64 ANGLING IN SALT WATER. 



wool at the shoulders ; and wings, bright blue feathers, to which 

 are added half a dozen fibres of goose feather. There is an 

 instance on record when the bass in Dartmouth harbour 

 refused to look at artificial sand-eels, sole-skin, or other bait, 

 but eagerly took a well-known salmon fly called the Gold- 

 finch. It is dressed as follows: Tag, gold tinsel and black 

 floss; tail, a golden pheasant topping; body, gold-coloured 

 floss; pale yellow hackle; blue jay at shoulder; gold tinsel; 

 wing composed entirely of toppings; red macaw ribs, and 



Fig. 46. Method of Fastening Bass Flies on Eyed Hooks to Gut. 



Fig. 47. The Knot pulled Tight. 



black head. Bass flies should always be tied on eyed hooks 

 or loops of gut, for the gut near the head of fly quickly gets 

 frayed and worn by the sharp teeth of the bass, and requires 

 frequently renewing. With the old method of attaching the 

 gut to the hook, as soon as the gut became worn, the fly, how- 

 ever good in other respects, at once became useless. I think 

 the best method of attaching gut to large flies tied on eyed 

 hooks is that shown in the accompanying Figures (46 and 47). 



