A -445 \B46 UC-NRLF $B E71 fiSb f/6??i '^^ ^ A, ^/i//ruMo??y, f^^cirt^te/y^ mm %m ^ > ^^-^ ^^' — ^ (L* 1<.^ ■A "lib ^ ^ ^ ^w^ Vn:^ .M. -4, "H-- .":i> ¥f #f £^ Digitized by- tine Internet Arcliive in 2007 witli funding from IVIicrosoft Corporation littp://www.arcliive.org/details/anglersliand-bool^Ti in, in still places ; but if yon are angling in a stream, you must be careful to avoid this, as they will be carried by the current, and will allure the fish from where you are angling; worms cut in pieces may also be used in the same way as gentles ; if mixed with bran and clay in balls it will be better. 25 FLY-FISHING. Fishing with the artificial fly deserves to be considered a much more pleasing sport than any kind of bottom fishing, and as it requires much more neatness and skill in all its parts, to excell in it must assuredly be more gratifying. It requires less preparation, and presents infinitely more variety. The bottom fisher must make ready his worms and his baits, and visit his '* ground *' the night before to prepare his intended victims for his recep- tion. But the fly-fisher, rod in hand, and his book of flies in his pocket, free from all encumbrance, roams for miles along the banks of the stream, surveying nature in all her beauties, '* listing to the melody of waters, '^ and enjoying the while a health- giving and gentle exercise. Fly-fishing, to be successful, requires great neatness ; the learner should if pos- 26 FLY-FI8HING. sible go out with some experienced angler, and watch his movements narrowly, and imitate them as well as he can. We have before described the rod and line j we will now endeavour to give a few precepts to be observed by all who attempt this branch of the art, without having a living example before their eyes. The tyro, having provided himself with a rod proportioned to his strength and the breadth of the stream, must dismiss the idea of a whip from his mind, and endeavour to use it as a rod — let him begin with the line only, not putting on any flies, trying a short length first, and lengthening it gra- dually ; the rod should be carried gently back without efl'ort, and thrown forward again when the line has reached its full extent behind him 5 great care must be taken in this part of the "manoeuvre," or the fly will be whipped off" when he comes to use one. After attaining tolerable profi- FLY-FISHING. 27 ciency in this, the learner may then put on one fly, and fish for a while with that, adopting two or three when he is able to make proper use of them 5 fishing in rapids until he has become expert. In order to learn how to drop your fly at any particular spot, it will be well to fix upon some object floating in the water, and take that as a mark to aim at. You must endeavour to throw your line so that the bottom fly shall reach the water first, it must be done as lightly as possible, so that it may resemble a natural fly settling upon the water ; you must suff'er the line to float gently down the stream, at the same time dragging it along towards you to your left hand. The best times for angling with the fly is when there is a gentle breeze upon the water j south and west winds are to be preferred, when the water has been dis- turbed by heavy rains and is just resuming its natural colour, or when the day is dull c 2 28 FLY-FISHING. and cloudy after a moonlight night. The best time of day is morning and evening. You must be careful not to go near the bank, for fish are very quick of sight, especially if the surface is unruffled. If the wind is high, fish with it at your back if possible, and if the sun is up, fish with your face to it, otherwise the shadow of yourself and rod will be thrown upon the water. In cold weather the fish get into deep water, you should then let the fly sink a little. If you see a rise, throw your fly about half a yard above, and let it fall down with the stream, and watch it narrowly, and strike the moment the fish rises. This is done by a slight motion of the hand. If you are fishing up stream, the rising of the fish against your flies, as they swim down, will often be found sufficient to hook him. When you have hooked one, play him care- fully, keeping up his head and running him down stream, at the same time drawing him towards you. When the water is smooth a smaller fly is required. Artificial flies may be had in every variety at the tackle shops, and they are made so naturally, that we should advise those who have not the opportunity of taking a lesson from an experienced hand, to trust to them rather than to any clumsy attempts of their own. For those who wish to make their own flies we give the following instructions, and should recom- mend that they pull to pieces carefully a well-made fly, and imitate it as nearly as possible. It will be requisite to have every thing in readiness before commencing ; a hook of the proper size, a feather of the right colour, stripped down on each side, leaving just as much as will do for the wings at the fine end, a piece of fine gut free from 30 FLIES. imperfection, and properly tested as to its strength, dubbing or hackle, and a piece of fine silk well waxed with shoemaker's wax. Hold the hook in the left hand, wrap the silk round the bare hook two or three times, and put the finest end of the gut on the under side of the hook. If for a hackle fly, begin at the bend and work up to the head ; after turning three or four times round the hook and gut, fasten in the hackle, and continue the winding of silk until it reaches the end of the hook, then turn it back two or three times to form the head ; the dubbing must now be twisted round the silk, and wrapped upon the hook for nearly half the proposed length of the body; fasten it there by a single loop, that both hands may be at liberty to manage the hackle. When suffi- cient of the feather is wound upon the hook, the remainder should be held under the thumb of the left hand, and the FLIES. 31 entangled fibres picked out with a needle. The silk and dubbing must now be twisted over the end of the hackle until the body of the fly is of the length required, and then fastened. If gold or silver twist is used, the twist should be fastened to the lower end of the body before the dubbing is applied to the silk. To make a winged fly, the same method must be observed in tying on the hook ; then take the feather which is to form the wings, and place it even on the upper side of the shank, with the roots pointing towards the bend of the hook ; fasten the feather by winding the silk over it, and cut the root ends close with a pair of scissors, and divide the wings as equally as possible with a needle, pass- ing the silk two or three times between them to make them stand in a proper position ; carry the silk down the shank of the hook the proposed length of the body, and fasten it j then apply the dubbing to the 32 FLIES. silk, and twist it towards the wings ; fasten in the hackle for legs, and wind it neatly under the wings so as to hide the ends of the cut fibres ; the silk must be fastened above the wings. In making files, our own experience would lead us to think that it is not necessary to copy nature narrowly, or to adopt the fly which at the time happens to be on the water. Fancy flies, as the fly-makers term them, often take fish where others fail. The fly at the end of the line is called a stretcher, and the next droppers ; the first dropper should be about a yard from the stretcher, and the second about three quarters of a yard from the first, made on pieces of gut about four inches long, to detach at pleasure. 33 MATERIALS REQUIRED FOR MAKING ARTIFICIAL FLIES. Feathers of the grouse, snipe, bittern, woodcock, partridge, landrail, golden plo- ver, starling, and jay; hackles from cocks and peacocks ; furs of all colours, from the skins of squirrels, moles, and water rats ; camel's hair, hare's ear and fur from its neck, and the yellow fur from the neck of the martin; mohairs of different shades, and camlets, black horse hair, hog*s down died various colours, gold and silver twist, and sewing silk of various colours and thicknesses; — a pair of fine pointed scissors and small pliers are indispensable. 34 DESCRIPTION OF FISHES, &c. This prince of the river fish is taken in the greatest quantities in the north of England, Scotland, and Ireland, but it is found in most rivers running into the sea. They make their way up the rivers for miles to deposit their spawn, about Sep- tember or October, and then return to the sea to recover their strength. They may be taken with small fish and large lobworms, but the best bait is the artificial fly. Few salmon fishers agree as to the fly they use, nor is it necessary to follow any particular model, provided they be large and gaudy. The two following flies will be found killing : — The Dragon Jly, the wings of a reddish brown feather from the wing of a cock tur- TROUT. 35 key, the body of auburn coloured mohair, wrapped with yellow silk, and a ginger cock's hackle wrapped under the wings. The hook, No. 2 or 3. The Kingfisher, the wings of a feather from the neck or tail of a peacock, the body of deep green mohair, wrapped with light green silk, and a jay's feather striped blue and white wrapped under the wings. The hook. No. 2 or 3. Salmon generally swim up the stream, and love the heat of the sun. The length of the rod should be propor- tioned to the breath of the river, and not less than fifteen feet; a large reel is also required that will hold a line about eighty yards in length. The trout may truly be said to surpass every other fish in beauty and delicacy of flavour. He affords excellent sport to the 36 TROUT. angler. They begin to feed in March, and are in season till October or No- vember ; they may be taken with various baits — minnows, artificial and natural flies, worms, cads, paste, cow-dung, lob, white grub, salmon spawn, &c. The largest trout are taken with the minnow, and it is a very killing bait in skilful hands. You must use strong tackle, and cast the bait lightly into the water, and draw it against the stream near the surface. The minnow must be hooked by the lips, or under the back fin, with a No. 6 hook. The trout gene- rally feeds in the deepest parts of streams, near the side, and very commonly lies under hollow banks, among the roots of trees, behind great stones that cause an eddy in the water, at the junction of streams, the tails of currents, and below bridges and weirs. In summer the large trout love to lie in deep pools and eddies near mill tails ; also under large stones, GRAYLING OR UMBER. 37 alder trees ; and seldom change their places. GRAYLING OR UMBER. This may be considered next to the trout in regard to the sport which he aftbrds the angler. It is very similar to it in shape, but rather longer and more slender 5 the sides are a beautiful silvery grey, with numerous longitudinal stripes. It swims very swiftly, disappearing almost like a shadow, whence its old name of umber, from the Latin. It may be taken with the same baits and at the same stand as the trout. The principal months to angle for grayling are September, October, and November. The smaller ones will then be found in the streams with sandy or stony bottoms, and may readily be taken with the fly. When you have hooked one, play it with caution, for they are very tender in the mouth. In fishing with the worm or maggot, strike the moment the 38 THE PIKE. float descends ; — they swim down stream. In fishing with the fly, they require a smaller fly than the trout, finer gut, and a quicker hand and eye. THE PIKE. This most voracious of river fish is found in most of the ponds, lakes, and rivers of England, and grows to a considerable size. It spawns in March or April, and is in its prime in September and October, but is considered good from Midsummer to Christ- mas. He is partial to the deeps of rivers that have sand or gravel at the bottom. There are two ways of taking him, trolling and snapping. The baits for trolling are small trout, gudgeons, roach, dace, and young frogs j the proper size is from one to four ounces. The rod should be long and stout, and the line thirty yards in length, wound upon a reel ; the bottom should be of fine gimp or THE PIKE. 39 twisted gut, with a box swivel attached, so that the bait will turn freely , large double hooks loaded with lead are used, to which the bait is to be attached. For baiting, an instrument is used, called the baiting needle ; the curved end of this must be hooked to the gimp to which the hook is attached 5 run it through the mouth of the bait and bring it out at the tail, drawing the gimp quite through, so that the lead will be inside the belly, and the shanks of the hook inside the mouth. To keep the bait steady on the hooks tie the tail part of it to the gimp with white thread. And now, having every thing prepared, grasp the rod in your right hand just above the winch, and rest the butt end of it against the lower side of your stomach. With your left hand draw a yard of the trolling line from the winch and hold it tightly, until, with a jerk from the right arm, you cast the baited hook in the water. 40 THE PIKE. When the jerk is given let the line which you hold in the left hand pass from its hold gradually, that the baited hook may not be checked when cast out, by holding the line too fast, or that it may not fall short of the place you wish to reach. Let the bait sink so that it nearly touch the bottom, and then draw it up again gra- dually almost to the surface of the water ; repeat this two or three times, varying the place a little. When the bait is taken, draw out your line and allow the pike to run off with it to his home. Give him about five minutes to gorge the bait, and then draw the line until you see him. Do not be too anxious to get him on shore, but play him cautiously, and keep him from the stumps and the weeds. The baits keep best in a tin box, with bran to absorb the moisture. For fishing spring snap, with a live bait, the rod and line must be strong. Tie to a THE PERCH. 41 piece of gimp two large worm hooks back to back, and on the shank, near the top, whip a small hook to hang the bait on ; hook the bait under the back fin, and fasten it with thread. If you use a frog, choose the yellowest you can find 5 put the small hook into its mouth, bring it through his gills, and tie it to the frog's leg just above the upper joint. A cork float must be used, and the line leaded so that the float will stand upright. Strike directly you feel a bite. THE PERCH. The perch is an inhabitant of clear rivers and lakes, and is to be found in all parts of England. It spawns in February or March, and may be taken from April to September, but the best months are April, May, and June, from daylight till eleven o'clock, and from three till dark. He frequents deep holes in rivers that flow with a gentle current, also swift rivers 42 RUFFE. with a gravelly bottom. He is voracious, and will take worms or the minnow. The best baits are, the minnow, red worms, maggots, wasp grubs, cabbage grubs, and grasshoppers. To ensure success, it will be necessary to throw into certain places, before commencing, stewed malt, grains, or lob worms cut in pieces. Use a float, and let the bait hang about twelve or eigh- teen inches from the bottom. Two or three hooks may be used at the same time, fixed to the same bottom. When angling with the minnow use a single hook. No. 4 or 5, and pass it under the back fin. RUFFE. The ruffe, or ruffe perch, frequents clear rivers, and is fond of deep places with gravelly bottoms. Their spawning time is April. They may be angled for all day long in summer when the sky is cloudy, and the weather warm ; small red worms, THE CARP. 48 or brandlings, are the best baits. Use a quill float, and a hook No. 7> and let the bait touch the ground j do not give them much line, but strike immediately. Throw in ground bait of clay and worms ; or worms alone will do if the water is muddy. THE CARP. The carp chiefly inhabits lakes and ponds, and frequents the deepest and most quiet places, especially if the bottom be of sand, clay, or weeds. It spawns in May, June, or July, and is best in season in March or April. They may be angled for at any time of the day from February to June if the weather is mild, especially after a slight shower of rain. The best baits are well scoured red worms and brandlings, maggots, wasp grubs, and cabbage worms ; they will also take the white part of chandlers' greaves softened in warm water, or paste made of d2 44 TENCH. the crumb of white bread and honey, mixed with cotton wool to make it stick upon the hook. Ground bait made of fresh grains and lobworms cut in pieces, with a little bran and greaves mixed together, should be thrown in the night before, or a few slices of bread and honey. Use a long light rod with a reel, and a reel line of the finest description. The hook should be, for worms, No. 5 or 6; for wasp grubs, 7 ; and for maggots, 8 or 9. Strike immediately you have a bite, and if you have a large fish give it line cautiously. TENCH. The tench inhabits large stagnant waters with a muddy bottom. Its haunts are similar to those of the carp, and it may be taken with the same baits. It spawns in May and June, and is in season from the end of September to April ; the best time to angle for it is in March or April, in warm cloudy weather. BARBEL. 45 BREAM. The bream chiefly inhabits large lakes and still rivers. It spawns in June and July, and is best in season in May. The best time to angle for it is in the month of May, and from the end of July to the end of September, from sun-rise till eight o'clock in the morning, and from five till dusk in the evening. The baits are red worms, well scoured, brandlings, maggots, wasp grubs, and flag worms ; red worms are the best. Use the same tackle as for carp, and let the bait lie on or near the bottom ; for ground bait throw in lobworms cut in pieces, and fresh grains, before you begin. Keep from the edge of the water, and strike as soon as the float disappears. BARBEL. The barbel is usually found in deep and rapid streams; it spawns in April and May ; the best mouths to fish for it are 46 GUDGEON. July, August, and September, early in the morning and late in the evening. The best baits are salmon or trout spawn, well scoured lobworms, red worms, maggots, and chandlers' greaves j it will also take a paste of sheep's suet and cheese mixed with honey. Before commencing, bait the place with spawn, or worms cut in pieces. The line and rod must be long, and the bottom tackle as fine as that for carp ; have a hook No. 7 or 8 ; use a quill float, and lead the line about nine inches from the bottom strike the moment you perceive a bite, and keep the fish from getting into the weeds, GUDGEON. The gudgeon is found in small gentle rivers with gravelly or sandy bottoms j it spawns two or three times during the year, and is in season from March to October ; after that time it retires into the deep waters. It will bite at any time of the day, especially in gloomy weather. The best ROACH. 47 bait is a small red worm, or they will take gentles or the cow-dung worm. Use a fine line, with a hook No. 8 or 9, and a float. It is usual to take a rake with you to stir up the sand and gravel from the bottom, which causes them to bite much better. ROACH. The roach is found in most rivers in England, especially such as are deep, still, and clear. It spawns in May j the princi- pal season for it is Michaelmas, but it is good all the winter. In summer it bites best from sun-rise till nine o'clock in the morning, and from four till dark. In winter during the middle of the day. Paste made of the crumb of white bread slightly soaked in water, with a little Ver- million added to make it a salmon colour, is the most killing bait; but it will take small red worms, brandlings, maggots, and wasp grubs. When angling with paste, pu^ 48 DACE. a piece on the hook the size of a pea, and let it float near the bottom ; with worms or maggots, let the bait lie two or three inches on the bottom. For ground bait throw in chewed bread. The rod should be long and light, and the line fine, with a bottom of very fine gut, and hook No. 9 or 10. Use a small quill float. DACE. The dace is found in , most rivers, prin- cipally in still waters that have a gravelly or sandy bottom. It spawTis in March or April. The baits are small red worms, maggots, wasp grubs, greaves, and paste made of cheese and honey; it will take maggots freely after the river has been disturbed by rain. The line must be fine, and the bot- tom of gut, or single hair. For maggots use a hook No. 9 ; for other baits use a larger. THE FLOUNDER. 49 The chub is generally found in the deepest parts of rapid rivers. It spawns in April and May, and is best from August to March. The baits are worms, maggots, wasp grubs, snails, or the brains of a bullock, calf, or sheep j let the bait be upon the ground, except with brains, which must be a little below mid-water. THE FLOUNDER. This is properly a sea fish, but is fre- quently found in rivers, at a considerable distance from the sea ; it frequents gentle streams with gravelly sandy bottoms. It spawns early in June, and should not then be eaten. It may be taken at any time from March to August. The best baits are small red worms, brandlings, or marsh-worms. Use a fine line, with a hook No. 6 or 7> and let the bait lie on the bottom, but keep it in con- 50 £EL. tinual motion, for the fish is craftj', and will nibble for some time before he takes it. EEL. The eel is generally found in still waters and muddy bottoms ; it is in season all the year, and bites best after a thunder storm. The best baits are wasp grubs, maggots, small red worms, or brandlings. Use a strong line, with a hook No. 4 or 5, and a float ; let the shot lie on the ground, and strike the instant you have a bite. Eels may also be taken by another method, called bobbing. Procure large garden worms, and string on thread or worsted as many as will make a good sized bunch ; fasten them all to a strong cord, and attach a piece of lead a few inches above the worms ; use a strong pole in place of a rod ; cast the bait into the water, and move it gently up and down till you have a bite ; when you feel the eels tugging at the bait, raise it slowly till you MINNOW. 51 get it to the top of the water, then land it as quickly and expertly as you can. BLEAK. The bleak is found in most rivers ; it spawns in May and is then out of season : it will take a small artificial fly of a brown colour, upon a short fly line. The best bait is a maggot, about a foot and a half under water. Use a single hair line, with five or six of the smallest hooks, each three or four inches above the other. MINNOW. This small but elegant fish is found in most gravelly streams, and may be taken at any time from March to October. They are equal in delicacy of flavour to any other fish, but, being so small, they are seldom used for the table. They are principally valued as a bait for other fish. Use a single hair line, with two or three of the smallest hooks, and bait with small red worms or maggots. 52 RIVERS, CANALS, ETC., IN THE NEIGHBOURHOOD OF LONDON. The New River is the place where the London angler generally makes his dihiit ; it is free for any person to fish in, and has many fine fish in it, from its source, near Ware, in Hertfordshire, to Islington. Chub, roach, dace, perch, gudgeons, eels, bleak, and minnows, may be taken within a mile of London. The Thames contains all kinds of fish. The jurisdiction of the Lord Mayor of London extends to Staines 5 up to that point no one is allowed to fish in it during the months of March, April, and May, imder penalty of twenty pounds ; during these months most of the fresh-water fish cast their spawn. RIVERS, CANALS, ETC. 53 From Staines to Battersea, various places are staked out, and bailiffs are appointed to preserve the fish from being improperly taken 5 within these places the angler may expect good sport, with nearly all kinds of fish. The River Lea contains many fine fish ; it runs into the Thames at Blackwall. The fish are well protected, and several miles are preserved, to which an annual payment admits you ; in some parts this is a guinea, in others half a guinea. It contains jack, pike, carp, tench, perch, barbel, chub, bream, roach, dace, bleak, gudgeons, eels, and sometimes a trout may be taken. The Mole, which empties itself into the Thames at East Moulsey in Surrey, con- tains pike, jack, perch, trout, chub, carp, roach, dace, bream, gudgeons, and other fish. There is good sport in the neigh- bourhood of Esher, Leatherhead, Cobham, Dorking, and Riegate. 54 RIVERS, CANALS, ETC. The Surry Canal Dock, at Rotherhithe, is well stocked with jack, perch, roach, bream, and eels. It is a subscription water ; a guinea a year, or a shilling for each day's angling. The Commercial Docks, at Rotherhithe, are well stocked with jack, perch, bream, eels. No one can fish without a direc- tor's annual admission ticket. Tlford river, in the upper part, abounds with roach and dace, and there are also some perch ; between Ilford and the Thames there are pike. Woodford River has perch, chub, roach, and dace. Stratford River has roach, dace, chub, perch. Waltham River has large barbel, chub, roach, dace, gudgeon, eels, pike, and carp. Hounslow River has roach, dace, perch, pike, and gudgeon. RIVERS, CANALS, ETC. 55 Colne River lias chub, roach, dace, perch, and pike. Uxbridge River has fine trout, but it is rented, and you must obtain leave and pay so much per pound for what you kill. Lewisham River has good trout, roach, chub, gudgeon, perch, and dace. Wandsworth River has gudgeon, dace, flounder, perch, pike, carp, and trout. Mitcham River contains trout. Merton River contains trout. Carshalton River contains trout. Weybridge River has large carp, jack, roach, dace, flounders, pope, barbel, and gudgeon. Camberwell Canal has eels, jack, roach, and perch. Paddington Canal has roach, chub, perch, jack, gudgeon, and eels. 56 LIST OF FLIES, WITH REFERENCE TO THE PLATES. 1. Green drake, or may fly. — This is one of the most valuable flies for trout fishing. It appears about the 20th of May, and continues nearly a month, and will kill at any time of the day, especially in still water ; it is found in great plenty on sandy gravelly rivulets. The wings are made of the light feather of a grey drake, died yellow ; the body of amber coloured mohair, ribbed with green silk ; the head of peacock's harl ; and the tail of three long hairs from a sable muff. 2. Black gnat.— This is a favourite fly with some persons, and is generally con- sidered a good killer, especially when the water is low ; it comes on about the end LIST OF FLIES. 57 of April, and continues till the end of May. The body is made of black ostrich's harl, and the wings of a pale starling ^s feather : it must be dressed short and thick. 3. Hare's ear.— This is on during the summer months : the wings are made of the feather from a starling's wing ; the body of fur from the hare's ear; and legs of a ginger cock's hackle. 4. Cock tail. — This is on during the summer months: the wings are made of the light feather from a snipe's wing ; the body of yellow mohair. 5. Whirling dun. — This is also on during the summer months ; the wings are made of a snipe's feather ; the body of blue fur, wrapped with yellow silk, and a blue cock's hackle for legs; the tail of two hairs from a light coloured muff. 6 Grey drake. — This fly generally appears about the same time as the green B 58 LIST OF FLIES. drake, or a little after, and very much re- sembles it in shape. It kills best from three till dark. The wings are made of a dark grey feather of the mallard j the body of white ostrich's harl, striped with dark silk ; the head of peacock's harl j and the tail of three hairs from a sable muff. 7. Cow- DUNG FLY. — This fly appears in March, and will kill till September. The wings are made of the feather of a landrail } the body of yellow camlet, mixed with a little brown bear's furj and a ginger hackle for legs : the wings should be dressed flat. 8. Bee fly. — This is an excellent chub fly, and is on during the summer months : the wdngs are made from the feathers of a blue pigeon's wing ; the body of chenil of various colours, arranged in stripes in the following order— black, white, light yellow, white, black, white ; the legs of a black hackle : the body must be dressed thick. LIST OF FLIES. 59 9. Red palmer. — Palmers are all good killing baits, and may be used during all the fishing months. The body of this is made of dark red mohair, ribbed with gold twist, and wrapped with a red cock^s hackle. 10. Peacock palmer. — The body of this is made of a peacock's harl, wrapped with a dusky red cock's hackle. 11. Kingdom fly. — This is on from June to August, and will kill fish in any part of the kingdom. The wings are made of a woodcock's feather j the body of white silk striped with green ; and the legs of a red cock's hackle. 12. White gnat. — This is a delicate fly, and will kill well in an evening in the summer months. The wings are made of a small white feather ; the body of white silk y and the legs of a red cock's hackle. 13. Blue dun. — This appears early in March, and is a good fly throughout the E 2 60 LIST OF FLIES. year. The best time for using it is from twelve to two in March and April. The wings are made of a starling's feather ; the body of the blue fur from a water rat, mixed with a little lemon coloured mohair ; the tail is forked, and should be made of two fibres from the feather used for the wing. 14. Red ANT. — This is on from June to August, and is a good killer from eleven till six. The wings are made of a light star- ling's feather; the body of peacock's harl, made thick at the tail ; and a ginger hackle for legs. 15. Gold spinner. — This appears about the middle of June, and is on till the end of August. The wings are made of a star- ling's feather ; the body of orange silk, rib- bed with gold twist ; and the legs of a red hackle. 16. Great white moth. — This is a LIST OF FLIES. 61 night fly and should be used in a dark gloomy night, from eleven o'clock till day- break : when you hear the fish rise strike immediately. The wings are made of a feather from the wing of a white owl ; the body of white cotton ; and a white cock's hackle wrapped round the body. 17. Governor. — This appears early in June, and may be fished with till August. The wings are of a woodcock's feather ; the body of a peacock's harl, tied with orange silk. 18. March brown. — This fly appears about the middle of March, and continues on to the end of April : it is a most ex- cellent fly, and kills best from eleven o'clock till three. The wings are made of the dark mottled feather from the tail of a partridge ; the body of fur from a hare's ear, well mixed with a little yellow worsted j and a grizzled cock's hackle for legs. (jr'2 LIST OF FLIES. 19. Stone fly. — This fly appears abont the beginning of April, and has been found to kill before that time : it may be used at any time of the day. The wings are made of a dusky blue cock's hackle, or a mottled feather from a hen pheasant j the body of dark brown, and yellow camlet mixed ; and a grizzled hackle for legs : the wings should lie flat* 20. Black silver palmer.— The body of black ostrich's harl, ribbed with silver twist, and wrapped with a black cock's hackle. 21. Willow fly.— This fly appears in the beginning of September, and kills well during the remainder of the season. The wings are made of a dark grizzled cock's hackle, and the body of blue squirrel's fur, mixed with yellow mohair. 22. Yellow palmer. — The body is made of a white hackle dyed yellow, the body of yellow silk. LIST OF FLIES. 63 23. Black palmrr. — The body of black ostrich's harl, wrapped with a black cock's hackle. 24. Black palmer ribbed with gold. — The body of peacock's harl, wrapped w^ith a black cock's hackle, and ribbed with gold twist. The foregoing list comprises twenty-four of the most killing flies, which are figured in the Frontispiece. The following are also considered standard flies. 25. The haze fly. — The haze fly is on during May and June. The wings are made of the red feather from a partridge's tail, not too dark ; the body of ostrich harl, of two colours, black and purple, twisted very thick, and the legs of a black cock's hackle. 26. Fern fly. — This appears about the middle of June, and is a very good killing fly. The wings are made of woodcock's feathers, the body of orange- coloured silk, and a pale dun hackle for legs. 64 LIST OF FLIES. 27. Little iron blue — This fly comes on early in May, and continues till the middle of June ; it is found in great num- bers on cold windy days. It kills best from eleven o'clock to five. The wings are upright, and should be made of a feather from under a cormorant's wing, or from the tail of a tom-tit 5 the body of pale blue fur, wTapped with purple silk. 28. Gravel or spider fly. — This ap- pears in the middle of April, and continues about a fortnight. It is a very delicate fly, and is not often seen on cold days ; but it is found to kill best then. The wings are made of the feather from a woodcock's wing, the body of lead-coloured silk, with a black cock's hackle wrapped under the wings. 29. Granam, or green tail. — This appears about the same time as the Gravel Fly, and continues on about a week. The LIST OF FLIES. 65 proper time to use it is from seven to eleven, and after five in the evening. The wings lie flat, and are made of the shaded feather from a partridge or hen pheasant ; the body of the dark fur from a hare's ear, mixed with a little blue fur, and a yellow grizzled cock's hackle for legs. 30. Orl fly. — This fly appears about the end of May, and continues for two months, and is a good killing fly at all hours, if the water is not very low. The wings should be made from the feather of a brown hen, and a grizzle hackle for legs ; the body of peacock's harl, worked with dark red silk. 31. Blue gnat.— This fly appears about the end of June, and continues about a fortnight; it is a good fly for grayling in September and October. The wings are made of a feather from a snipe's wing, or a blue cock's hackle ; the body of light blue fur mixed with a little yellow mohair. 66 list of flies. 32. Oak fly, downlooker, or canon FLY. — This fly is frequently found on oak, ash, and willow trees, in May and June, and points its head downwards. The wings lie flat on the back, and are made with a feather from the wing of a partridge ; the head of the fur from the hare's ear; the body of dun fur mixed with orange and yellow mohair. 33. Yellow sally. — This appears early in May and continues till the end of June. The wings lie flat and are made of a hackle dyed yellow ; the body of yellow worsted unravelled and mixed with fur from a hare's ear. 34. Whirling blue. — This appears early in August and continues till the end of the season. The wings are made of the feather of a sea swallow, the body of pale blue fur mixed with yellow mohair, and a pale blue hackle for legs. 67 MONTHS IN WHICH FLIES USUALLY APPEAR. March — Cowdung Fly, Blue Dun, March Brown. April — Black Gnat, Stone Fly, Gravel, or Spider Fly, Granam or Green Tail. May— Green Drake, Grey Drake, Oak Fly, Hazel Fly, Little Iron Blue, Orl Fly, Yellow Sally. June — Hare's Ear, Cock Tail, Whirling Dun, Bee Fly, Kingdom Fly, White Gnat, Blue Gnat, Governor, Fern Fly. July — Red Ant. August — Whirling Blue. September — Willow Fly. LONDON : Clarke, Printers, Silver Street, Falcon Square. TYAS'S POPULAR HAND-BOOKS. Price One Shilling each, in cloth, gilt edges. 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