4 HOW TO TIE SALMON FLIES. 



can be undone in a moment. It is suited to all 

 sizes of flies, except when the eye is very large. 

 The illustrations show the method of tying the 

 knot so clearly, that it is unnecessary to give 

 written directions. But in all cases the gut must 

 be first passed down through the loop or eye, so 

 as to bring it as nearly as possible in line with the 

 shank, when the knot is pulled tight. To tighten 

 the knot, first the line A must be pulled, then 

 the end B the former is then cut off. To undo 

 the knot, simply push the line B steadily, when 

 the whole knot is loosened at once. For hooks 

 with large eyes, or with the eyes made of thick 

 wire, the above knot will not do, as it will not 



Fig. 3- 



grip the hook, and with such the best knot is 

 undoubtedly the slip knot, as shown ; but this 

 means that the gut has to be passed twice through 

 the eye, and is not easily undone when once 

 pulled tight. On the other hand, it is perfectly 

 safe, and grips the hook firmly. When it is 

 necessary to change a fly attached by this knot 

 the gut must either be cut off, or worked loose 

 with a pin or stiletto. 



As to the sizes of salmon hooks, there are two 

 scales : the first, or old one, though still made use 



