MODE OF ATTACHING THE FLIES. 85 



and drawing tight the knot thus made, a common 

 knot, in fact. Then reverse the gut in the left 

 hand, and tie the other end in the same manner. 

 Draw the two knots together tightly, and they 

 will run neatly together into one. Cut off the 

 superfluous ends, and you will have one of the 

 firmest and most desirable knots in the world, 

 matrimony alone excepted. 



If but a single dropper be fished with (and we 

 advise no more) it should be placed about half a 

 yard down the collar, measuring from the junction 

 of the latter with the line or point ; and when more 

 than two flies are used, the distance between each 

 should be equal. As to the mode of attaching 

 the drop -fly, we recommend the old-fashioned way 

 of looping provided always that it be neatly 

 done in preference to the more modern plan of 

 inserting the gut within one of the slide knots of 

 the collar. Many anglers are in the habit of 

 using even more than three flies a practice 

 which we by no means uphold. In summer, 

 when the weeds are usually high, we dispense 

 entirely with a dropper, and use only a single fly, 

 at the point. To this custom we owe the preser- 

 vation of many a collar and fly, much freedom 

 from entanglement of line and breaking of rod, 

 and, above all, frequent captures of many a 



G 3 



