MAKING METAL-BODIED FLIES 359 



hackles, those at the throat especially, are far too 

 short and scanty ; the tinsel lacks brilliancy, and 

 the whole thing speedily falls to pieces. Con- 

 sidering the number of tackle-makers in Great 

 Britain and Ireland, there are but very few, com- 

 paratively speaking, who are able to turn out a 

 salmon-fly well dressed and well tied. 



In making metal-bodied flies, an amateur in- 

 variably experiences some difficulty in getting the 

 coils of flat tinsel to lie evenly and to present the 

 appearance of a smooth, even surface of silver ; 

 the edges of the coils will rise and leave spaces. 

 This can be avoided by making a false body of 

 wool, and carefully graduating it from head to 

 tail, before the tinsel is laid on. The end of the 

 latter which is nearer the tail should be cut off at 

 a sharp angle and fastened securely before the 

 butt is laid on. The latter should always be 

 opposite the barb of the hook ; if it is higher than 

 this, the fly will present an ugly, stiff appearance, 

 and the graceful curve of the bend of the hook 

 will not be shown. 



The fibres of the tail and the upper wing should 

 bow over so as nearly to meet. 



The throat hackle should not be less than half 

 the length of the hook. In some patterns it may 

 advantageously reach to the barb of the hook. 



Many of the patterns which I have given have 

 strips of dyed swan, macaw, etc., placed so as to 



