37 2 The Trouts of America 



and place in it a No. 8 Sproat hook with the 

 shank pointing toward the right. (This size 

 hook is a very convenient size to work with.) 

 The hook should be seized in the jaws of the vise 

 by the bend only. Now break off from twelve 

 to fifteen inches of your binding silk, and wax it 

 thoroughly with your shoemaker's wax by draw- 

 ing the thread over it eight or more times. You 

 can do this better by folding a small piece of 

 leather, and, placing your wax in the fold, draw 

 the thread over it. The pressure of your thumb 

 and fingers while holding the leather will wipe 

 off all superfluous lumps of wax that adhere to 

 the thread, and leave it nice and smooth. This 

 method has another advantage in keeping your 

 hands clean of the wax, as the feathers, silk, and 

 ^M""' r " j other materials would otherwise 



/r^ i 



I \ stick to the fingers, or other 



^ a ^" / portion of the hand. 



\^s Your thread now being prop- 

 FlG ' *' erly waxed, give it five or six 



turns around the hook, being sure to carry it up 

 to the extreme end of the hook as in Figure i. 

 This is contrary to all methods of the profes- 

 sional fly-dresser, as it is his custom to leave a 

 little space at the end of the hook, but it is just 



