CHAPTER II 



DRESSING THE SALMON FLY 



IN describing the method of constructing a 

 salmon fly, and giving the dressings in the 

 list of patterns on pages 132-169, it is not the 

 writer's intention to attempt to give any origin of 

 these, further than to say that most are mentioned 

 by other writers, and that while many are the 

 invention of anglers who are still living, the 

 greater portion have been designed by those who 

 have gone to their long rest. How or when 

 these patterns and the system of dressing came 

 into existence, it would be difficult to say. 



The method herein described, is that employed 

 by Messrs. Hardy Brothers in their work-rooms 

 at Alnwick, and the dressings are exactly those of 

 their regular flies. That many flies sold under 

 the same name are often widely different, and 

 do not contain the same quality of materials, 

 having dyed instead of natural coloured feathers, 

 substituting turkey for bustard, and omitting 

 many of the more important features, is unfortu- 

 nately too true. 



The occasional salmon fisher is not, generally 



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