PRACTICAL FLY-FISHER. 



advisable to procure a few very large of each colour, us 

 the strands or fibre make excellent tails. 



Gold and silver twist, or tinsel, is indispensable for 

 making the brilliant bodies of some flies and palmers. 



The most tenacious wax is that made by the cob- 

 bler ; but when new, and too thickly laid on, it has the 

 effect of rendering nearly all silk of one colour. 



To make colourless wax, take three parts of white 

 resin, and one of mutton suet, or tallow previously clari- 

 fied by melting ; dissolve them in a pipkin over a slow 

 fire, let them simmer ten minutes, stirring in a few drops 

 of essence of lemon or bergamot : pour the whole into 

 a basin of clear cold water, work the wax through the 

 fingers, rolling up and drawing out till it acquires suffi- 

 cient toughness and consistency : it cannot be worked 

 too much, or kept too long. When you have waxed 

 your silk, wrap a piece of smooth paper round it and 

 rub it well, by which means it will acquire a good gloss, 

 and will not so easily imbibe water. 



I prefer hair to gut for Fly-fishing, generally ; hair 

 being a hollow tube, swims better, falls straighter and 

 lighter on the water, and from its stiffness the drop flies 

 are not so liable to wrap round the foot length, or casting 

 line. 



Your Rod for Fly-fishing should not be less than 

 eleven, or more than thirteen feet, in length ; light, and 

 supple : though good rods are made in the country, I 

 think the best are the London made double ferruled. 



I prefer a Rod approaching the maximum length, 

 both on account of the advantage it gives in casting, 

 and besides in playing a fish, every yard of line you can 

 wield adds to the labour of your victim. 



