134 TROUT FISHING 



The way in which the fern web or beetle is to 

 be put on the hook is simple enough. Hold one of 

 them between the fore-finger and thumb of your 

 left hand, with his belly towards you, and his head 

 uppermost. Look over and behind his head, and 

 in this position you will see a triangular-shaped 

 piece of his case, which is situated below the head 

 and above his wing cases ; through the centre of 

 this pass the point of the hook, carry it down the 

 body and bring it out at the very bottom of his 

 belly, thus almost entirely transfixing him from 

 head to tail ; pass him now up the shank of the 

 hook, out of your way, till you have similarly 

 treated a second ; bring this last one fairly on the 

 shank of the hook, leaving the bend free. Now, 

 of both, with your finger, raise forcibly the wing 

 cases; blow under them, and the wings will become 

 extended, and must be made to remain so ; you 

 will now have two beetles on the shank of a large 

 hook, whose entire bend is free and uncovered, and 

 these beetles so placed that the heads of both are 

 upwards, and the tail of the upper one in -contact 

 with the head of the lower one. And truly a great 

 ugly- looking bait it is, and enough to frighten 

 away all the trout in any river, you will say, when 

 you first see it. 



Sometimes, when fern webs or beetles are scarce, 

 and economy is necessary, I have used a small 

 hook, about No. 6 of Adlington's, and put on only 

 one beetle or fern web ; and on the whole, perhaps, 

 it is a matter of no very great importance whether 

 you use one with a small or two with a big hook. 



