PLY FISHING. 69 



The grasshoppers, however, which come in about this time, 

 afford something more like a mouthful for the trout, by whom 

 they are certainly held in no mean estimation, and in windy wea- 

 ther an imitation made of green and yellow lamb's wool mixed, 

 warped on green silk, with either a dark dun or pale red hackle 

 will prove successful. As soon as August begins the ant-fly comes 

 in, which is an easy fly to imitate, and a rare one for taking in the 

 trout. The body should be made very full, with a peacock herl, 

 with a very light dun hackle ,with a fibre rather long, but not too 

 much of it, to represent the gauze like wing of the insect, which 

 it does much better than the starling feather, though the latter is 

 more frequently employed for that purpose. 



The blue bottle is often taken well during the months of July, 

 August, and September, particularly in the two last weeks of 

 August and the two first in the following month, at which times 

 these flies, becoming weak and blind, are often cast upon the 

 waters where they soon fall a prey to the ravenous fishes, being 

 not only held in good repute amongst the trout, but by roach, dace, 

 and chub also, all of whom seem to entertain an equally high 

 opinion of their edible qualities. This fly is however chiefly use- 

 ful to the angler in its natural state, which I must defer saying 

 any more about till I come to treat on the art of dapping. When 

 made up as an artificial fly, it is one I have rarely or never seen well 

 copied. It has often struck me how admirably the blue feathers 

 of a jay's wing would imitate the body if any device could be 

 found of tying them on without altering their barred appearence, 

 a feat that has hitherto defied my skill . The way the fly is usually 

 made is with a body of floss silk, as near the colour of the insect's 

 hinder part as possible, and the wings, which should be of star- 

 ling's feather, should be tied flat on the back as in the real insect, 

 and before them should be wound on a peacock herl with the fibre 

 partially stripped off ; before this you may fasten off with a turn or 

 two of red silk by way of a head. 



And now I really fear that by this time t must have exhausted 

 the patience of my readers by describing so many flies ; yet 

 numerous as they are they form but a small portion of those 

 that may be profitably employed ; and yet upon the whole with a 

 fly book stored with a few of each kind, a skilful angler may con- 

 fidently at all times and seasons fish from one end of the kingdom 

 to the other, without the slightest apprehension of lacking a 

 fly, adapted to any kind of water that may chance to cross his path. 



