8o 



HO W TO TIE SALMON FLIES. 



require a right and a left strip from some feather. 

 Coarse fibred feathers, such as bustard or turkey, 

 are the easiest to tie on : finer ones, such as teal 

 or mallard, the most difficult. The strip from the 

 right side of the feather (supposing you are look- 

 ing at the best side, hilt towards you) is for the 

 wing nearest to you. So cut off a strip, but leave 

 the quill on, as it helps to keep the fibres from 



Fig- 5 6 - 



* breaking/ To tie it on, place it against the side 

 of the hook, but rather high up, and hold it there 

 with the thumb of the left hand, close down to, 

 but not over, the place where the tying silk will 

 pass, while you wind a turn of the tying silk very 

 carefully, so as to draw all the fibres close to- 

 gether, at the side, and near the top of the hook, 

 as shown. There should not be the slightest 

 scoup, split, or projection of any one fibre, so you 

 must look closely before pulling the silk tight. If 

 there was any ' break ' in the fibres, the wing 



