40 THE FLY FISHER'S GUIDE. 



fastened on at the same time with the hackle, 

 so that it may be perfectly secure. Should the 

 hackle be of tolerable size, there will be no diffi- 

 culty in twisting it firmly on the hook, with the 

 fingers only ; but if small, a pair of neat pliers, 

 which close together by a spring, will be found 

 of great utility in winding the turns of the hackle 

 close under each other; and, if pliers be want- 

 ing, a piece of silk, fastened to the end of the 

 feather, will answer the purpose. 



When enough of the feather is wound upon 

 the hook, the remainder should be pressed 

 closely under the thumb of the left hand, and 

 the fibres which may be entangled picked out 

 by means of a needle. The silk, with the dub- 

 bing, must now be twisted over the end of the 

 hackle (which the left thumb kept down), until 

 the body of the fly is of the length required, 

 taking care that it never proceeds beyond the 

 bend of the hook, which would give it an un- 

 natural appearance. A single loop will keep 

 the whole together until the dubbing be picked 



