THE MAKING OF AN ARTIFICIAL FLY 



from the various wing and other feathers should be 

 included. 



Lastly, a small bottle of varnish to harden the 

 tying-off. This will about complete the list of ma- 

 terials for the amateur or beginner. 



IMPLEMENTS 



The implements and tools required are few. A 

 pair of small, sharp-pointed scissors; a pair of nail 

 scissors with curved points ; a thick, blunted needle, 

 fixed in a wooden handle — mostly used for picking 

 out the tying silk when making the half-hitch and 

 making fast. A pair of hackle pliers or tweezers; 

 a pair of smooth pointed forceps to pick up small 

 objects or feathers; and a small vise to hold the 

 hook. 



A vise may be purchased from a watchmakers' 

 tool supply shop. I bought one ; but I soon found 

 my left forefinger and thumb to be more satisfac- 

 tory in every way. Halford considers a vise abso- 

 lutely necessary, but he does say, "Many well- 

 known amateur fly-makers prefer to use their fin- 

 gers and work without a vise." I have also dis- 

 pensed with hackle pliers ; I can grasp and twist the 

 feather around the body with far greater freedom 

 and neatness. And I see very little use for the for- 

 ceps, except to those who have large fingers. Mine 

 are small, and I keep the nails of my two thumbs 

 and first fingers longer than those of the other fin- 



113 



