FORMATION OF THE FLY-CAST. 97 



even James Baillie, could fill even a small basket 

 in clear water with such tackle. We have given 

 illustrations for the very purpose that anglers 

 may compare their flies with them, but it is impos- 

 sible that fishing-tackle makers can take the care 

 necessary to make proper flies, dress them on the 

 finest gut, and sell them at the present price. 



Several flies are always used together, and the 

 method of joining them, or, as it is usually called, 

 making up the fly-cast, is a point of some import- 

 ance. The two things most necessary are neatness 

 and firmness. We have before mentioned that 

 the gut on which the flies are dressed should be 

 the very finest, and it is equally necessary that 

 the threads used to connect them be of the same 

 description. The following illustration will assist 

 us in explaining to the reader the proper mode of 

 making up a fly-cast. 



The thread of gut on which the tail-fly is dressed 

 is here indicated by the letter a ; those on which 

 the bobs or droppers are dressed by b and c. 

 Commence operations by joining the ends of the 

 threads of gut a and b together ; you have now a 

 fly at both ends. Next take a thread of gut and 

 join it to b a few inches above the hook, then join 

 the end of c to this, and so on till you have got 



G 



