TO DRESS FLOATING FLIES 



portant improvement, increasing to a surprising 

 extent the durability of a fly ; and if by any chance 

 in fishing the extreme point of the hackle draws 

 out, it can be cut off, and the remainder of the 

 hackle will not move, so that the. fly can still be 

 used. Pass the silk in front of the wings, and 

 take one turn round the neck of the eye. Press 



the fibres of the hackle 

 into position pointing 

 towards the tail of the 

 fly, and generally ar- 

 range them with the 

 clubbing - needle (fig. 

 17). If the wings are 

 a trifle too long, nip 

 off the extreme point 

 with the nails (but on 

 no account cut them 



Fig. 17. 



with the scissors), although, as before stated, this 

 should not be necessary, as the length should be 

 correctly judged when winging. 



It is now only necessary to fasten off the fly, 

 and it may be noted that throughout the previous 

 operations not a single knot or hitch has been 

 made. If the silk is kept thoroughly waxed, and 

 the folds drawn down quite tightly, the fly at any 

 stage will remain secure : the continual half-hitches 

 recommended by the old school of tyers are useless, 

 and only give an uneven and lumpy appearance 

 to the work. 



