_February._--Small black flies, made from Starling's breast or Black
bird, with black or purple silk--hook No. 1. Inside and out of
Woodcock's wing and yellow silk. Plover's breast or Dottrel's wing
feather and yellow silk--hooks No. 1 or 2; red Cock's hackle and yellow
silk.
_March._--Inside of Woodcock's wing and yellow silk, No. 2 hook. Dark
Woodcock, and dark orange silk, No. 2 hook. Dottrel and yellow silk,
No. 2 hook. Dark Snipe and crimson silk, No. 2 hook. Dark Snipe and
purple silk, No. 1 hook.
_April._--Woodcock's as for March. Inside of Woodcock's wing and yellow
silk, No. 2 hook. Freckled Snipe and yellow silk. No. 2 hook. Dark
Snipe and crimson silk, No. 2 hook. Dottrel and yellow silk,--inside of
Snipe's wing, and pale yellow silk,--hooks No. 2.
_May._--All the above April flies are taken, also, Partridge's breast
and yellow or crimson silk, very light Dottrel's or plover's breast and
fawn coloured silk, Blackbird and purple silk, Blackbird and dark
crimson silk, sea Swallow and primrose silk, inside of Woodcock's wing
and crimson silk--hooks, 1 or 2 according to water.[7]
[7] When there is much water some of the Spring and Autumn
Hackle flies may be dressed on No. 3 Hooks.
_June._--Most of the above, to which add Dottrel and orange silk,
Plover and light orange silk, dark Snipe and orange silk, Freckled
Snipe and orange silk, freckled Snipe and crimson silk. Hooks No. 1 or
two according to size of water. Dottrel's breast and yellow
silk,--Hooks No. 1.
_July._--Many of the above, with Sandpiper and yellow or purple silk,
Plover's breast and crimson silk Wren's tail and orange silk, Dottrel
and bright scarlet silk; Plover's back feather with gold twist and
orange silk, Landrail and bright red silk, dark Snipe and sky coloured
blue silk.--Hooks No. 1 or 2 at discretion. If the water is very clear,
use hooks as small as possible.
_August._--Some of the July flies for the first fortnight, with dark
Snipe and green, Snipe's breast and purple silk, Dottrel and black
silk, Landrail and red silk, dark Snipe or Starling's breast and red
silk, Grouse hackle and bright scarlet silk.--Hooks 1 and 2 according
to water.
_September._--Some of the August Flies, with Landrail and yellow silk,
pale blue from sea Swallow and primrose silk, pale blue from ditto and
crimson silk,--Hooks 1 and 2.
_October._--Inside of Snipe's wing feather and yellow silk,
Woodpigeon's feather and pale yellow silk, dark outside feather of
Snipe's wing and crimson or orange silk, outside feather of Dottrel's
wing and yellow silk--hooks No. 1 or 2.
_November._--Same Flies as February.
The Blue, Black and Dun Gnats are at times on the water from May to
August, and when the fish are taking them they generally refuse the
larger flies.
The Blue Gnat may be made thus: A blue feather from a Titmouse's tail
for wings, body from pale blue floss silk, on a cypher hook, which
means the smallest hook made; or the wings may be had from Heron's
plumes, with same or primrose silk.
Black Gnat--Starling's breast and black silk, cypher hook; or black
Ostrich strand and inside wing feather of Starling for wings.
Dun Gnat--from inside wing feather of a Landrail and fawn coloured
silk--cypher hook.
Observe, that you may put more feather on your hackle flies in the
Spring than in the Summer; when the water is low and clear, a very
small quantity of hackle is sufficient, and it should by no means
descend much, if any, below the bend of the hook.
In low waters, except when the blue, dun and brown drakes are on, the
hackle flies will generally be found to kill better than the winged
flies.