398 
FOREST AND STREAM 
Sept. 27, 1913. 
ing bodies which are to represent those inclined 
to obesity, because if built too large, it will fall 
from the first strike of a fish and become a 
loose, tangled mass. When the yarn is employed 
as a filler, or otherwise, it must be wound as 
tightly as its tensile strength will permit. Much 
better results are obtained by untwisting a length 
of it that when wound on a spool may be held 
in the hand while winding. This applies also to 
the floss, unless the untwisted kind may be found, 
which is unlikely except in large cities. The 
finished effect is of a more solid color. The 
vertebrae is produced with heavy thread or very 
small silk cord, but I very seldom put it on at 
all. 
A small vise to hold the hook while it is 
being dressed is a great convenience, as is also 
three or four more hands, but I managed very 
well without either superfluity until a friend sup¬ 
plied the former. Any kind of scissors will do 
the cutting necessary in certain instances when 
trimming feathers to a given shape of wing, and 
if sharp pointed, they will cut closely enough 
the thread and yarn, although a sharp knife will 
answer the latter purpose. 
After one attempt it will be discovered that 
some instrument must be used instead of the 
fingers for winding on the hackle. Tackle houses 
advertise some sort of pliers for this purpose, 
but you and I not knowing just what they are 
and not having the time or patience to send for 
them will find a very satisfactory substitute. By 
accident I found an old-fashioned cuff holder of 
the vintage of ’85, that ingenious metal device 
with which we ancient Beau Brtunmels tempor¬ 
arily attached those cylindrical adornments of 
the wrist. The toothed snap revolves on a flat 
shank. When winding on the hackle, it does not 
twist, because the snap revolves once for each 
time around without releasing the grasp of the 
fingers on the shank. I do not know whether a 
perfected, special tool working on this principle 
exists, but it is extremely unlikely that the idea 
has been left for me. If it is not in existence, 
it is because something better has been invented. 
The pliers mentioned are not better. To make 
easier the tying of the end of the hackle at the 
finish, file the snap to a point. 
White feathers are probably the more easily 
obtained, and they may be made any color quick¬ 
ly with gasolene dye. This is satisfactory, but 
if you doubt it, use the more complicated dyes, 
which before you have finished with the feathers 
has partially decorated everything from the 
kitchen to the front door. A poultry house will 
allow you to pull from the necks and backs of 
roosters enough hackle to last a life time, and 
a hackle will last longer than that as regards 
its immunity from decay. Among my flies are 
several that were used in the younger days in 
Missouri of an extremely old gentleman, now 
dead five years. The gut dropped from them 
when disturbed in their position in the old fly- 
book where they had lain so many years. Being 
curious concerning their construction, and for 
some reason which I have forgotten, I placed 
the tightly curled hackles, after removing them, 
in warm water. To my surprise they slowly 
uncurled, resumed permanently their original 
slightly curved lines, and their tensile strength 
was undiminished. 
With scissors, cut from the quill of a suit¬ 
able feather, preferably of the wing or tail, a 
section of the fronds. If an extra heavy and 
dense wing is wanted, the fronds comprising it 
should be taken from feathers of both wings of 
the bird, and the dull colored sides of opposites 
laid together, otherwise the slight curve of the 
fronds will tend to turn the fly over in the water. 
Begin with the tail or “stinger” of the imita¬ 
tion. Compress at the cut end a small section 
of fronds and lay with an end of the body yarn 
on the hook just below the bend, previously ap¬ 
plying at that point a drop of glue, and with the 
end of the floss having made three or four half 
hitches in the glue, the half hitches running to¬ 
ward the barb. With the ends of the fronds 
and yarn against the last half hitch, continue 
that operation several times, taking in both and 
drawing very tight. Trail the floss below. Bend 
back the yarn and wind closely to within a few 
turns of the end of the body. See that it is 
wound closely because if there are interstices, 
the yarn will fall in and spread them on the 
return winding, and the resultant unevenness 
will prevail at the finish. The hackle is now 
placed. If an extra heavy effect is desired, lay 
two of them together, the dull side against the 
bright side. Pause at this stage long enough to 
take a firm mental grasp on the commandment 
relating to the vain use of holy names, because 
the hackles will not submit docilely to the inti¬ 
mate association. With the tips pointing down¬ 
ward. lay a quarter of an inch of them on the 
glue, the bright side on the shank, and wind the 
yarn over them that quarter of an inch. A half 
hitch may be substituted for the last turn. Put 
on a thin coat of glue. Starting the return wind¬ 
ing. make the first turn wide, and the balance 
closely as before, but stop one or two turns from 
the tail end, and again returning make the first 
turn wide and stop short. Repeat this each 
winding, and when the body is the desired >ize 
it will be the required shape. Stop the winding 
with half hitches and cut the yarn close to the 
body. If it is to be a yarn body, that is, no silk 
finish, stop the winding at the hackle where the 
end will be hidden. Resuming with the silk- 
veneer bend back the floss and wind overlap 
tightly to the hackle, where the stop is made 
with half hitches. If the yarn is not the same 
color as the silk, three windings will be neces¬ 
sary to completely hide it and produce a solid 
color effect. Two would do it, but the third is 
necessary to get back to the hackle. 
With the toothed snap, whatever kind you 
have found, grasp the cut end of the hackle and 
pull taut to a right angle with the shank. Here’s 
where the need of a vise or the extra hands 
will be appreciated. With the forefinger and 
thumb of the left hand (assuming the use of 
the vise) press together the dull sides of the 
fronds, holding them at a right angle with the 
quill, which will cause them to point downward 
and be parallel with the shank. Wind closely 
toward the eye, arranging again and again the 
remaining fronds as before. Arrived at the 
finish, apply a small drop of glue and make the 
end fast with half hitches of silk thread. If 
there is a superfluous end of the quill, cut it off 
closely. 
Before telling how to place the wings I 
shall describe several kinds which are placed 
differently. Those made with cut fronds, as 
previously mentioned, are the most difficult to 
manage successfully, and they do not maintain 
their neat appearance in hard use. The tips of 
feathers that arc nearly flat, that is, do not dish. 
taken from opposite wings in equal numbers 
make the best. One from each wing laid with 
dull sides together make a neat, light imitation. 
To produce the heavy effect, add tips to these, 
the additions being equal in numbers on both 
sides and taken from the corresponding wings. 
These make the single wings. A beautiful and 
lifelike effect is to be had by using four tips, 
each wing of the bird furnishing two. The two 
from the same wing lay together, dull sides in 
and tie on the two pairs in a V shape. A still 
more startlingly lifelike appearance is rendered 
with one tip from each wing. Denude the quill 
about half an inch from their cut ends. Tie 
them on across each other, bend upward the pro¬ 
truding ends and make their position permanent 
by taking several turns of the thread under them. 
Put black ink on the protruding quill ends, and 
when it dries put on a drop of glue. Press on 
each rib end a small bead and apply varnish 
over all. 
To put on the cut frond wing, use a section 
not greater than a quarter of an inch wide, be¬ 
cause if greater it will collapse; place together, 
dull sides in, two equal sections from opposite 
wings and compress the cut ends to their small¬ 
est width. Apply glue at the point where the 
hackle stops, and lay on the fronds, taking one 
or two turns with the thread with which the 
hackle was tied, and which has not been cut. 
Adjust the fronds while the turns of ihe thread 
are being made tighter, holding them nearly 
erect the while, and at the finish take several 
turns below and jam against them as a brace 
to keep them from falling flat. Varnish liberally 
over thread. Wings made of tips are held erect 
in the same manner. 
An awfully, awfully fuzzy body is made 
with chenille and hackle. Lay them parallel, 
hackle tip even with chenille end and pointing 
toward the eye just below the bend, where they 
are made fast in the same way as the yarn 
filler. Bend them back and wind simultaneously, 
keeping the hackle pulled out at right angle 
A. F. SWISHER, 
President Illinois Casting Club. 
