28 SALMON AND TROUT. 



overcome. Another blemish in this case not quite so trifling 

 is that the eye, being above the level of the hook shank, the 

 gut, especially if very fine ' drawn gut,' does not form a line 

 absolutely true with the centre of the fly, but slightly above it ; 

 an imperfection which, as far as it goes, would have a tendency 

 to impair the penetrating and holding power of the hook, and 

 to make the stroke less certain. This principle Is, as before 

 observed, so well understood and established in the case of 

 salmon flies, that the dresser, if he knows his business, in- 

 variably laps the gut or loop on the under side of the hook 

 shank, with the intent to increase its killing capabilities. Why 

 should not the same principle be pressed into the service of 

 the fly fisher in the case of metal-looped hooks, for trout as 

 well as for salmon flies ? 



FIG. 21. FLY TIED ON TL'R NED-DOWN' EYED HOOK, 

 'JAM KNOT' ATTACHMENT. 



Acting upon this idea, I have tried some experiments with 

 the view of seeing how the theory would work in practice, with, 

 I must say, the result of satisfying me that hooks with eyes 

 turned down would be in all respects an improvement on the 

 turned-up eyes. I find that with turned-down eyes, or more 

 accurately loops, firstly, the fly floats perfectly horizontally, 

 even with the finest gut, and after long immersion ; and, 

 secondly, that the ' lay ' of the gut is shifted from the line 

 of the upper to that of the under side of the hook shank, thus 

 securing the same advantage that has been described in the 

 case of salmon flies. I find also that with the pattern of hooks 

 I have elaborated, and the loop turned down at something over 

 half a rig/it angle, both the appearance and set of the fly are 

 excellent (ride cut), and no amount of soaking or 'whipping' 



