Before making an artificial fly, it is essential to ascertain and select the best materials, and the necessary implements for the purpose. In the Game Fish of North America the author has explained the simplest and easiest mode of tying a fly, and if there be any person who has not read that work he should procure it at once. The instructions there contained must be first mastered before the following are attempted, lest discouragement should result; and no one that does not desire great accuracy and finish need waste the time and labor of understanding and executing the ensuing directions. There are a few persons who wish to tie a fly handsomely; this chapter is written for them. The fish probably care little whether the fly is made at Conroy’s establishment, of the finest materials and from the most approved patterns, or by some unknown German wholesale dealer, of any chance feathers.

Remember, however, that he who strives not after perfection never attains mediocrity, and the improvement of himself is one half of the angler’s pleasure. If we are content with an ungainly fly, we will be satisfied with inferiority of rod and tackle; and although the fish may not see the difference, the angler may become, from neglecting one point, slovenly in all. A well-made fly is a beautiful object, an ill-made one an eye-sore and annoyance; and it is a great satisfaction both to exhibit and examine a well-filled book of handsomely tied flies.

Nothing can be thoroughly done unless strict attention is given to minutiÆ. The material must be selected and protected with the greatest care, the scissors and knife must be sharp, the spring pliers of suitable strength, and the nails of the workman must be long and his hands scrupulously clean. Hereafter the table-vice, the use of which was recommended in the Game Fish of North America, and which will be found both convenient and for extreme neatness necessary, will be dispensed with, and the hook held in the hand during the entire operation. This at first may appear awkward, require more time, and give an inferior result; but sad would be the case if the loss of a vice were to diminish a man’s capabilities.

The selection of the hook depends mainly upon the fancy of the fisherman, and partly upon the locality of its destined use. If fish are scarce and shy, select one that will insure striking; if they are abundant, but strong and vigorous, choose one that will hold. In trout-fishing there are two that bear the palm in striking, the sneck bent and the Kirby bent Limerick; in holding a fish after he is struck, my preference is for Warren’s Lake-trout hook, which, however, does not make a handsome fly; for salmon-fishing, the O’Shaunessey Limerick is the general favorite. The objection to the straight or hollow-pointed Limerick, is that it may be drawn over a flat surface without catching, while the point of the O’Shaunessey, by projecting, catches and penetrates.

Fish-hooks of the best quality of home manufacture, of all shapes and sizes, may be obtained at from twenty-five to seventy-five cents a hundred, and will be found equal if not superior to any English hook at double the price, or they can be manufactured of any shape desired.

So few persons make their own flies in this country that none of the tackle-makers sell the materials, and hence the amateur will have to collect the latter as opportunity offers. Gut, of course, can be purchased anywhere; but the strongest kind of that suitable for salmon-fishing is often difficult to obtain, if not entirely out of the market. In trout-fishing, select fine, round, transparent strands, and pay from one to two dollars per hank of one hundred strands; for salmon choose the strongest and roundest, and pay from three to four dollars. Gut is imported from Spain and Italy, and is made by drawing out a dead silk-worm till it is of the proper fineness; and none imported from the East, and no imitation of grass, sinew, or the like, is worth using. The quality can be determined by its hardness; if it resists the teeth well, it is good; age weakens and finally decays it.

The best wax, although it is by no means perfect, is made of one part of resin, one of beeswax, and four of shoemaker’s wax, the two former melted together and poured into water, and then worked in with the latter. It should be kept in a small piece of leather. Shoemaker’s wax itself is the strongest, but is sticky in warm weather and hard in cold. The best silk is the finest sewing-machine silk, marked with three 0’s on the spool; but for very small trout-hooks the better plan is to twist two or three strands of spool floss-silk together and wax them carefully.

Tinsel of a superior kind is difficult to obtain; the silver should be both variegated and plain, and the yellow either gold or well covered with gilt, and both flat and wound over fine silk. A mixture of both sorts of a poor quality is used to tie linen goods, and can be obtained at the furnishing stores, but a better article is to be had from the importers of gold and silver braids. The proper kind of floss-silk comes in spools, and can be wound off by the single thread over the hand till a proper thickness is attained, and will work much better than the common floss skeins. If the latter are used, they must be divided into several strands and are apt to bunch.

Worsted of all colors can be obtained in the rough, or the yarn may be picked or used intact; the former is the best plan, and rivals mohair in appearance.

Mohair may be purchased from the importers of woollens, while it seems impossible, except by direct importation from the English tackle-shops, to obtain either pig’s hair or seal’s fur. For salmon-flies the two last are infinitely preferable, having a gloss that no other material possesses.

Mohair and camlets are the finest selection of goat’s hair (the former being carded and the latter combed), and work beautifully. The most elegant flies are those with silk bodies, but they are rarely so effective as those of mohair. Many of the wild animals of our woods furnish a fine fur, such as the grey, red, and black squirrels, martin, mink, rabbit, and others.

A golden pheasant is indispensable for salmon-flies, and a spoiled skin can be obtained from the taxidermists at from two to five dollars, according to their scarcity. Hackles for salmon-flies should be large and from matured cocks, those for dyeing delicate colors pure white; while for trout-flies they should be small, either from hens or from cocks not over two years old, and taken from the upper part of the head. They must taper well to the point and not have a stiff stem, and should have the fibre about the length of the hook shank. For wing-flies they must be smaller than for hackle-flies and palmers, and the superfluous fibres are to be stripped off before the feather is tied on. Small neck feathers of almost any bird will make a hackle sufficiently large for the midge flies. The natural colors afford abundant variety for trout-flies, but for salmon the gayest must be dyed. The necessary colors are red, claret, blue, orange, purple, and yellow; and by suiting the dye to the natural color, so that the latter shall shine through, a fine effect is often produced. Considerable practice and experience will be necessary in selecting hackles to distinguish the weak from the harsh, and to determine the proper size and elasticity. Collect all varieties of dimension and color, and tying each selection round the roots with a thread, keep them in separate papers. After a while, those that experience shall have proved to be unsuitable may be discarded.

The feathers of small birds make good wings for trout flies, and there is not generally much difference in their color. Our brown thrush is nearly the shade of the English land-rail; the robin furnishes a fine and cohesive feather; the woodcock’s tail makes a pretty fly, while the mallard and wood duck are indispensable.

There are two distinct feathers from the mallard which are used for different flies; the brown and grey mallard feather, both taken from the drake, the former from the back near the wings, and the latter from the body beneath the wings. The bird must be in good plumage, and under the most favorable circumstances they are both, except in simple wings as hereafter described, difficult feathers to tie; the fibres, although very fine, being apt to separate. Another light feather, much easier to handle than the grey mallard, is taken from the back of the canvas-back, but is of rather too pale a color; that from the red-head is of darker grey. For salmon flies a larger range is requisite. The turkey of all shades, but especially the black and brown of the wild bird, is the main-stay; the golden pheasant’s tail is somewhat similar; the peacock gives us excellent feathers of many shades, and the finer herls from the eyes of the tail add lustre to a mixed wing. Peacock and ostrich herls are used for the heads and bodies of certain specimens. Ibis, macaw, guinea-fowl, blue-jay, king-fisher, parrot, are all necessary; while the Argus pheasant, although injured by the water, makes an exquisite wing, and the silver pheasant is used with effect in black bass flies.

For dyed feathers the pure white of the swan furnishes an excellent material, while crossing colors, such as yellow over ibis, produces great brilliancy. The mallard and canvas-back are also favorites for dyeing. The principal shades are yellow, blue, and purple.

We will now proceed to make a salmon-fly after the simplest plan on a large hook, and remember that the point is held down, and when the further side is spoken of, it refers to it in that position; the head is always towards the right and that is called the upper part, and towards it is above.

Select a piece of stout gut a little longer than the shank; pare down the ends with a knife; double them together so that one shall extend beyond the other; insert the picker between them, bend at the top and shape it by twisting and pinching the ends. If the hook is very large it is well to take several strands of gut and first twist them together by means of a vice fastened to each end, while they are wet and before shaping them over the picker. When the gut is prepared lay it down and take a well waxed piece of silk about six inches long, and holding the hook in the left hand, wind a number of separated coils from the lower towards the upper end of the shank, but not quite to the head. If the silk is well waxed it will remain in its place while you pick up the gut with your right hand, and lay it along the under side of the shank upon these coils. Hold it there with your left while you wind firmly and closely toward the bend; catch the last turn beneath the gut or pass a half hitch, and cut off the end. Take a fresh piece of silk, always thoroughly waxed, and pass a few turns over its end so as to fasten it; then hold a piece of tinsel four times as long as the shank between your left forefinger and the further side of the hook, just projecting above it, and nearly vertical; pass three turns over it, and wind the silk in separated or loose coils towards the head and let it hang there. Fasten the spring pliers on to the lower end of the tinsel lengthways with it, and holding the shank in the right hand, with the left forefinger in the pliers, twist several turns down and then back to form the tag, covering the edges of the first turns with the second carefully and neatly; let the pliers hang; pass the hook to the left hand; unwind the silk with the right down to the tinsel; fasten off with three turns and cut the tinsel close to the hook. Unwind from the floss-spool over your right hand a dozen strands, and smoothing them evenly together and holding them against the hook with the left, tie in the ends firmly, and again coil the tying silk toward the head out of the way. You may wind the floss with either hand or with the pliers as you please; if you wind with the right hand, hold the hook in the left and press the second finger on each turn as it is passed; this is called stopping it or using the stop. After covering about one sixteenth of an inch, seize the end between your second and third or third and fourth fingers, and hold it firmly while you bring down the tying silk and pass three turns; holding the silk in that way is called using the catch, and is difficult to acquire with facility. Cut the floss off neatly, and selecting a feather from the golden pheasant top-knot, lay it on its face,—the side of the feather which lies nearest the bird from which it is taken, is the inside or back, and the contrary side the outside or face,—and secure it firmly. Stop the tying silk and take up your hackle, which should have been previously prepared by stroking back and pulling out a few fibres toward the point, and holding it by the point with the right hand, lay it on its face with the butt towards the left so that the bare spot shall come at the upper end of the floss silk tip, and pass two turns of the flying silk; insert a piece of tinsel in the same manner parallel to and just over the hackle, and having fastened it, hold the tying silk with the catch; take up the dubbing of mohair with your right hand and spin it over the tying silk towards the left, having again taken the latter into the right as soon as you have caught the end of the mohair with the stop. Shape the mohair so that the body shall taper and twist it evenly together with the tying silk towards the shoulder, using the stop all the way, and do not carry it too close to the head; pull off the superfluous mohair with the fingers of the right hand and pass the silk four turns over the upper end of the body, and winding it towards the head slip it between the gut and the hook. In this way you can always secure the tying silk when you wish to lay down your work. Spring the pliers on to the tinsel, and with the right forefinger pass four even open coils carefully and regularly; unwind the silk, and having secured the tinsel replace it. If these coils are imperfect or irregular, neatness cannot be obtained. Having cut off the tinsel, catch with the spring pliers the butt of the hackle and follow the edge of the tinsel; rolling the hackle on its back so that the fibres shall point down the shank. When you reach the shoulder pass several turns of the hackle close above one another, and bringing down the tying silk secure the butt. If one hackle is not sufficient, and it rarely is, introduce a new hackle close above the first, precisely as you did the other, only on its back, and wind a sufficient number of close coils and again fasten it. The second hackle, if weak, may be fastened in on its back by the butt, and wound with the point.

The silk being hitched under the gut cut it off and apply a new piece as you did the second, and wind it towards the shoulder, letting it hang close down to the hackle. Prepare the wings by cutting with a sharp knife a few fibres from each of two mated feathers, together with a little of the stem, so that the fibres shall not be separated, and taking one piece by the butt in the right hand, lay it on the side of the hook next to you, and holding it with the left pass two turns securely, but not so tight as to derange the feather; then catching the silk, pull the butt fearlessly into its proper place, and passing another turn firmly, hitch the silk under the gut, and bring it over the reversed way on top of the wing. Cut off the butt and taking the hook in the left hand with the head towards the left, apply and hold the other wing with the right hand. Still keeping the hook reversed and wind two turns of silk with the left hand from you, and having arranged the butt pass another turn and hitch the silk again under the gut, so as to reverse it for the second time. If the wings are in their proper place, equally on each side of the hook, restore the latter to its original position in the left hand, and having cut off the butt neatly, pass as many turns as you think advisable; then having with your nails stripped off the fibres from the butt end of an ostrich herl, tie it in with the point towards the left and the elevated ridge of its stem above. Hitching the thread again under the gut, wind with the spring pliers the herl in close coils to form the head; secure and cut it close, and then stopping one end of silk under your forefinger whip the other over it three turns and draw all tight. Apply a little varnish at the head and your fly is finished.

To strengthen the fly, it is well to use a little varnish before the head is commenced, and even before the wings are laid, but the writer’s experience goes to prove that the wings are the last part of the fly to give out. The head will be smaller if instead of the ordinary tying silk three single strands of floss are used.

To make a handsome fly, fasten the hook, the tag, the tip, and the tail as directed, then preparing an ostrich herl as for a head, tie it in and wind several coils close to and covering the butt of the tail, holding the hook in the right hand with the silk coiled up out of the way, and using the pliers to guide the herl. Secure the end, apply with the left hand at the nearer side of the hook, the tinsel, and afterwards at the further side floss, for the body. Coil the tying silk out of the way, and with the left hand wind the floss half way up the shank and secure it; then tie in a hackle and some dubbing as heretofore directed, and having spun the latter on the tying silk with the right hand, work it up towards the head for the second division of the body, and secure it firmly. Hitch the silk under the gut, and thrusting the butt of the hackle down through the gut loop, with the pliers sprung on to the tinsel, and on the left forefinger coil the tinsel up as far as the hackle; withdraw the latter from the loop, hold it and the hook in the left hand, and with the right forefinger continue the tinsel to the head. Secure it; wind and secure the hackle as heretofore, and apply a new piece of tying silk composed of strands of floss.

Select a few fibres of various feathers, which, combined, will produce a pleasing effect, and holding them all together in the left hand twist the lower half, that nearest the stem several times, and break it with the nails of the right thumb and finger, till the fibres are softened at the spot where they are to be tied to the hook. Include with them a piece of herl, and applying them with the right hand to the hook, hold them and it with the left, while you take sufficient turns of silk with the right, hitch the silk and springing the pliers on to the herl, wind and fasten the head and finish off.

There may be as many joints or divisions as fancy shall dictate; and they can be either of floss silk, mohair, or other material. To conceal the joints herl may be wound like a head or a few turns of hackle taken, or two small feathers from the golden pheasant’s neck may be applied, one above and the other below, and after being loosely tied they may be drawn down by the butts till they are separate round the entire joint. The favorite feather for the tail is the golden pheasant top-knot, but in many flies scarlet worsted is preferable, and the fibres of other feathers may be substituted. In making a mixed wing as it is called, separate the fibres as much as possible, and after the wing is fastened, a long golden pheasant top-knot tied over it will often improve the effect. It is common to add to the wing two fibres of blue macaw, one on each side, and to tie them properly the silk should be reversed by passing it under the gut, as directed for tying simple wings. Care and experience are requisite to the selection of a handsome mixed wing, and fibres of mallard or wood duck, plain or dyed, are usually a component part. Delicate feathers produce a finer effect than coarse ones.

In tying in an entire plume reduce it to the proper size by pulling off the fibres, and if the stem is large pare it away and always flatten and work it with the nails; then tie it loosely till it is properly arranged, and finally, secure it with a number of turns. It will slip unless made unusually firm, which the smallness of the head will readily permit.

Where the tail is worsted, it may be made of several thicknesses, left longer than necessary, and pared down and picked out after the fly is finished. As it is essential that in making a head, the ridge of the stem of the herl should be above, and as it is often obstinate in its refusal to take that position, it may be wound either way,—that is, from you or towards you.

Care should be taken with simple wings that each is in the same relative position to the body, and that the fibres are not separated; with this object not only must the thread be reversed as above directed, but cohesive feathers should be selected. Some are exceedingly difficult to tie, while others, such as the pheasant and turkey, retain their place readily. They should be selected from feathers taken from the opposite sides of the bird; and if two or more different kinds are to be used, the first wing should be completed before the other is commenced, and before the thread is reversed.

In rolling an ordinary feather in place of a hackle, the same course may be taken as with the latter, but the better way where it is large enough is to strip off the fibres of one side, and then pare away the stem with a sharp knife. This requires care lest the knife slip and cut your hopes in twain. The same may be done with a simple hackle where great neatness is required, except that the stem does not need paring.

The tinsel may be double, tied in on opposite sides of the hook and wound contrary ways, but the effect is hardly better than a simple twist. In the latter avoid too many coils; they should not exceed four on hooks numbered not larger than one and a half.

Two hackles, which, if the colors are well contrasted, produce a fine effect, are usually rolled together, but may be wound one after the other if care is taken to pick out the fibres. They are tied in at one time and handled as though they composed but one.

A trout-fly may be made in the manner heretofore directed for salmon-flies, omitting as much as you please, or the wings may be laid together back to back or face to face, held in that position in the left hand, and applied to the hook after the fibres have been pinched with the nails at the proper place. Being secured in that way they resemble the wings of the ephemerÆ closely; whereas to make one of the phryganidÆ a few fibres of one side may be stripped off and tied on alone, lying close down upon the hook. Remember the ephemeridÆ have whisks, the phryganidÆ have none; the wings of the former stand up, of the latter lie down. Coarse fibres of hackle, or golden pheasant breast and back, are usually employed for whisks; and two strands of floss carefully waxed with a small edge of the wax, will make a tying silk as strong and large as should be used for a small fly. If well waxed, the finer the silk the firmer it holds; if not waxed no silk whatever will hold.

Another way of tying a trout-fly, by which more life is supposed to be given to it, is by commencing to fasten the gut at the bend and finishing at the head, holding the hook reversed; then change the hook to its proper position, and reversing the thread, lay on the wings, which are composed of two strips of feather folded, so that they shall point up along the gut; secure them firmly and cut off the butts close, divide them with the point of the picker and pass the thread through the opening each way several times, and if necessary above them both, but not on the root of the wings, till they stand up, then pushing them into their original position tie in below them by the larger end a hackle and a piece of round tinsel, and spinning a little dubbing on the silk, wind it toward the bend; hold the thread with the catch, and with the pliers wind the tinsel and afterwards the hackle, and fasten both at the bend; and finish off with two half-hitches. The silk composing the material in which the round tinsel is wound may be left for a tail, the coating being pulled off; or the tip of the hackle may be so left, or proper whisks may be introduced. The wings being drawn into their appropriate place will remain there, and offering resistance to the water are supposed by some to imitate motion. Those tied in this manner are not handsome, but are great favorites with certain fishermen for their assumed killing qualities, and are considered ruined if the silk covers the roots of the wings, as is done by most Irish flytiers.

Flies may also be finished at the shoulder under the wing; a course that seems to offer no advantages and to combine most disadvantages. Or the body may be tied, beginning at the shoulder and finishing at the bend, as last described, omitting the wings and leaving a place for them till the last; a new piece of thread is then applied, and the wings being tied in their natural position, the second finish is made at the head.

To prepare two single strands of floss as tying silk, hold one end between your teeth, twist the silk and rub it lightly with a small edge of wax. If the weather is cold the wax may require thumbing before it can be used or will stick to the silk. There will be found considerable difference in the strength of strands of floss according to the color, and in very small flies this may be suited to the insect intended to be imitated, and the necessity of any other body avoided.

The word buzz, which is taken from the buzzing motion of an insect’s wings when moved rapidly, is applied to the hackle wound more or less along the body, and supposed thus without wings to represent that motion. The hackle may be carried all the way from the bend or only part of the way, or merely tied very full at the head. In this matter, as well as concerning palmers, writers differ. A palmer is properly a long-bodied fly with two small hooks, and hackles wound the entire length, to represent a caterpillar and its hairy ornaments. The hooks are often made double expressly for this purpose. A hackle has but one hook and a shorter body. The word midge is another word that leads to mistakes; there are only a few proper midge-flies, such as the gnat, ant, etc., but any fly may be dressed on a minute hook and called a midge-fly, although this is not an accurate use of language. Horse-hair is sometimes used as a substitute for gut by old-fashioned anglers, but it is weaker, more apt to slip, and more perceptible to the fish.

An excellent plan for preserving feathers conveniently and safely, is to put them in envelopes suited in size to their length, and to stow them, together with a piece of camphor, in a tin box. If they are looked over, occasionally, and the camphor renewed as it wastes, they will remain untouched by moth; but if they are to be kept for a long time unhandled, they should be deposited in a linen bag. The envelopes should be large, for if the fibres are bent they will not make handsome wings, and the different classes of feathers may be tied in separate bundles.

The following wax is recommended in the Appendix to “Fly-fishing in Salt and Fresh Water:”—Melt some resin in a small vessel over a slow fire, and whilst it is on the fire and after it has become fluid, take a pure white wax candle, light it and let it drop into the melted resin; there is no rule as to the quantity. Pour out upon a board either greased or rubbed with wax from the candle, one fourth of the composition; then drop more wax into the remainder and pour out one fourth more. Proceed in the same manner with the other two fourths, and thus you will have wax of four degrees of hardness; that with the least wax dropped from the candle being for use in hot weather, the others for different degrees of temperature of the seasons. After the composition has become cool on the board, it should be well worked on the board as shoemaker’s wax is.

To make soft wax to use upon very delicate silk, dissolve some common shoemaker’s wax in spirits of wine until it becomes of the consistency of butter, then put a small quantity on the inside of a piece of an old kid glove, and draw the silk gently through it. Or put a piece of shoemaker’s wax the size of a walnut in a small bottle, and pour over it an ounce of eau-de-cologne; shake it occasionally till it dissolves, when it is ready for use; then taking a drop between the finger and thumb, draw the silk through it. It may be carried in a metal bottle with a screw stopper, and if well corked will keep for years.

In Scrope’s Days and Nights of Salmon Fishing, is found the following description of a few favorite salmon flies:—

No. 1. Kinmont Willie.

Wings.—Mottled feather from under the wing of a male teal.

Head.—Yellow wool.

Body.—Fur of the hare’s ear.

End of Body.—Red wool.

Tail.—Yellow wool.

Round the body.—Black cock’s hackle.

No. 2. Lady of Mertoun.

Wings.—Mottled feather from under the wing of the male teal.

Head.—Crimson wool.

Body.—Water rat’s fur.

End of body.—Crimson wool.

Tail.—Yellow wool.

Round the body.—Black cock’s hackle.

End of body.—A little red hackle.

No. 3. Toppy.

Wings.—Black feather from a turkey’s tail tipped with white.

Head.—Crimson wool.

Body.—Black bullock’s hair.

End of body.—Crimson wool.

Tail.—Yellow wool.

Body.—Black cock’s hackle.

End of body.—Small piece of red cock’s hackle.

No. 4. Michael Scott.

Wings.—Mottled feather from the back of a drake (mallard).

Head.—Yellow wool with a little hare’s fur next to it.

Body.—Black wool.

End of the body.—Fur from the hare’s ear; next to the hare’s ear, crimson wool.

Tail.—Yellow wool.

Round the body.—Black cock’s hackle.

End of the body.—Red cock’s hackle.

Round the body.—Gold twist spirally.

No. 5. Meg with the Muckle Mouth.

Wings.—From the tail of a brown turkey.

Head.—Crimson wool.

Body.—Yellow silk.

End of body.—Crimson wool.

Tail.—Yellow or orange wool.

Round the body.—Red cock’s hackle.

Round the body.—Gold twist; over it hackle mixed with color, as above.

No. 6. Meg in her Braws.

Wings.—Light brown from the wing of a bittern.

Head.—Yellow wool.

Next the head.—Mottled blue feather from a jay’s wing.

Body.—Brown wool mixed with bullock’s hair.

Towards the end of body.—Green wool; next to that crimson wool.

Tail.—Yellow wool.

Round the body.—Gold twist; over that cock’s hackle, black at the roots and red at the points.

“Concerning these flies, I will note one thing, which is, that if you rise a fish with the Lady of Mertoun, and he does not touch her, give him a rest and come over him with the Toppy, and you have him to a certainty, and vice-versÂ. This I hold to be an invaluable secret, and is the only change that, during my long practice, I have found eminently successful.

“Another method of dressing No. 3, Toppy; wing feather from rump or tail of turkey, which is black below and strongly marked with a white tip, to be set on Tweed fashion (that is to say, the wings parted and made to lie open like a butterfly’s wings).

“Body black mohair; three turns of broad silver tinsel.

“Blue or black heron’s neck-feather at the shoulder; if heron’s feather cannot be procured, a good-sized black cock’s hackle; orange or yellow wool, for tail.”

The long transparent bodies which are made in imitation of the ephemeridÆ, and are rather more admired by the fancy angler than by the fish, are composed of small pieces of gut, whalebone, or other similar material, which, after being cut to the proper length, are fastened on at the shoulder, together with a thin flat end of gut, such as comes in the covered part of every hank, and which, after being well soaked in warm water, has been smoothed down with the finger nail. The latter, while still damp and pliable, is wound evenly round the material of the body, including the hook, for several turns, and then round the body alone, and secured at the extremity by passing a couple of turns over the end and drawing it through. As this is transparent, it will show the color of the substance below, and may even be wound over floss-silk bodies which do not project beyond the hook, and while adding brilliancy, will protect them from injury. The whisks may be included with the solid material of the body, and an upper section may be added; the hackles are to be introduced, and the wings secured afterwards; but although a very perfect imitation, it is not generally so killing as the ordinary artificial fly.

In giving the preceding directions, it is by no means intended to advise that the table vice should be discarded; but, on the contrary, a small or handsome fly can be tied much more easily with its assistance. A little practice with the fingers alone will, however, greatly increase one’s expertness, and remove an awkward difficulty in case the vice should by any chance be left behind. The great objection to tying a fly with the fingers is the risk of mussing the feathers, especially in summer, when perspiration prevails.

I am indebted to Mr. J. James Hyde, a gentleman who, although an amateur, is one of the most finished anglers and neatest dressers of a well-imitated trout-fly in the United States, for the following directions for tying all Ronalds’s flies with the feathers of our American birds, so that the angler who may be unacquainted with the English feathers can make an accurate imitation, and not, as is too common in this country, produce some wretched abortion for a well-known fly, and may at the same time avoid the unnecessary outlay of importing expensive foreign materials.

The following list of flies is taken from Alfred Ronalds’s “Fly-Fisher’s Entomology.” This work has been selected because its descriptions are imitations of real flies, and not of traditional or conventional nondescripts, which, although the delight of professional dressers, might be safely worshipped without breaking the commandment, since they are not the “likeness of any thing in the heaven above, nor in the earth beneath, nor in the waters under the earth.”

Some alterations have been made for the purpose of facilitating the reader in his choice of materials, and the feathers indicated are, in most cases, those of our own birds, which may be easily procured, and are quite as suitable as the foreign ones given by Ronalds. Mohair is the best material for the bodies of trout-flies, and though others are sometimes named as being an easier method, the experienced amateur will prefer mohair, with which he will produce the same effect, without any of the objections to which all other materials are liable; and by a judicious mixture, any shade of color may be obtained.

Ronalds’s work being descriptive of English flies only, it has been deemed advisable to substitute their American prototypes in all cases where they are known; and although the trout are not perhaps thorough entomologists, the scientific fisherman will always prefer to use a fly which exists in the waters he frequents, to an English resemblance, restricted perhaps to a confined locality some thousands of miles away. As a general rule, there is no doubt that the best imitations of the fly the fish are taking will be the most successful; yet there are exceptions, of which the ibis fly is a glaring instance. It is also desirable at times to vary the sizes of flies, and to make the imitations larger than the living flies—when, for instance, the water is rough or thick; but these variations are not of absolute importance.

No. 1. The Blue Dun.

This fly is the earliest American ephemera, and may be found on warm days in February. In March it is abundant. It lives three or four days, and then becomes the red spinner.

Imitation.

Body.—Mouse-colored mohair, spun very thinly on yellow silk.

Tail.—Two fibres of gray mallard.

Wings.—From a quill-feather of the robin’s wing. The third or fourth feather with a tinge of reddish brown at the extremity of the fibre.

Legs.—Two or three turns of a blue or ginger dun hackle. One side of the hackle may be stripped off for the ephemeridÆ.

No. 2. The Red Spinner.

This is the blue dun in its perfect or imago state. It is now of a reddish brown, and its wings are nearly transparent. It lives four or five days, but if the weather be hot, will be found more at evening.

Imitation.

Body.—Of bright reddish brown mohair, ribbed with silk of same color.

Tail.—Two whisks of a red cock’s hackle, or of the red body-feather of the golden pheasant.

Wings.—From a thin, transparent mottled grey feather of the mallard or wood-duck.

Legs.—Plain red cock’s hackle. The wings of the ephemeridÆ stand upright on their backs.

No. 3. The Water Cricket.

This insect lives upon small flies, etc., whose blood it sucks in a manner similar to that of the land spider. It runs upon the water and darts upon its prey while struggling on the surface. In the summer months it is provided with wings.

Body.—Orange mohair, spun on black silk, and ribbed with black silk.

Legs and Wings.—A black cock’s hackle. This fly is always made buzz. The wings are very transparent.

No. 4. Great Dark Drone.

This fly is found upon the grass in a torpid state, until the sun warms the air, when it takes wing; and afterwards, if there be a breeze, it is found upon the water. They are of great variety of color, but the black is the most common.

Imitation.

Body.—Black mohair spun thickly on black silk.

Wings.—The dun feather of a mallard wing. The wings lie flat upon its back, and the upper fibres of the hackle should be cut off.

Legs.—A dark grizzled hackle. This is a late fly.

No. 5. Cow-Dung Fly.

This fly is to be found throughout the year. It is most abundant in March, and during a high wind it is blown upon the water. The color of the male is a tawny yellow; that of the female a greenish brown.

Male.—Imitation.

Body.—Yellow and light-brown mohair mixed, spun on light brown silk.

Wings.—The wing feather of the brown thrush, or of the rail (corncrake).

Legs.—A ginger-colored hackle.

Female.—Olive-colored mohair body; wings and legs the same. The wings lie flat, and the upper hackles should be cut off.

No. 6. Peacock Fly.

This is a small beetle, very abundant on warm summer days. It often falls upon the water in its flight, or is blown upon it by the wind. It is highly praised by English writers, and is described by Arundo, in “Practical Fly-Fishing,” as “the little chap.”

Imitation.

Body.—Copper-colored peacock’s herl.

Wings.—The darkest part of a robin’s wing-feather.

Legs.—A dark purple-dyed hackle.

No. 7. March Brown.

This ephemera is the next in season after the blue dun. It is a handsome and attractive fly, and is eagerly devoured by the trout. The male is of a chocolate color, and the female a greenish brown. It lives three or four days, and then changes into the great red spinner.

Imitation.

Body.—Sandy-brown mohair, ribbed over with olive silk.

Tail.—Two fibres of a brown hen’s feather.

Wings.—From the mottled wing-feather of a brown hen, which may be found of the exact shade.

Legs.—A brown hen’s hackle, or the small brown body-feather of the widgeon.

No. 8. Great Red Spinner.

This is the metamorphosis of the March brown, and may be used on warm evenings through the season. It is a very excellent fly.

Imitation.

Body.—Orange and brown mohair mixed, ribbed with fine gold twist.

Tail.—Two fibres of a bright amber red hackle, or the body-feather of the golden pheasant, which is a strong, durable feather for this purpose, and may be found from a bright yellow to deep red.

Wings.—Light-colored feather from the robin’s wing.

Legs.—A bright amber red hackle.

No. 9. Sand Fly.

This fly comes from a water larva, and is one of the best flies which can be used during April and May. Its wings are long and full, and lie flat upon its back.

Imitation.

Body.—Sandy-colored mohair, spun on silk of the same color.

Wings.—From the wing-feather of the brown thrush, or the mottled brown feather of a young hen.

Legs.—A light ginger hackle. Cut off the upper fibres of the hackle, that the wings may lie flat.

No. 10. The Stone Fly.

This fly also comes from a water larva. It is heavy in its flight, but runs with great rapidity, and is generally found in streams, amongst the stones or close to the sides of the water. Its body is nearly half an inch in length.

Imitation.

Body.—Brown and yellow mohair mixed, and ribbed with yellow silk.

Tail.—Two strands of brown hen’s wing.

Wings.—From the mottled feather of a brown hen made full, and to lie flat.

Legs.—A grizzled hackle.

No. 11. The Gravel Bed, or Spider Fly.

This fly is found only in running waters, but where it is found it is very numerous. It may be used all day, and is a very delicate fly. It will raise fish in clear water when no other fly will.

Imitation.

Body.—Lead-colored silk thread, with which the fly is tied. Fine and thin.

Wings.—From an under covert feather of the wood-cock’s wing. To lie flat.

Legs.—Two turns only of a black hackle.

No. 12. The Grannom, or Green Tail.

This fly comes from a water larva, and is found chiefly at morning and at evening. The green tint of its body is derived from the color of the bag of eggs near the tail. There are a number of species in the United States, and in some the bag of eggs is yellow, and in some orange. The green is the most used.

Imitation.

Body.—Work in a little tuft of green at the tail, and then finish the body of sandy-colored mohair.

Wings.—A light brown mottled hen’s feather, to lie flat.

Legs.—A pale ginger hackle.

The body of the male is yellow, without the green tag.

No. 13. The Yellow Dun.

This beautiful ephemera is one of our very best flies. There are several varieties, and some of them are an inch in length. It changes to a spinner, very similar to the metamorphosis of the blue dun (No. 2), only lighter and yellower, and should be so tied.

Imitation.

Body.—Yellow mohair spun very thinly on pale blue silk.

Wings.—From the lightest part of the feather of a robin’s wing.

Legs.—A pale yellow dun hackle.

This fly must not be finished off at the head with the blue silk, but a yellow must be tied in for the purpose when the body is done.

No. 14. The Iron Blue Dun.

This is one of the smallest of the ephemeridÆ, but not the least useful. It lives only two or three days before changing its coat, when its body becomes almost white, and its wings transparent.

Imitation.

Body.—Pale blue mohair, very thinly spun on reddish-brown silk, with which the head must be finished.

Tail.—Two whisks of the yellow body-feather of the golden pheasant.

Wings.—From the wing-feather of the blue-bird.

Legs.—A very small yellow dun hackle.

This is the name of the iron blue dun (No. 14) in his new dress, in which he lives four or five days. It is a killing fly towards evening in clear water in summer. There are in the United States at least some hundred varieties of these small ephemeridÆ, of every conceivable color, and the skilful dresser will take pleasure in tying them, using the feathers of the small domestic and foreign birds which he can procure. Such are the sky-blue, the orange dun, the pale evening dun, the July dun (blue and yellow), the whirling blue dun, and the little pale dun.

Imitation.

Body.—White floss silk, tied at head and tail with brown silk thread.

Tail.—Two whisks light dun hackle.

Wings.—From a blue-bird’s wing-feather.

Legs.—A very small and very light dun hackle, nearly white.

No. 16. The Little Yellow May Dun.

This is another of the ephemeridÆ, and a most useful one to the fisherman. It is not so small as the preceding one (No. 14), and changes to a very light red spinner.

Imitation.

Body.—Pale ginger-colored mohair, ribbed with yellow silk.

Tail.—Two whisks of yellow, or ginger hackle.

Wings.—Mottled feather of the mallard, dyed a greenish yellow.

Legs.—Light ginger hackle, dyed the same color as the wings.

No. 17. The Black Gnat.

Every fisherman is familiar with this little insect, and has taken trout with their mouths and throats filled with them. It is, however, not properly a gnat, but a midge.

Imitation.

Body.—Black ostrich herl.

Wings.—The darkest feather of a robin’s wing.

Legs.—A black hackle.

The black midge should be made similarly, but with a thin black silk body.

No. 18. The Oak Fly, also the Down Head Fly, and Down Hill Fly.

This is a land fly, and may be found upon the trunks of trees or on posts near the water. It is carried on the water by the wind, and is consequently used with most success on windy days, like the cow-dung.

Imitation.

Body.—Orange floss silk or mohair, ribbed with black silk.

Wings.—The darkest part of the wing-feather of a curlew.

Legs.—A furnace, or red and black hackle.

No. 19. The Turkey Brown.

This ephemera is common to most of the waters of New York, and is found on nearly all the Long Island ponds, where it is eagerly taken by the trout. It appears about the middle of April, and changes to a little dark spinner, which is a most killing fly just before dusk.

Imitation.

Body.—Brown mohair ribbed with purple silk. The female is of a greenish brown.

Tail.—Two fibres of the same feather as the wings.

Wings.—Of the brown mottled feather from the back of a ruffed grouse.

Legs.—A red-brown hackle.

No. 20. The Little Dark Spinner.

This is the perfect, or Imago, state of the turkey brown (No. 19) just described. It is as fragile as it is beautiful, and can hardly be touched without maiming or killing it.

Imitation.

Body.—Light reddish-brown floss silk, ribbed with purple.

Tail.—Three whisks of a light dun hackle.

Wings.—From a feather of the robin’s wing, or the under feather of a young grouse’s wing.

Legs.—A light dun hackle.

No. 21. The Yellow Sally.

This is a water fly, which continues in season for four or five weeks from the middle of May. Its wings are transparent, and lie close and flat. It is sometimes called “the flat yellow.”

Imitation.

Body.—Yellow mohair, ribbed with pale green silk thread.

Wings.—White pigeon wing, stained a pale greenish yellow.

Legs.—A white hackle, dyed the same color as the wings.

No. 22. The Fern Fly.

The two most common varieties of this fly are known as the “Soldier” and the “Sailor.” The wing coverings of one are red, and of the other blue. They are both well taken by the trout until the end of July, on hot days.

Imitation.

Body.—Orange floss silk.

Wings.—The darkest part of a robin’s wing-feather.

Legs.—A red cock’s hackle.

Two or three fibres of some blue feather may be tied in with each wing, on the outside, or of red, to represent the wing-covers.

No. 23. The Alder Fly.

This fly comes from a water nympha. It lays its eggs upon the leaves of trees which overhang the water, whence they drop into it. It is in season during May and June.

Imitation.

Body.—Peacock’s herl tied with black silk.

Wings.—From a feather of a brown hen, made large and full.

Legs.—A black cock’s hackle.

No. 24. The Green Drake.

This is the most famous of all the English ephemeridÆ. It is a large and beautiful fly, but is not found, so far as known, except in running waters. For ordinary streams and ponds here the “little yellow May dun” (No. 16) will be found preferable.

Imitation.

Body.—Straw-colored floss silk, ribbed with brown; the head of peacock’s herl.

Tail.—Three hairs from a fitch’s tail.

Wings.—From a mottled feather of the mallard, stained a greenish yellow.

The female of this fly changes to the grey drake, and the male to the black drake. They are little used.

No. 25. The Hazel Fly.

This is a beetle, the pupa of which inhabits the earth. It is found upon poplar-trees, and a species very similar is found upon fern. It is blown upon the water, and is to be used on windy days.

Imitation.

Body.—A black ostrich herl and a peacock’s herl, twisted together on red silk.

Wings and Legs.—Made buzz with a dark furnace hackle.

As this fly never alights upon the water, it is generally seen struggling with its wings in motion.

No. 26. The Dark Mackerel.

This is the imago, or perfect state of another kind of green drake, darker than No. 24. It is found in some waters where the true green drake is not, and is used in its stead.

Imitation.

Body.—Dark mulberry floss silk, ribbed with fine gold twist.

Tail.—Three hairs from a fitch’s tail.

Wings.—From the brown mottled feather of the mallard, which hangs from the back over a part of the wing.

Legs.—A dark purple hackle.

No. 27. The Gold-eyed Gauze Wing.

This beautiful insect is not found upon all waters, but where it is, affords great sport on windy days. It may be used from June till the end of September.

Imitation.

Body.—Pale yellowish green floss silk, tied with silk of the same color.

Legs.—Pale blue dun hackle, with one or two turns in front of the wings.

Wings.—A pale transparent mallard, or wood-duck feather, stained slightly green. Very full, long, and to lie flat.

No. 28. The Wren Tail.

This is a species of hopper, sometimes called “ant hoppers.” They hop and fly for about twenty yards, and sometimes drop short and fall upon the water. The light and dark brown, and the greenish blue, are the most common.

Imitation.

Body.—Ginger-colored mohair ribbed with fine gold twist, short.

Wings and Legs.—Feather from a wren’s tail, wound on hackle-wise.

A brown mottled hackle may be used in place of the wren’s tail feather.

No. 29. The Red Ant.

There are many species of these winged ants, and they are familiar to every one. The red and black are those generally used.

Imitation.

Body.—Copper-colored peacock’s herl, wound thickly, for two or three turns, at the tail to form a tuft; the rest of the body dark red silk.

Wings.—From the lightest part of a robin’s wing. To lie flat.

Legs.—A small red hackle.

The black ant is made of black ostrich herl body; wings from the darkest part of a robin’s wing; legs, a small black hackle.

No. 30. The Silver Horns.

This fly is an excellent one until the end of August, principally in showery weather.

Imitation.

Body.—Black ostrich herl tied with black silk, and trimmed down.

Wings.—A wing-feather of the black-bird.

Legs.—Small black cock’s hackle.

Horns.—Two strands of the grey feather of the mallard.

The male has black horns. To make it buzz, the body is to be ribbed with silver twist upon the black ostrich herl, and a black hackle wrapped the whole length of the body.

No. 31. The August Dun.

This fly comes from a water nympha, lives two or three days, and changes to a red spinner. This fly is for August what the March brown is for March.

Imitation.

Body.—Brown floss silk, ribbed with yellow silk thread.

Tail.—Two hairs from a fitch’s tail.

Wings.—Feather of a brown hen’s wing.

Legs.—Plain brown hackle.

Made buzz with a grouse feather, in place of wings and legs.

No. 32. The Orange Fly.

This is an Ichneumon Fly. It is furnished with an ovipositor, for the purpose of piercing the skins of caterpillars, in which it deposits its eggs, the grub from which grows in, and ultimately kills, the insect in which it was hatched.

Imitation.

Body.—Orange floss silk tied on with black. Thick and square at the tail.

Wings.—Darkest part of a robin’s wing.

Legs.—A very dark furnace hackle.

No. 33. The Cinnamon Fly.

This fly comes from a water pupa. It should be used after a shower, and on a windy day. It is a very killing fly on some waters, and somewhat resembles the land fly, but does not appear so early.

Imitation.

Body.—Fawn-colored mohair, tied on silk of the same color.

Wings.—Feather of a yellow-brown hen’s wing, rather darker than the thrush feather. To lie flat.

Legs.—A ginger hackle.

The pinnated grouse’s small wing-feather, dyed a pale cinnamon with madder and copperas, is an excellent feather for the wings of this fly, and of No. 34.

No. 34. The Cinnamon Dun.

This ephemera is found in abundance on the streams in Pike Co., Pa., and in some other localities. It is similar to the little yellow May dun, but is of a bright cinnamon color, and comes on in July and August. Its metamorphosis is of a light red brown, with wings almost white.

Imitation.

Body.—Red and yellow mohair spun on yellow silk, and ribbed with the same.

Wings.—The light feather of a grouse’s wing, dyed cinnamon with madder, or the feather of a curlew’s wing.

Tail.—Two fibres of the same feather as the wings.

Legs.—A ginger hackle.

No. 35. The Blue Bottle.

This and the house fly become blind and weak in September, are frequently blown upon the water, and afford good sport. They may be used especially after a frosty night, but are not unsuccessful earlier in the season.

Imitation.

Body.—Bright blue mohair, tied with light brown silk. The body thick.

Wings.—The lightest feather of a robin’s wing.

Legs.—Two turns of a black hackle.

The House Fly may be made thus:

Body.—Light brown and green mohair mixed.

Wings.—Light-colored feather from a robin’s wing.

Legs.—A blue dun hackle.

Head.—Green peacock’s herl, with two or three turns under the wings.

No. 36. The Red Palmer.

This is the caterpillar of the garden tiger-moth. This palmer is found early in the spring, and is chiefly recommended for streams where trees overhang the water. Cuvier states that this caterpillar changes its skin ten times during its growth.

Imitation.

Body.—Peacock’s herl, with a red cock’s hackle wrapped the whole length, and tied with red silk.

Ronalds’s palmers are made long, and have a second hook tied in about half way up the body. It is a killing fly in streams, and of little use in ponds in the United States.

No. 37. The Brown Palmer.

The preceding remarks on the red palmer apply equally to this and the succeeding description. The white and yellow are equally successful on wooded streams, and they all may be used through the season.

Imitation.

Body.—Light brown mohair spun on brown silk, and a brown cock’s hackle wrapped all the way up.

No. 38. The Black and Red Palmer.

Imitation.

Body.—Black ostrich herl, ribbed with gold twist, and a red cock’s hackle wrapped over it.

The feather at the shoulder should be a large furnace hackle, and the herl should be thickest there. Show the gold twist clearly at the tail.