113 The American Sdlmon-fisherman. 



of the line of the shank, causing the fly to swim upright 

 and on an even keel. All injury to the fly from drawing 

 it through the loop terminating the leader is thus avoided, 

 since that loop is dispensed with, while the useful life of 

 the fly depends on the cohesion of the material of which 

 it is composed, rather than on the integrity of the gut 

 upon which it is tied. Some authorities claim that a fly 

 so constructed will last five times as long as one made in 

 the manner usual here — an important feature when the 

 cost is considered. But however that may be, there can 

 be no question that a fly so made will last much longer, 

 be less likely to snap ofiF on the back-cast, swim straighter, 

 and that the connection between the flr and the outside 

 world will be much more closely disguised. 



Mr. Pennell has improved on this feature of the hook 

 by turning the eye downward, as shown in the figure, in- 

 stead of upward. The draft-line — or, in other words, the 

 sureness of the hook — ^is certainly improved by the change. 

 It would also seem that the gut should then lead in a line 

 more coincident with that of the shank of the hook, with 

 a consequent improvement in the swim of the fly. 



The following diagrams and directions showing how 

 the leader should be secured to the hook, are borrowed 

 from Mr. Pennell himself. The term "central link" 

 designates the body-part of the leader, as distinguished 

 from its end-part. 



Fig. 13. 



