ARTIFICIAL FLIES. 299 



The most suitable sizes, for bass-flies, are Nos. 2, 3, 4 and 

 5, the last being the smallest that should be used under 

 ordinary circumstances, though, for the smallest flies, Nos. 

 6 and 7 may be employed. These numbers apply to all 

 of the hooks named above. 



Flies may be tied on a silk-worm gut-snell several 

 inches in length, or may have simply a small, short gut- 

 loop. Those with loops can be used as "stretchers" or 

 tail-flies; but when used as "droppers" or bob-flies, they 

 must be attached to the leader by a half length of gut, say 

 four inches long. 



Many "trout-flies" are used, and with good effect in 

 Black Bass fishing, for really the form and color of the 

 fly does not seem to make much difference with the Bass; 

 he does not seem so "fastidious," as it is termed, in his 

 choice of flies. Most of the "general" trout-flies are 

 taken as patterns for bass-flies, as the Coachman, Pro- 

 fessor, Soldier, Grizzly King, Queen of the Water, King 

 of the Water, Ibis, Kingdom, Quaker, etc., and all of the 

 palmers or "hackles." 



As every angler will become partial, sooner or later, 

 to certain flies, and adopt them as favorites to the exclu- 

 sion of others, I deem it unnecessary to allude to but few, 

 except in a general way ; and those that I shall particular- 

 ize are such as I have used many times with most gratify- 

 ing results. 



I have had more uniform success, day in and day out, 

 with the black, brown, red, yellow, and gray hackles 

 (palmers), than with the winged-flies; though some of 

 the latter I have employed with excellent success for high 

 or rough waters, and those with light-colored or white 



