68 THE SALMON FLY. 



These four operations are the foundation of facility and certainty in 

 manipulation, and a constant and patient practice of them wall soon bring 



its own reward. 



* * * * 



With a piece of white card-board, say twelve inches by six inches, 

 lying immediately in front of you on the table, to serve as a back-ground 

 in aid of the eyesight, proceed to practise the following chief operations of 

 fly-dressing ; noting, in passing, that the back of your card-board may be 

 utilised as a medium on which to record for ready reference, scales of 

 hooks, lengths of gut for loops, and other measures of proportion. (These 

 remarks, I need hardly say, are intended solely for beginners.) 



INSTRUCTION FLY No. 1. 



For instruction in general, and also specially to illustrate the making 

 of a silk and fur body, and a " Built" wing. 



OPERATION I. 



TYING ON THE GUT-LOOP. The length of the proposed body being 

 li inch, a suitable length of twisted gut, extra stout, for the loop will be 

 1-J inches. Soak this length thoroughly in soft water (or for making a 

 single fly, you ma}' put the gut in your mouth for eight or ten minutes), 

 and bend it so that one side shall be a little longer than the other. The 

 single ends, also of the twisted gut, should vary in length, and their points 

 pared. Cut the inside strands when binding down, in order that the 

 foundation for the body may taper evenly and truly towards the tail. 



Take waxed silk (doubled to about 16 inches), and make four or five 

 open turns headwards, tight enough to cause the waxed silk to adhere to 

 the hook-shank. Begin three parts of the way down the shank, and 

 leave off at just ^ inch from its extremity. In doing this it is best to hold 

 the hook barb upwards. 



These foundation-turns not only afford a hold to the gut, but also- 

 help to keep it from drawing when the fly is in use. After putting the 

 tying-silk into "catch," take the gut-loop by its loop, and, holding it 

 horizontally, flatten with the front teeth a considerable portion of the 

 gut-ends. Apply these ends in their full length to the underside (now 

 uppermost) of the shank, with a due allowance for the eye of the loop 



