HOOKS.] 



ANGLING. 



[aetificial flies. 



LINES. 



The lines of tlie angler are either composed 

 of the gut of the silkworm, or of silk and hair 

 combined, horsehair, cow-hair, and also of 

 Indian and other grasses. They are either 

 purchased or made by anglers themselves ; but 

 the lines of the tackle-makers are generally 

 reputed the best. The hair-line is de- 

 scribed, by Mr. Daniel, as requiring much 

 knowledge in procuring the materials of wliich 

 it is to be composed. The hair should be 

 taken from " a young, healthy, grey, or white 

 stallion," from the middle of the tail, and it 

 should be of "a pale, transparent, water 

 colour." He adds, that hair must not 

 be touched with oil, or it will become hollow 

 and rotten. This, however, is doubted ; but 

 who would take all this trouble, when a better 

 line could be purchased for half the value of 

 even the time it would take to make one our- 

 selves ? Many artists, however, prefer making 

 their own tackle, not with the view of saving 

 time and expense, but from the pleasure which 

 it gives to tish with that which is of their own 

 manufacture. 



The single-hair line is used by many of our 

 best anglers, at bottom, for roach, dace, and 

 other j^.'ze fishing. On the advantages of this 

 sort of line, Mr. Salter, in hvi Angler's Guide, 

 speaks at large; but we may state, that, as a 

 general rule, of whatever material a line is 

 made, if it is not already of the colour of the 

 water usually fished in, it should be dyed to that 

 colour. 



HOOKS. 

 The principal hooks made use of by the 

 practical English angler, come under the 

 denominations of the Limerick, the Kendal, 

 the Sneak bend, and the K.rby. To trace the 

 progressive history of these little instruments, 

 from the primitive simplicity of their invention 

 up to their present perfected state, might be 

 interesting, but it could not be useful. AVe 

 will, therefore, briefly state, that upoa the 

 quality of the material of which they are 

 made, much of the success of the angler 

 depends. Mr. Blaine observes, that " every 

 fish-hook should be manufactured of a proper 

 temper:" by which he means, that it should 

 be capable of resisting all ordinary force 

 lOOi 



applied, without snapping, and be tempered so 

 equally that it will not snap. Each hook 

 should be kept separately in the flannel with 

 which the hook-book should be furnished, 

 whether the hook be giraped, or gutted, or 

 naked. 



ARTIFICIAL FLIES. 



To describe all the artificial flies used by 

 the angler would occupy a large space; but a 

 iew of the most popular must not be omitted. 

 Those who wish for a fuller list, may consult 

 the F/i/-ftsJiers Entomology, by Alfred Eonalds ; 

 or Blaine's Eticyclopcedia of Rural Sports. 

 The first we shall speak of is the Black Gnat, 

 which appears about the end of April. It 

 should be made of the light part of the wing- 

 feather of any dun-coloured bird, and should 

 be dressed thick and short. The tail should 

 be of mohair, or black ostrich, which is pre- 

 ferable. Trout, as well as grayling, will 

 occasionally rise to this fly, even so early as 

 February and March. Besides the Black 

 Gnat, there are the Alder, or Eed-fly ; the 

 Dark Dun ; the Blue Dun ; the Black Palmer 

 Hackel; the March Brown, and several 

 others. The wings of this last are formed 

 from the mottled feathers of the tail of a 

 partridge ; the body consists of the fur of a 

 hare's ear, mixed with a little yellow worsted ; 

 the legs are a grizzled hackle. This fly con- 

 tinues to the end of April. According to 

 Mr. Baiiibridge, author of the Fly-Jisliers 

 Guide, this fly may be used during mild 

 weather in Eebruary. It is made from the 

 dull feathers of a mallard's wing ; the body of 

 mole-fur, mixed with a little dark-brown 

 mohair ; and a dark grizzled hackle composes 

 the legs. Salmon often rise to this fly, which 

 may be successfully used early in the morning 

 throughout the fishing season. The Hazel-Jig 

 is famous for May and June fishing, where 

 bushes are plentiful. It is made of black and 

 purple ostrich harl, twisted together ; the 

 wings should be of the light-brown feathers 

 taken from under the wings of a thrush ; and 

 a bluish hackle should be taken for the legs. 

 Some of the flies, as enumerated for April, by 

 Mr. Blaine, are — The Eed Dun, Orange- 

 bodied Dun ; Ashy Dun ; Large Spider, or 

 Crane-fly ; the Oak-fly, and the Stone-fly. 

 Those for May are — The Later Willow-fly; 



