CHAP. xii. Attaching Drop-flies. 183 



unless they are on eyed hooks, as recommended on page 125. But if 

 you tie your own flies, so much the better. 



It is decidedly a point to put on your drop flies neatly, so that there 

 shall be no large knot to make a ripple in the water. Some put on the 

 drop by a loop, but to my mind this is a lazy 

 way, that shows a trifle too much for a wary 

 fish, and yet a great many do it because it is so 

 easy, and there are other knots which I don't 

 think worth mentioning. I like the one recom- 

 mended by Francis Francis. Tie a simple knot 

 at the end of your drop, and then with the drop gut tie a simple knot 

 round the gut of the collar, and let it slip down the collar till just over 



a knot or join in it, and then pull tight. 

 This is very neat and strong and simple, 

 and I confess I generally use it on a fresh 

 collar. But it is not quite without an 

 objection. As you must always tie your 

 drop over a knot you must always tie it 

 just over a join in the line, or you must 

 make a knot in your collar on purpose 

 for it, and practically it ends in this, that 

 you almost always tie on your drop over 

 the same knot, and if you change often, 

 you fray that spot in the collar and weaken it. So you must remember 

 this, and when you find the collar weakening thus break it yourself, and 

 tie a fresh knot, in preference to waiting till a fish breaks it for you and 

 you lose him. Here is an alternative knot. Wherever in your collar 

 you wish to place your drop fly, tie, in the collar, 

 the knot here shown, being careful only that E. is 

 the end near the rod ; A. the end near the tail fly. 

 It is very easily done by making the loop C. and 

 doubling the bit B. through it. The line has not 

 to be taken off the rod for the purpose, or the ends passed through at 

 all. It is done in a couple of seconds by two turns. Having done 

 this, and taking care that your gut is thoroughly soft from soaking, so 

 that you may be sure it will not crack in knotting, pull A. and B. so 

 that loop C. becomes a tight knot. Put your drop fly, with a simple 

 knot at the end, through the loop D., and then pull E. till D. also is 



