314 AMERICAN ANGLER'S BOOK. 



of a red-headed woodpecker tied to the top of his hook. 

 Notwithstanding all this, there is still a harmonious blending 

 of colors or attractive hues, as well as the neat and graceful 

 tying of a fly, that makes it killing. 



With these few preliminary remarks, I shall describe only 

 the flies which I have used successfully, and refer the reader 

 to the English works on angling just mentioned, for a descrip- 

 tion of the great variety known by so many different names. 



Hackles and Palmers. TJie Red Hackle. — This is what 

 the renowned Mr. Conroy, of Fulton St., New York, calls a 

 " Journal-Fly," which we suppose to mean a fly for general 

 use. It is one of the indispensable hackles. All fly-fishers, 

 from the country bobkin to the most experienced angler, have 

 constant use for it ; few make their whip for the first cast of 

 the season without it. It is particularly killing when the 

 water is discolored by a freshet, at which time it is best as a 

 stretcher on a No. 4 hook, and dressed Palmer^ fashion. 

 When used as a drop-fly, it should not be dressed on hooks 

 larger than No. 6 or 7. It is a good fly from April to the 

 1st of September, after which, as Dr. Bethune righteously says, 

 no "true-hearted angler" will wet a line in a Trout-stream. 

 The body of this fly is made of red mohair or the ra veilings 

 of red moreen or floss silk ; sometimes with yellow floss ; or 

 the hurl of the peacock, the tail tipped with gold tinsel. If 

 dressed as a Palmer, the body is wound with gold or silver 

 thread ; gold is best. The hackle should be of the darkest 

 natural red, not dyed. 



The Soldier Sachle, from its high colors, is attractive on 

 dark waters and deep pools, though not generally as killing 

 as the Eed Hackle ; hooks, from No. 2 to 6 for stretchers,! and 

 from 6 to 9 for drop-flies.f It is better dressed as a Palmer, 



* For an illustration of a Palmer, see figure 4 on plate of Trout-Flies, 

 t For explanation of " stretcher'' and " drop-fly" or " dropper," see 

 article " The Whip," a few pages further on. 



