The North Country Angler. 55 



The woodcock's wing will furnish you with 

 variety enough. 



When I fish with these flies, I let one of them, 

 the hackle or drop-fly, only touch the top of the 

 water ; the uppermost only sometimes ; for I 

 have observed, that the fish strike the boldest at 

 those flies, that do not touch the water ; because 

 they appear to be upon the wing, and are making 

 their escape from them. But the end fly I let 

 sink two or three inches sometimes, having ob- 

 served, that it is often better taken a little under 

 water, than on the very surface, the reason of 

 which, I suppose, is, that these flies are bred in 

 the water, under the stones and among the gra- 

 vel; and as soon as their wings are grown, they 

 come to the top of the water, before they can fly, 

 and are an easy prey to the lazy trouts, who feed 

 on them under the surface. 



The best way, in my opinion, of putting one 

 or two drop-flies on your link, is to make the hair 

 you dress it to, only about four inches long, with 

 a loop neatly wrapped, no longer than just to 

 put the loop of your fly link through it ; and 

 when it is placed at a proper distance from the 

 end-fly, to make a double knot upon the fly- link, 

 in which you must inclose the loop of your bob- 

 fly; which will then hang perpendicular from the 

 line, and more loose and free, than when it is 

 dressed upon the end of a long hair, and so made 

 a part of the link. 



