CHAPTER IV 

 FLIES 



IN the art of fly fishing we have the true contempla- 

 tive man's recreation, and to be an expert Walton's 

 saying is true : "Angling is something like poetry- 

 men are born so." In a work of this nature space 

 forbids dealing fully with the natural fly, its habits 

 and its imitation, but the angler's observation will 

 assist him in choosing the best flies for his particular 

 district. But the soundest of advice is " to fish fine " 

 and "to keep out of sight." The fish face up stream 

 and have a wide range of vision on either bank. Cast 

 the fly from a low point on the bank side, throwing 

 up stream, and wade if possible. 



The craft of fly-tying has made great advances, and 

 flies are almost always tied on small eyed hooks of 

 bent sneck or Limerick bend. Pennell's or Hall's eyed 

 hooks make very neat trout flies, and the double- 

 hooked variety are perhaps the latest word in the 

 fly-tyer's art. 



The first question that usually arises is, "How is 

 the fly to be tied on to the gut ?" The simplest 

 method is to thread the gut through the eye and to 

 slide the fly down it a short distance, then make a slip 

 knot. Drop the noose round the head of the fly, 

 pushing the fly tail first into the loop or noose, so 

 that it finally falls on the soft dressing of the head, 

 forming a cushion; then draw the knot gently but 

 firmly, and cut the gut end off quite short. Gut 



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