetheyavoidthesubimago,

and keep on feeding on the nymph. After a time they find very few nymphs, and then

naturallycomeontotheimago,which,lyingflatonthewaterwithitswingsextended,is

unabletofly,andfallsaneasypreytothetrout.

Although,asarule,thespentgnatismoreplentifulonthewaterintheevening,and

evensometimesafterdark,yetoccasionallytroutduringthedaywillprefertheimitation

ofittothatoftheGreenDrake.Aweekormoreaftertheflyisover,trouttakingdunswill

oftenbetemptedbyaspentgnat:itseemsasifthememoryoftheflavourlingersintheir

minds. In wet weather great execution is sometimes wrought with the May-fly. Though

heavyworktodrytheflythoroughly,itisnonethelessnecessarytodoso,andaperfectly

drycockedMay-flyonarainydayisalmostcertaindeathtoarisingtrout.Itis,ofcourse,

moredifficulttocastagainstthewindwithaMay-flythanwithasmalldun,butwitha

shortlengthofgutandtheuseofthehorizontalcastordownwardcutitcanbedone.

Ahalf-hourbeforethehatchofthedrake,theAlderorWelshman’sButtonareoften

taken,andattimestheseortheKimbridgesedgearetakeninpreferencetotheMay-fly

itself,evenduringthethickestoftherise.Sometimes,withagoodshowoftheEphemera

on the water, none of the many patterns known will rise the trout. In such a case try

Flight’sFancydressedona00hook,or,ifthisshouldproveunsuccessful,theWickhamor

PinkWickhamonhooks0or1.Ifthiswillnottemptthem,asalastresourcetryasedge

dressedlargeonhookNo.2or3.Perhapsthebestpatternofsedgeisthatknownasthe

Kimbridge,dressedthus:

Wings:Woodcock.

Body:Palecondor,nearlybutnotquitewhite.

Hackle:Palegingercock,carrieddownthebodyfromshouldertotail.Itshouldbe

fullyhackled,andifonehackleisinsufficient,twoshouldbeused.

If,afterall,youcannotrisethefish;ifallchangesofflyareuseless;ifyoucannot

throwaccuratelyagainstthewind;ifthetroutkeepcomingshort,andyoueitherdonot

touchthemoratbestonlyhookthemlightlyandtheygetaway;ifthehookedfishweed

youandbreak;ifhookafterhooksnapsoffatthebarb;ifyougetcastaftercastbroken,or

perhapsfinishupbysmashingyourfavouriterodshortoffatthebuttferrule,oneparting

wordofadvice.Donotswearattheriverorthefishinit;donotabusethehook-makeror

fly-dresser;donotraveattherottengut,orheapblasphemyontheheadoftheunfortunate

manwhomadeyourrod.Allthisischildish,useless,andunsportsmanlike.Probablyyour

non-successisdueinmostrespectstoyourownshortcomings.

You cannot rise your fish with any pattern of fly in your book, because, in all

probability,hehasseenyouoryourrodwavingoverthewater,andisfullyalivetothe

factthatheisbeingfishedfor.Youcannotgetyourflyoutagainstthewind,becauseyou

hurryyourrodanduseundueforce,orbecauseyouwillnotfinishthecastwithrod-point

closedown to the water. You fail tohook your fish, becauseyou strike too soonor too

late. The fish weed you, because you lose your presence of mind when they are first

hooked, instead of resolutely dragging them at once down stream over the top of the

weeds, or giving them plenty of slack line, according to circumstances. Your casts and

hooks are broken, because either you do not test them, or else you put undue strain on

them.

Astothefractureofthatpetrod,itmaybeduetoathousand-and-onecausesbesides

therogueryoftherod-maker.Perhapsyouhurryittoomuch.Perhapseverytimeyougeta

smallpieceofgrassorweedonyourhookyoulashalonglinebackwardsandforwards,

withgreatviolencetotryand forceitoff.Perhaps, whenyougethungup inaweedor

sedgeyoutrytopullitoffwithafuriousjerkoftherod,insteadoftakingthelinequietly

inyour handanddrawingitgently away.Possibly,too,in such apositionasone of the

foregoingdilemmasyoucrackedthejointalmostthroughyesterdayorthedaybefore,and

theleaststraintodayissufficienttocompletethefracture.Infact,Iwouldpreachonetext

only:Keepyourtemperandbepatientifyouwouldsucceed,notonlyinMay-flyfishing,

butinanyotherfishing,anyothersport,or,infact,inanywalkoflifeoroccupationyou

maypursue.

FredericM.Halford

The Classic Guide To Fly Fishing H. Cholmondeley Pennell

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