102 DRESSING OF FLIES. 



nicety, which may only be resorted to as a trial of 

 skill. 



I may observe, however, that not above one of 

 fifty to whom I have shewn this method of putting 

 on the wings has ever succeeded in doing it well, but 

 this I consider proceeds only from want of practice. 



I have often thought that in the trade of fly dress- 

 ing there is too much of show and variety, and 

 tinsel-glitter, even for any river. Such flies I depre- 

 cate, and I suspect those who make them do so merely 

 to increase their sale, as inexperienced anglers are 

 apt to conceive that they ought to provide themselves 

 with every variety of hook exhibited to them in a 

 tackle shop. 



As to the question of dressing salmon flies on 

 whole length threads of gut, or on loops, I consider 

 it merely a matter of taste or convenience, as they 

 may be neatly and effectually done either way. 

 Looped hooks are perhaps more convenient to pack 

 and carry, and also require a less stock of gut on 

 hand, either for the dresser or the purchaser. If 

 looped, I would recommend the loop on small flies to 

 be rather of three-ply twist of small fine gut than of 

 one stout thread, as the three-ply is tougher, and it 

 should be kept so short that the double eye may 

 barely admit the single stout gut to which it becomes 



