FLIES THAT TROUT LIKE 83 



draught. If the flies you buy are tied upon either 

 Sproat, O'Shaugnessy, or Sneck hooks, you should have 

 no trouble with them. I have mentioned the Sneck 

 hook, not because I like or use it myself, but because 

 in the opinion of many experienced fly-fishermen it is 

 a good hook. Another good hook is the Pennell. 

 Personally I always use the Sproat or O'Shaugnessy 

 when I can find the sort of fly I want tied upon either 

 of them. But a good many dealers use only the Sneck 

 hooks for the smaller size flies, smaller than No. 8, 

 and for the "midges." There is no need to advise 

 only hooks of good grade. If you buy decent flies the 

 hooks are pretty sure to be all right. 



In regard to the ways in which flies are made, their 

 mechanical construction and form, there are several 

 well-known kinds. These are : Hackles, 

 palmers, reversed-wing flies, matched- r^*t 

 wing flies, " fluttering " flies, and float- 

 ing dry flies. The hackles and palmers are of quite 

 similar construction and equally efficient. No wings 

 are used in making these flies and the fly consists en- 

 tirely of the " hackle " and body save rarely when a 

 tail is tied in. The brown hackle is frequently made 

 with a tail of red wool. The distinction between the 

 hackle and the palmer is, that in the case of the hackle 

 fly the hackle is tied at the head of the fly only, while 

 in the palmers it is tied the entire length of the body. 

 The angler when buying flies by mail should remem- 

 ber that the hackles and palmers are made with dif- 



