_Q._--How do you commence to make the Fly in this way?
_A._--I tie on the wings first, turn them up, tie down the head, and
finish the fly at the tail.
_Q._--When the wings are tied on first, and turned before you commence
the body and legs, how do you proceed?
_A._--I take a small hackle to suit the size of the hook, strip off the
flue, and tie it on by the root at the head, and a piece of tinsel to
rib the body.
_Q._--Having tied on the hackle thus, what is the next thing to be
done?
_A._--I draw out a little mohair, twist it tightly round the tying silk,
roll it down to the tail and fasten it, and roll the tinsel over in like
manner.
_Q._--The body and tinsel being formed, how is the hackle struck on?
_A._--I take hold of the hackle in my right hand with either my fingers
or pliers, and roll it over the body to the tail, fasten and cut off the
ends, tie in a tail and the fly is complete. This is the style of the
fifth fly in the plate.
_Q._--When a fly is to be made in the above way without wings, called a
hackle fly, how is it done?
_A._--Having previously tied, I take two hackles of equal size, lay them
even together, and tie them on by the roots at the end of the shank, and
then the piece of tinsel to rib it.
_Q._--How do you form the body and tinsel after tying on the hackles?
_A._--I twist a very small quantity of mohair round the silk and roll it
to the tail, or a peacock's harl, and fasten it there, over this I roll
the tinsel.
_Q._--As the hackles are a nice point to perform, how are they struck?
_A._--I take hold of the hackles with the pliers at the points, both to
stand the one way, give two rolls round the shoulder to make it full,
and proceed with them slantingly on their backs to the tail, let the
pliers hang with them and roll the tying silk twice over them, cut off
the superfluous fibres of the hackles, take two running knots, and lay
on a little varnish to harden the tying, press down the hackles with the
fingers to slope them towards the tail, and the fly is completed.
_Q._--When you wish to make a larger Salmon Fly, how do you undertake
it?
_A._--I tie on the hook and gut firmly together, as in Plate I, ON
SALMON HOOKS, take hold of it by the shank opposite the barb, roll on a
piece of broad tinsel to tip it, tie on a topping for tail, with a black
ostrich tag.
_Q._--Having gone thus far, how do you manage the pig hair body?
_A._--Having laid before me two or three colours of pig hair, I roll a
piece of fine floss silk on first next the tail, I then twist a piece of
pig hair on the silk, roll it up towards the head, shifting up a little
and tie, take another piece of hair, and another, and do in like manner
(see the pig hair body of No. 2, ON SALMON HOOKS).
_Q._--How is the hackle struck on over the body?
_A._-Having held the fly by the shank to form the body, I now turn it
and hold it by the bend, the hackle and tinsel previously tied in, as in
Plate II, ON SALMON HOOKS, I roll the tinsel up first and the hackle
next in rotation with it; Plate V. will show the tinsel rolled over the
floss silk body, and the hackle ready to roll on.
_Q._--Having rolled on the hackle, and turned a jay hackle over the
shoulder, how do you proceed with the wing?
_A._--I take two golden pheasant neck feathers and tie them on tightly
first, then sprig them at each side with various fibres of feathers (see
the wing in the plate prepared).
_Q._--How do you cover the lump occasioned by the quantity of tying silk
at the head?
_A._--I draw out a small quantity of pig hair, twist it on the tying
silk, and roll it over two or three times towards the root of the wings
tightly, give three knots, lay on a little varnish, cut off the silk,
and the fly is finished.
_Note._--If you make a pike fly, use large double hooks and gymp, with
broad tinsel, and make the body full with pig hair, large saddlecock
hackles for legs, wing them with peacock moon feathers, and add two
large blue beads over spangles for eyes, and green or red pig hair
towards the head. Fasten on the beads with fine copper wire, rolling it
over the head two or three times, and also three times through the eyes,
and tie down the wire tightly with the silk; roll the pig hair round the
silk and then over the head and between the beads, fasten it with three
knots, and lay on the varnish.
These large artificial flies kill pike or jack best on windy days with
rain; they will not rise at the fly on fine days, except there is a
strong ripple on the water. You humour the fly on the surface as you
would move a salmon one, using a strong rod, reel, and line. If he is a
large fish, he will rush off with the fly when hooked; but, if a small
one, lift him out when he makes a double quick shake on the top of the
water. I would advise the fisher to strike a jack quickly, for he often
throws the fly out of his mouth when he finds the deception.