AUTI^OR OF UC-NRLF
B 4
5DD 0E2
GecHKelson
TIPS.
TIPS By thh Author of
"THE SALMON FLY M. Kflson.
Geo.
Hci-it.ici
(L-niincat
(Olavi.un.
I'UKLISIIEIl HV THE Al'TIIOR, 25, Victoria Stkkkt, Westminstfr, AND c/o The Dangerfield Printing Company. Limited, 2j, Hedford Street. Stranh. w c
All
R't;lils
Reserved.
1901.
THE Dangerfield Printing
Co., Ltd..
Printers. '2.3.
Bedford Street, Strand. London.
K^3
Contents.
CHAPTER I.
II.
IiiK
Ron TO Select
Till.
Fi.v
TO Use-
III.
Methods of
I\'.
Rivi:ksii)E
V.
VI. VII.
-
-
-
-
-
-
.
-
the
I'ArEKS
s.w
'•Till':
-
-
-
-
49 79 109 '26
-
-
i
h
-----
Modern Impkove.ments \\ii.\t
-
-
Castinc;
Hints
Wading Knots
.
-
-
133
aihjut
SALMON
iV!844784
FLY."
162
.
Index.
A
Hint lu Gill.cs
Aiiylinj,r,
wliy the unenlightened succeed
Bait Can, the best Casting- a long line, advantages of
Casts, the
the
Overhand
...
Underhand
the Spey the „
the
Switch
Wind
Cause and
Cast
Study of
Effect, the
Comparison between two nielhods Dogs, the mischief of
Downward Curve
.
in tlie
top of a rod
Etiquette at the riverside
Experts (so
called), pretentions of
Externa] objects, effect on Uie
fish
Extra standard
...
flies
in tin-
.
described
0\
PAGE Ferrules,
Lockfast
tlie
Faults in old Spey rods Flies, checkinj^r
choice
„
...
60
their transit
...
...
84
the best policy
...
...
...
effect of natural
surroundnigs
when
...
.
...
...
...
21
...
...
...
i.|5
...
...
...
95
...
...
...
to pursue...
...
...
...
and principles
striking
example
natural,
advantage
of
change of fashion
of,
27
...
to use
...
3/
...
special patterns
down
13 14,
...
ceases to charm...
example of
imitation
33
34.
j".
38
43,
44
18
...
...
...
15
.
...
35,
working a slack
...
...
...
...
95
Redpath's
...
...
...
...
...
155
...
...
...
...
...
144
...
...
...
...
...
152
...
...
...
...
28
...
...
...
...
149 147
aluminium
bo-x,
Garments
...
Governor
cast,
„
...
„
selection
Gut
...
...
the gut loop of
Fly
134
...
...
'
toning
...
...
distinct types,
„
...
the best policy
„
Jock
...
of,
„ "
and hastening
...
where useful
casts, the best
...
sizes for twisting
Harling,
method
of
Hooks, the improved
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
2
...
...
...
...
...
136
How to succeed in waler ovcr-thrashcd ... How to manage fish hooked in the back or how
...
...
body
loi,
lOJ,
87, 88
104, 105
dry
...
...
...
113
Improvement on heron hackles
...
...
...
155
India-rubber boots,
to
"Kelson" rods and
150
lines
Knotting eyed iiooks
127
Knotting gut Lea[)in;4
126,
maiiagcincnt uf
lisli,
Lines for dilTcrcnt sized rods
129 lOI
...
...
5
122
the best dressing
Logan-stones, definition of
Mending Miss
R
82
practice on the
"s
Moonshine,
New
91
a cast
effect of
Century,
first
Dee
16
29
...
day
Ls;
Observation, advantages of
Origin of „
"
Improved Rod
"
Spey
"
The Butcher
Picture of fine [)ool and
Reasons
for
5<J
"
how
to
proceed
Si
...
underhand casting
Result of Author's system of angling compared with those of other anglers
Rods, cane
41
133
...
composite,
why wrong
old style, and
why
manipulation
of, in
what [jri/.es
sort
...
5
given up
I.
bright weather and where
docs the angler want
...
"
...
wcm with
the
"
Kelson
4
86
3
â&#x20AC;&#x17E;
length of selection of
5
,,
steel ribbed
135
4
PAGE
Salmon, when they invariably education
,,
"
potted,"
90
rise
of
and
36 their habits
93
sulking, maiiagenient of
lOI
Splicing tape, perfected
Standard
lines
Stopping a runaway "
"
Shooting
157
and traces
148
fish
98
line
54
Sun, effect of
System
The
31.
of fishing,
what happens
in
conversation
highest privilege of the professed exponent of
Thermometer,
rise
and
fall
156
new method
Tying up
fish,
Two ways
of
Unknown
lay-byes, liow to detect
154
Spey casting
66
Usk, basket river,
80 38
Tinsels, untarnishable
Varnish for
32
20
81
153
new
patterns for
...
17
heads
156
Waders, new and improved material
109
Wading, shoes
no
White wax, Winches
fly
v.
boots
for silk bodies
139
130
Illustrations.
"
Tlie Silver Scout,"
Mixnl Wings
"
The
Silver Jock,"
limit
"The
Dunt," Strip
\Vinj,^s
Wm-s 23
"
Variegated Sun Fl}," TopiJUii^
"
Black Ranger," Whole Fealher
The Overhand Cast "
W'li
23
Wi
24
...
53
Shooting" Line
55
The Underhand Cast
57
The Spry Cast
63, 64, 65
The Switch Cast
The Wind Cast
72,
Diagram
(iuid
Costumes adapted
to
Wading and
71 75
7()) 13;i
114
The Double Cylinder Air Pumii Knotting Gut Casts
Knot
for the
Knot
fur the (jut
The
"
Kelson
"
"
Kelson
"
i
129
Aluminium Winch
130
Can
131
Hooks
Farlow's Aluminium Fly
Usk
128
Loop (Diagrams
Field's Aerating Rait
The
127
...
Metal Eye
Basket
Fish Tied for Carrying
137 li(i.\
...
145
153
154
PREFACi:.
The
object of
tliis
hook
lMshin<,r to tiiose interested
brinj^
within the reach of
it
In order to secure
compile the book
As
in its
Press,
tiie
in(
present
to
is
Salmon
has been found necessary to
it
present form.
ludinc;
"
Encyclopa:>dia of Sport," has done
The
being the standard work on the subject,
1
simplest duty had not care been taken to this
volume thorouglily up-to-date.
to
to
the art of catching the
know
it is
that
all
1
king of
not likely that
brin-,'
1
in
my
the information in any, fishermen,
if
fish
with
a
in
sufficiently instructive
fly.
stud\ing
Under
these
my
efforts
is
worth
should have relinquished puiilish all
schemes and devices incidental
yield to an irresistible impression
confidence reposed
thai
to this
branch of
by former
inspired
me, that this work would be incomplete and not
had
1
withheld
a
number
of
improvements and
inventions,
accompanied with names and addresses, which
myself
be most acceptable to the angling reader.
will
Fly," with
fallen to m\' lot for
worth publishing and
is
of the latest
the sport.
The Salmon
connected with the numerous problems that bear reference
circumstances
knowing
"
should be wantinir
Perhaps few,
have had larger opportunities than have ever\-tliiiig
price as will
all.
this object
the honour to accredit m\' former book,
me
system of
writer's
tlie
tlie sjiort, at sucii a
iii
1
]ieisuade
G. M. K.
BURBERRYS, 31,
Haymarket, London,
and Basingstoke.
IHB "liURBhRRY"
THE "KELSON" JACKET.
SUII.
Tlu> coat oiilv wiiiils to'be :i.lc.iilwl-"-SiKnP(l, GEO. M. c-il.
known
KELSON.
to be universally !.) 1
01
CHAPTER
THE ROD TO SELECT.
"
A
good deal depends on <jood
"Does that
'
My
it!
good play
depends on a
'
We
"Oh, bother! At
this
moment
garb, entered the
" '
pla_\'.'
partner with nine trumps last night tauglit me, '
good
"
deal.'
are discussing salmon rods, not whist."
the Gillie, in his usual picturesque Ili^Hiland
room
for orders.
I'^)llo\ving
up the
suhject,
wc
addressed the old Caledonian of man\- \ears' service: "Just take that rod there, put
We one lean,
it
either, for
whippy
of our
together and
tell
had already given our
us what ycju think of
ojiinion
it."
not a particularl}- favinu-al)Ie
judging by the huge apjicarancc of the butt and the
top,
it
might have been a replica of a rod used by one
bc-wigged and powdered ancestors, whn, from the exalted
position of their gilded frauies
in
our
hall,
ga/e
down
so gravely upon
due course the worthy Scot returned looking more than
In
and observed
usually serious,
wee
just a
men,
an' get 'cm aboot here an'
be pooting
it
:
" It's
vera weel, but
maun
}'c'r
place, but also that,
than
tliose
is
recorded to illustrate that not
wood
Nor
turned out at the present time.
interior of
wrong
more
of
wood taken
whereas they used to
or less dense forests,
for years to the fine
to
this difficult
is
now made
that rods are
be made from trees growing on the
been exposed
in the
properly remodelled, they are more reliable
if
when we remember
from the
end
ha' a deil off the hinder
only were old-fashioned rods over-burdened with
realise
me
fechles
it
fornenst."
Highland incident
Tliis little
a'
wall be wanting to reech 'em, an' hook 'em,
If ye'r
bittie.
outskirts, the trunks of
seasoning properties of
Considered from the standpoint of economy, and
this
which had
air is
and
sun.
an appro-
priate platform
from which to ventilate our views on purchasing a
rod, the angler
must decide
some
mode
for
particular
instance, he
wants
Spey, he
solely for the
it
remarks on the Highland cast
for
in
Chapter
III.
is
for the
;
If,
our
referred to
Dee mediod
of
he goes to Garden of Aberdeen, or Blacklaws of Kincardine
casting,
O'Neil
whether he wants a rod
for himself
of casting, or for salmon fishing generally.
and
;
if
he
bent on visiting the Tay, where preference
is
is
given to the poor business of harling, the inference must be that
he should
select a rod with plenty of
provided the top joint matters in bringing a In
this
Spey rod the line
is
fish to
connection
is fit
not too
is
for little
it
is
play
"
he
in is
the butt, so
that,
enabled to hasten
the gaff. desirable
more than Spey
not cast but iiaid
"
slight,
niil
to
mention that an
casting.
ordinary
Also, that in harling
frnm a boat rowed
b^'
two men
;
the
nnl
even
m.l
IS
angler simply the
sits
crossing the river as
fly
-n. uvr al
ivsts in a
lichl, l>ul
works
it
which that
is
sjiccially
abound But
Shannon
for high-class fishing the
Overhand
cast,
sometimes the
Of
Switch, and so on. there can be no doubt
with ease
room
work
to
Ill
known
all
may hold
a glance
is
fisli
Wind
upon
arc called or the
Spey
;
adopt
to
for this work,
fit
hand command
Catches, but intervening spots, whicii he sees at
a
are never left
fish,
"
maiden," provided there
present
the
by Mr. Nicholay
the
some years
writer
ago, at one of
happened
to
been beautifully made
â&#x20AC;&#x201D; for
it
is
in greenheart,
Go where one may, one to the echo.
;
win the but what
in carr\-ing off
the
for the best cast of over forty yards
"
wind and then against
The "Kelson Rod"
applauded
is
the rod.
prize for the longest cast in six different competitions
made with
the
at other limes the
the superiority of the rod
further reference to this style ol rod,
offered
this
rod really must be built on different
the more important to purchasers, he succeeded
Cup
l''or
Casllecoiuicll,
from those awkward rocks
for not only can the practised
;
the angling tournaments, first
up stream.
fro
tin'
a fish to slmzc
waters.
Sometimes, for instance, we
lines.
foi'
no rod equals a
constructed to hold
in the
and
to
so-called engaging business, perhaps
wlnlc
sU-ni,
llic
and walchos and wishrs and waits
by Farlow,
constantly
Hardy, as
it."
known only by
sees
it
that
for over in
use,
nameâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; tliirt)'
and
has
\ears.
hears
it
usual, m.-i.kcs the pattern in built
cane and delights numerous customers.
An
episode relating to
woven with extravagant
A
"
t\pical
my
tackle in
fancies, is
creamy English
its
complete form, though
perhaps worthy of note.
girl,"
engaged on
a difficult fisher.v
:
:
belonging to a grand old sportsman named Gould, modestly requested
and the
to try the tackle,
chief point
But
achieved a brilliant success.
when
fish after
fish
is,
that with
it
had been placed
lady quickly
this
the whole truth
if
to
is
be
told,
hut prettily situated, the
in a
following doggerel concerning the proprietor, scrawled inside, met the eye "
So you
A
girl
see,
While some passing "
A
girl
my
dear
of nineteen
in love witli old
sceptic aired his views in this
of nineteen
may
But believe me, dear
Permission
ihoiigh eiglity years old,
Sir,
falls
love Gould,
Sir,
is
it
the methods of casting a salmon
all
Now, why the first,
"
trouty
"
because
we never come
it
salmon rod it
because distant line suited to
is
will
20-ft.
two very simple reasons.
length
experience decides that a or cane
if
substance,
1
not deprived of is
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;some
7-//.
entirely It
use
The
the second,
;
its
in
the right direction.
of
hickory,
even
most of them But
more.
latter-day
properly balanced rod of greenheart,
action
by the addition
of
any foreign
sufficient for all practical purposes.
The marked and gladdening is
is,
nearly
cannot be covered unless the comparatively light
taken out by the wind
in
devotee of our art
we should now
These rods were generally made measured
fair
who can demonstrate
fly.
not carry the line
fish
it is
true,
across our old-time acquaintance,
It is for
?
is
Gold without U."
given to add, that the
is
perhaps, the only feminine expert living
it
Gould."
way
reduction
due to vast improvements
made
in lines
of late in the length
and dressings.
might here be mentioned that notwithstanding the advantages
of cane over greenheart, wherein the
economy
of physical energy
[H-cdomiiuilcs in ovcrliand casting, purchasers it
')f
a grccnhcart can
whereas a cane rod ought to remain sc\oral
at once,
nice even temperature before a single cast
treatment
cenienled
the
Without
emergency.
made with
is
gel hard and
jouits
causes weakness, making
itself
this
15\-
it.
some individual
by a contortion
visiljle
use-
in a
for e\cr>' sort
ht
the particular slraui of
it
iiKiullis
of the
of
cast
upper
joint.
A
No.
A
altogether.
No.
5,
when
is
Hut
3 line is best suited to either rod.
any lime wiien the water runs low, lO-ft.
sufficient for
it
is
Hid and a No. 4
sunnner, or at
in
advisalile to u-e lighter tackle line,
or in fiur weather even a
almost every case, the exception being at limes
the fish run large, and
snow
water, which
is
\er)'
heavy and
often prohibitive of deep wading, continues to flow.
In choosing a rod there
one constructed of is,
one constructed
Upon The
first
one point which seems
of the
my
constant
to
select a composite ;
or a
be of very
rodâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; that
is,
homogeneous rodâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; tiiat
same material thruughout? opinion
reason to be assigned in
we
different materia,ls
this point
which rishcrinen of
is
Shall
considerable importance.
is
distinctly in favour of the latter.
for this preference,
general will not seek to go
:
vi/,.,
is
one beyond
that as a matter
experiment under various conditions of weather, the
composite rod has never been found to answer anything like as well as the other.
In casting a short line overhead, the .average angler
finds but little difference
to covering distant
fish,
become inanimate,
that
hand
is
between the two
styles
;
but
when
it
cmius
so certainly does the rod begin to labour and
any doubt lurking
in
the
mind
of the older
instantly dispelled.
To examine
the matter from a theoretical point of view,
let
us
consider the arguments for and against the composite rod.
One form For
on the Spey. of
of
instance, a rod
wood
is
it
Surely
two different kinds of wood.
constructed of
made
partly of ash
may be taken
it
and partly
would behave
are similar in grain, or
of lance
in the
same way as
as pliability or weather-resisting qualities are concerned.
The
the grain, the less chance of injury from wet weather.
Ash
open grained wood
;
lance,
on the contrary,
approaches perfection
that
balanced whole, and does
for general
its
work
is
close grained.
fishing
so evenly
have one part working with a spring
used
is still
axiom that no two kinds
as an
an
is
The rod
such a delicately
is
and
far
closer
regularly, that to
initially different, or liable to
sudden changes differing from those which take place
in other parts,
cannot be advantageous.
As
class of
to this
Spey rod
it
appears
that,
even
Spey
for
any possible advantage gained by the top of lance wood
casting,
is
utterly lost in the thrash-down, because of the inflexibility of the ash butt,
which too slowly responds to the action of the more
The
fact
is
that unless the
of the top joint
is
wave
maintained
of force set
down
to the
lively lance.
up by the quicker action winch
fittings,
the line in
ordinary hands refuses to go beyond a limited distance.
Another, and curiously enough, a fashionable form of composite rod,
is
centre
that is
composed
rod continues
all
the
tried to realise the
other day, he said
way down
purpose of it
Fourberies de Scapin, "
of cane with a steel centre.
hardly thicker than a good-sized pin, and
Oh
!
Oh
" !
called to "
Que
in
Now, the
steel
one style of cane
the three separate joints.
When
one
this steel core at the
dinner table the
mind the
shouting
diable
irate father
allait-il faire
(exclaimed another).
in
Les
dans cette galere."
7
"
devil
Well, il's
Al
\uu object,
events,
all
In a
if
doiny here it
'
siiyhLly paraphrase
often
it
is,
sustain great weight
and very severe
more than an inch or so out of
\va\-
then,
is
normal position.
its
;
it
h the core,
has to
and hardly bends
strain,
the object sought for and undoubtedly attained
is
whu
no comjiarison
bar has to stand infinitely rougher work
The
this.
Wlial the
with a steel
possibly one third of an inch in diameter, but there in
'
easily understand the bar (cni
being furnished, as
circles)
say,
cannot be doing the impossible.
gymnasium one can
gymnast
and
it
â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Goodness only knows."
either
Strength,
by
this
mode
of arrangement.
But
li\
this the
is
maintain
such
end sought contention
a
?
for in a rod?
They
eliness, as well as the strength of the rod,
is
should like to ask them to explain in what outer case
is
affected
by the
I
low can
but the strain
upon the inner
is
or
We
way
the bending of the
infinitely greater flexibility of the inner
bend
of the cane
;
primarily u]ion the outer surface, and subsecjuently
particles only so far as they are part
and parcel of the
man make
the steel cen red
By no manner
whole.
supporters
thereb}' increased.
In casting, of course, the strain affects the
core.
its
assert that the flexibility
of
means can
a
I
rod benil sufficiently for the wire to lend the least possible aid.
The spring,
bar
is
core in the gymnastic bar resists the bend, but increases the
and
this is
eminently satisfactory for the purpose to which the
put.
But how can one imagine thai
tin's
thin piece of wire, six feet in
length, can assist in the action of the cane? at
each end of a
curtailed
;
and
if
joint,
Supposing
the action of the cane
not fixed,
it
would have
it
were fixed
would be considerably
free play inside the cane, in
TIPS.
which case
comment would be
all
Whether the
superfluous,
can be detected while making a moderate
which expert opinion
importance,
far-readiing
The
uncertain.
is
that
all
nay
ridiculous.
the steel core in a small rod
injurious influence of
those
cast, is
subject
is,
however, of such
who want
rod and fall
who
all
it
will fly back,
Bend a cane
:
while a length of this wire would unquestion-
Should not
the other way.
go
this fact of itself
can be cast with the full-sized rods
No body value, will
of responsible manufacturers,
absence of
whose
this undesirable
arguments may be held
A
longer
it.
any
services are of
And
yet in spite of
and messy mixture.
reference to the remark on
solution.
much
judgment, they are compelled to supply customers
their discriminating
With
in the
be likely to contest these statements.
upon demand with
far to help
In short, no better proof of the deadening
are in doubt?
qualities of this core could be given than the fact that a line
the
realise
to
mischievous effect of a steel centre should consider this
ably
upon
a question
for
man who
making
and against the
can cast
forty
a long cast, whatever
practice, there
yards
can
fish
is
but one
thirty-six.
Therefore, another getting out only thirty yards loses ten yards
water
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;and
his sovereign,
if
he backs himself to
kill
of
many salmon
as
as his companion.
No, there are places, many places, where a long essential
;
and no greater mistake
under control
thirty-five
is
made than
yards away misses more
roving within twenty yards of the rod. of
is
is
it is
than the
most
a
one
a low opinion
really required.
angler should not attempt to use a longer line or
he can master, since
fish
What we have
the practice of using more line than
line is
to fancy that the fly
The
longer rod than
prejudicial to the interests of others as well
!
as to his own.
Tliere
not only
is
is
ii
than another in using luck
lies at
times
How
when
anglers
certain section of
who openly contend
one rod as good as another, but that one man
tiie fish
thoroughly
Were
it.
the root of
tiial
this so,
is
tli.it,
no belter
nothing but the element of
superior success frequently manifested at
mood and
arc in a sulky
mistaken
these
are
manner.
rest in a lifeless
innocent
people
!
How
absolutely useless the keen competition for supremacy in the trade to turn out the sort of rod wanted for this or that cast, in order that e\ery
Catch under the sun may not be passed over by us
However,
it is
to
be hoped that the few hints thrown out may be
of service to intending purchasers, in
mind, that
accomplished sufFicicntl}'
all
the
with
who
known methods the
so-called
"
for their
own sake
Kelson
"
rod,
powerful to catch the heaviest salmon,
upon the tender mouth of a
grilse.
should bear
of propelling the line can be
is
which,
though
not unduly hard
BURBERRYS, HaymarKet, London, and Basingstoke.
31,
WEATHERPROOFS FOR SPORTSMEN.
THE BURBERRY
THE BURBERRY CAPE
See
Is fitted with a iloublc front, providiiii; the wings aie thrown back to
PROG
warmth when
allow freedom of
can
arm
for fishing.
be formed (by buttoning at
into sleeves.
The wings the wrist)
in a
marvellous
SUIT.
pn<i it turns ra the ventilation
///:'.; 1\
natural.
WARM
WEIGH
i.ilhoHt l\ textures suitable lur .dl leiiipcralures.
and
in
CHAPTER
II
THE FLY TO It is
the
sdlveil
by the
words
of
human
li-ht
warning
endeavour
modem
with
called
these pages
is
tlic
in
to
;
we
and
but while
accept these or
indifference,
the necessary amount of
Another proposition
In
to
be
laid
down
is
descanting upon the general practice of
responsible for the constant errors
If
effort
"
being satisfactorily
from a source which generall}' ]irovides an object
the belief has been forced, that
it
is
serenit}'
"Are there not main' upon
an accomplished writer asks:
and accord,
human
is
experience, should
lamb-like
by constant
....
b)- a letter
lesson to beginners. fishing,
lif
to mininuse
error?
suggested
is
that, " to err
an impressive ajjliorism
iiroMem, that onre seemed inscrutable,
(\y
whom
USE.
if
one thing more than amtlicr
we commit
of our
ensnaring meshes of trathtmn e\])ress an
would not hesitate
opinion, to
the
fisherman
.mnounce,
own
free will
''"
(hat
who
tradition
writes is
a
TIPS.
veritable prodigy of vital force well nigh impossible to evade is
the power of powers, and has irresistible charms for us
bow down that
to
we
are
It
will
it
and what
;
made
all
fools
much more
is
by
significant to
be seen directly how
certain
we
it
all
purpose,
tlie
view can be
far this
by
that fishermen are conservative
In
that
:
that
it.
nature, but
instances,
supported.
Somebody
Ingenious explanations have been advanced.
satisfactory?
:
perhaps,
suggests
this solution
is
we
are
very
notoriously
indisposed to raise our art above subservience to ancestral custom. If,
for example,
comes— a
that
we
take the haphazard policy of picking the
policy that has been
generation to generation obstacles that
—we
wait for
lie in
pursued by too
encounter one of the most formidable
This wretched practice, without a
all.
vestige of doubt, has formed a fearful barrier to
made
it
impossible
for
first fly
many from
one
attempt
to
progress,
all
much more than can
and be
achieved by a novice with the crudest ideas. In recent conversation with friends and acquaintances touching
on the question of
flies,
Rod — than whom one could scarcely —having previously scanned a few notes
an old
ask for a better authority
"
"
set
aside for this chapter, quaintly described patient
and over-credulous
errors as tradition entails "
Let us have a
listener "
" ;
salmon fishermen as
upon
its
in
give us one or two examples, will you
catching salmon, not
but because he happens to suits tlie conditions
a
votaries."
clear understanding about
that,"
exclaimed a
" ?
A man
Witli pleasure, for the statement can easily be verified.
succeeds
"
race, singularly disposed to fall into such
liglit
in
pursuit of
some
scientific
by accident upon the
which prevail
at the time
he uses
method,
sort of fly that it.
..."
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;
13
"
so?"
Is lliat
"
Next day a score
\>s.
of
men
rush
the pattern wliich
at
lie
favoured, regardless of the fact that conditions are altogether changed.
.... Again, account of notice it
man
a
takes one
and becomes a
of,
'
Sunday
of tradition
"We "
least
I
as a kind of fetish
licst,
other
flies
much indebted
think
so,
know
all
evidence of
there this
air of the
we must
though
is,
her
in
times
at all
nf the tyranny
fact
you think of a worse.
worst policy to pursue,
on the
a ]5rimrose
is
know
'
river's
â&#x20AC;&#x201D; lightly
brim
assumes
as gor d as an;ither on
of tlie busiiu-s in a if
all
week
only by their unsolicited
most rasping pedantry they
is
a yellow-
that a
ll\-
occasions
^
We
all
he's told
at
himself f|ualified to lay
down
the law
in
iiave
attentions.
will criticise the fly
youth of
this
suffice
country
the riverside, and then-
hardly worth the <lignity
well as in the Press."
at
Wordsworth's
not dwell on the dismal side of the picture
with eagerness to the
now
the analogy of
to s.iy that, after getting a fish or two, the
list(-ns
decorated
that the majority of angling students pretend
every day,
but stop,
'
The
â&#x20AC;&#x201D; on
nothing more
])attrrn
to
is
With an
it
whom
anrl
.... Are \ou aware to
to you, but can
that which
is
and that one
fly,
think
laud
result
"
primrose was to him a
The
?
are
undiscerning clown, to
is
attracts tlie
men who
which he may bring out
anticipate your question.
1
little pet,
What do you
fail
fly
with deliricuH delight.
it
that the unintelligent student regards the
when
The
with, a large class of
'
]iet
the skies and speak of
til
preference to another, solely on
fly in
superiority in point of beauty.
its
some
of
argument
inferior
thinks
company
a>
"
But where should we be without
"
In a worse phght
The
a few weeks ago.
article
thrashed continuously by
night
till
oiiiniinit gatlicruiit
some
number
flies
Tiie pattern of
'
have settled down
'
" ?
published a capital
of
fly
to attract
salmon when
presented to
For you
it
But
true.
us,
we
Then
we
if
to say,
'
and mind you,
These
recollections
just at that
a high pitch,
must
we were
suffer
them
in the
remark made no
"
less
conversation
to
fly for its
is
a joy for ever
by the
and
rise "
}
by
the ladies, of
whom felt.
'
'
is,
"
A
great
time obliterates the fictions nature,'
when
and yet (looking
in his
immortal
line,
applied to the choice of
beauty alone, about to be repudiated by a large section of
the angling fraternity. "
the top of
go ahead
than two thousand years ago.
and confirms the decisions of
a thing of beauty
at
a very important
made her presence
round with a smile) the sentiment of John Keats,
a
used is
facts
Rod," possessing a well -stored memory,
orator (said he, cheeringly) declares that
'
very
all
is
from unavoidable abbreviations.
pleasantly interrupted
After awhile the old
of opinions
'
moment, while excitement seemed growing to
one specially interested
cited a
size
again, are not the fish invigorated
freshness of the water which encouraged
However,
the
the fish take
direct our attention to the
shall first see that the flies
rivers are only half the size, factor.
tliey
when
are taking tJuir turn at them, must be one with
original freshness in
and very
got
fish
Catches, especially
kindly to the old designs on reaching the upper waters well
in districts
'
the
rods,
played over them from morning
the recognised
in
Press Field
'
contributor remarked that large
a
same old
absolutely sick of the
tlie
The
still
The only change
Change, not permanence, I
want
(it
is
what we require."
was the lady now speaking),
is
a
.
44
Tbe
.
.
,
How
to Dress
SaliDOQ How
Fly;'
it
and
to
Use
it.
.
BY
GEO. n. K^LSon. (See Press Opinions, p. 162).
To
be irad at
.
.
.
Fahlow's, 191, Strand, and direct from the
Author, 25, Victoria Street, Westminster.
OMLY A FEW COPICS
LCFT.
15
change of
instruction.
(The old
cast.
try, tr}-, tr)-, in
Rod
'
'
want a
I
imparting knowledge than
n>ine,
began
"Ten thousand pardons
Do
first.
you mind
?
a
;
so horrid to
It's
"
(interposed the old gentleman), but
it
to let us thresh out the present subject
I'm sorry you dropped in so
have got a wrinkle or two
power of
better
to eat his moustaclie).
iiresence of a lot of
would be so sweet of you
with
gillie
one who can make me do the Spey
I
1
mean
late,
you might
or
two on using
a hint or
flies
dressed absolutely up to date."
"What! Think fifteen
give up dear old 'Jf)ck'?
I
Remember
of the sacrifice.
and didn't you say that
;
colours
made
it
Jock's
'
Inconceivable!
'
you
for
all
in
view
Pray continue.
the world.
out of
fish
mv
particular combination of
clear the fact that originality of design
ence of thought were the inventor's end interrupt
Oh!
has taken eleven
and independ-
Rut
?
Tra,
still,
la, la
won't
I
it
;
sha'n't
occur again." (Fifteen
fish,
"
all
That's
discoveries.
it
might have been
fifty,
very nice, but since then
We
have discovered,
or even more.)
we ha\e made wonderful
for instance, that the
methods of
the fly-fisher are no longer irrational, and amongst other things, that the
of a fashionable
life
change
in e\cr\-
make an full
effort to
all
fly life,
now
is
Fashions
of limited duration.
and those of our kindred who refuse
keep pace with the changes, are sure
bitterness of defeat.
you, of it
walk of
Delays are dangerous.
others, associate yourself with
And why
men who
me why Jock
"Because
'
it
has
Scott
'
has ceased to charm the
exhausted
their
'patience'
should
are sure to find
too late to-morrow I'erau'-c the)- regard to-day as loo soon " Tell
to
to taste the
by
" !
"
fish
?
constantly
;
i6
being brought into operation.
Like
enthusiasm won't use anything
else.
of such enthusiasm
^but
that only
yourself, people tinctured with
Thousands sustain the frenzy
â&#x20AC;&#x201D; a frenzy that animated
and mothers
their fathers
shows the influence exerted by
all
who acknowledge
"
the authority of tradition
Then
"
of sincerity,
man who vows
pity the
I
that
and truth accomplishes no
'
enthusiasm
'
is
victories without
the genius
You
it.'
are,
nevertheless, a capital teacher, interesting because always interested.
....
wish you would
I
most needed
Where
"
Take out
?
R
Logics
'
it
now
;
and caught twenty-seven
more than would have
It
was the
'
I
knew her
in
moment
her
in
took her
;
May and
that
Lizzies
'
bookâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; pooh
!
she took a set of modern fish.
In
my
opinion that
Bodied
Silk
first-class
Benchill,' a
'
and
summer twenty
is
'
Well, you had better put the
fly?'
June,
rather not
fallen to her lot without instructions.
was the most successful down.
think for a
occupied an atom of space
they are absolutely out of patterns,
consider that.
,
Last year, you remember,
Do you
she fished the Dee. '
is
Everywhere, especially on hard fished waters
the case of Miss
taught her fishing.
;
the change you speak of
me where
tell
" .''
What name
pattern,
and
"
killed sixteen all told
made
Oh, that
"
Stop a minute, stop a minute
very different. of
me
"
salmon are
satisfies
Still,
if
;
I've
;
a note of
the
it,
"
and
summer
this
year
may be
the conditions of water, weather, and stock
at all sinnlnr, there
would be a very
slight difference in
the numlier caught." "
eh
" ?
Well, I've tried the
Dee
;
how about
the
'
Blue
Charm up '
there,
"
17
The Blue Charm
"
but In
'
isn't in fact,
by
is
far llie best of the old lot in siiinnicr,
mean
I
of that particular type.
and
to roost this three or f(nir years,
limbo of worn out Hies only
the
into
gone home
it's
"
with the best of the new,
it
i)assed
by the
forked out
be
to
unenlightened." "
Tell us the
names
"
of the others?
Usk wanted
y\nd then, while a single individual hailing from the a
" tip "
The
"
the all
come
May and summer
the
;
Little
'
Are these
"When '
Penpergwm
fly
da\-hglit
Inky-bov
flies
good
small ones Pet,'
:
Louise,'
'
'
'
the waters
is
Louise
'
in the
to
morning
very useful late
in
the
reserved for cloudy
is
for daily use in the lowest
water
— when,
absolutely necessary."
is
for the
come
fall
want them, the
hrst
jam' from ten it
from one inch
in size
till
when we
'real
is
June.
in
the bye, plenty of fme gut "
as
you when they
will tell
I
varying
all
but mind you,
;
evenings of intense heat
1))-
— see
specimen
three in the afternoon
davs
known
Although we are talking of the months of
In sunny weather,
height.
are
tlie set,
Little Inky-boy.'
half an-inch
to
largest silver-bodied till
'
June, none of these flies—
down
(dress)
and
into fa\-our.
continued
later on, the veteran
other three that complete
Silver Gre\-,'
'
which he got
for his river,
in,
Usk?
"
certainh'.
considerably reduced
in
I'ut
body
to
my mind
;uid wing,
is
the
a better
there for general use." " '
G^^neral use,' what's really
" It
we know the lion luck)-
as
is
an expression adopted
meant by that? in
making reference
to flies
(urn out well on those dav's of quiet prosperity lies
down
—
da\'s
with the lamb, and even the 'unco' guid
most other people.
Those
interesting
'
which
when are as
'goody-goodies'
always take for gospel the fairy fishing tales flying about
round of just
and seem
life,
now, and a solitary
Mind, they have no relations
fish just then.
and so
to blush for them,
in the daily
enough pleasure from a tug
to derive quite
appearances are concerned have not
far as
the slightest intention of departing from the old beaten track." "
Well, people can't be happy unless they are good."
"
That
may
be, but
commences when over.
It
stage play
'
from old-fashioned
in
one day,
this,
the
all
to clever
flies
However, soon
special patterns.
upon the scene
at the riverside
'
at
Usk,
it
variations
'
after
the
material as a
and not with the
man
and then
'
'
We
!
to tradition
really
will
hold
will exercise
over one and
"
Ladies included
"
Yes,
certainly
came
'
But note
And is
all
So there you are
;
must go with the times,
the sooner the folly of our
conclusively demonstrated, and
introduced into use, the
is
salmon fishing attain to a higher
sooner
who
to our latest
Penpergwm Pet
could safely put on.
spirit of the age.
and devotion
denomination
those
of close coils of seals' fur carried as
a system to reap the full fruits of victory
it
all
scene effecting a change
taken in the vicinity of Penpergwm bridge.
you see how fashion changes
loyalty
the red-letter days are
accounted for no fewer than eleven salmon
body composed then
much wing
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;a
The fun
the fun.
all
when
then a veritable transformation scene for
IS
act in the
good people miss
their reverses begin,
and the greater
level,
alike."
" ?
;
whom we
even
including
politely call
the
prawn
and
minnow
Fishermen, because that's not
name."
their "
Oh, fancy the mistakes we
"
Well,
it
is
all
make
" !
not so very surprising after
all,
for
you know
'
error
19
is
an abyss of passion into which each successive generation phinges,
without the shghtest regard to the fatal effects which such conduct
has produced upon their predecessors.'
You should
for the old saw, like every other rule, has "
Well,
" 1
you
I
suppose
a
little,
my
jou must
controversies, from
"
advice about altering your
all
imaginings
laws of gravitation, by which, at
all
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;swings
tactics.
If
mighty pendulum
realise that the
change swings with impassive and impersonal all
take courage,
limitations."
must think more about altering
I
have gi\cn )ou
reflect
its
regularity, apart
of
from
subject to the cosmic
events, the thoughts of scientific
fishermen of to-day are carried on to ends and purposes of which our
grandfathers did not dream." "
The
"
The
idea
is
especially as
enough
we
"
to
may be
idea
a
difficult
little
the midst of
live in
can
weak
for
us to grasp at
evolution, part
Take my word
ourselves of the changing order.
searching out the
its
points and can override
wholly sweep away
all
barriers,
for
all
it,
first,
and parcel Science
and bring down
is
She
opposition.
own
to her
universal line of equalisation the most stubborn impediments
But
my
tune
is
you may
all like
following
facts,
to age,
now
up,
though \'uu
to hear.
have yet something to say which
1
may
congratulate yourselves upon the
namely, that certain methods established from age
on no evidence whatever, have already seen
the pretensions of our so-called experts,
their
day
who know nothing
;
that
of the
conditions which control our destinies, and have
made
of
that the happy-go-
life's
little
worries, are gradually exploding;
lucky period of freedom
and gone
in
tradition
one
the chuck-and-chance-it school has passed
for ever, for the master
key
to the fly
problem has been
is
something
As he
"
discovered at last
of time has proved that the
home by
knowledge
vague
the distant goal of a
brought
left
the
room he observed
The
else that precludes all argument.
what
of
but an
idea,
fly
to use
is
no longer
achieved
actual,
that force which comes, not from the
reality,
mist
sentiment, but from downright reason and understanding.
The system At
first
will
be explained presently, and
you'll regard
with approval, at
is
what
will
of
There!
happen
:
with unconcern, presently with allowance, then
it
last
this
Here
"
:
gentle influence
And
Goodbye."
with participation.
the door
closed.
The
then
subject
upon a
turned
determination of some to dispute
and culminated
all
side
issue
national sports (continued the speaker), salmon fishing
by an
to be judged
"
attack upon current literature.
in a sliarp
Only
outsider.
last
is
Fly,"*
"Oh! "
Well,
it
is
fit
Saturday a newspaper
m
"
The
unimportant; go on please," remarked the author.
stands to reason that newer ideas have gained hold
upon those who have studied there.
all
"
and
that
Of
the least
contained a pointed criticism of one of the revelations
Salmon
the
respecting
systematic methods of fishing,
According
to
the
fishing as closely as our friend over
critic's
own
remarks,
even the average
angler will not grasp certain points of detail, the proper appreciation of which throws an entirely different light on the to a
much higher
full
of
level.
inaccurate
hypotheses, as
The
fact
observations,
to entail a great
is
hasty
N.B.
See
and
generalisations,
waste of
raises
" Side Issues "
and
is
it
so
crude
time on the student of
authentic books of reference." *
art,
that our angling literature
(page
39).
But
us turn, or
let
time
Sour-
tiie
more
return to
r;illier
n'^o
comijilcr
of
"
Tips."
pages
tlicsc
wrote
a
for
publication that ceased to exist at very sliort notice, a review of our flics
from those
far-off
days of boyhood when one Joiin Jewhurst, of
Tunbridge, created a sensation by the intmduclion of a to
be
"
re christened
Tiie
constituent materials, in
So superior
I3utcher."
and character was
st)-le
that thenceforward his built wings
made
this
(ly
destined
outhnc,
in
happy
commotion
a regular
in
creation, in
the
angling world, besides a reputation for themselves which can never
The
die out.
We
trade.
had the
it
in all
it
universally
means
was soon admired by
fly
saw
recommended, and what
prominent place
Jock
"
Scott,
in
will
after
himâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; Bernard
endure
Salmon Fly
"
the
also of
name
of
all
in is
Customers
sizes.
more, the discovery was
of bringing in other men, who, in due course, thought out
and devised a number of fresh
"
including most of the
all,
windows, dressed
list
Tweed
for ever
of
which
notoriety
day occujjy a
to this
Wright, of Sprouston,
Standards.
by reason
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;a
celebrated
of that
two others ma>'
specimens, which in
all la>'
whose
gillie
paragon of
his,
London, and, besides the author
himself, one or
designing
patterns,
of
called
of
"
The
claim to the credit
themselves are
more
or
less
remarkable for superior excellence and freshness of conception.
These observations bring t)-pcs of flies to
was not renewed this part of the
Of
to
mind the assignment
waters for which they are suited after the old
work
"
Rod
of classification
"
is
;
and
of the different as the subject
had retired from the meeting, here introtluced.
the distinct types, five presented themselves for localisation.
Mixed Wings,
Note
:
of single fibres
—example
These vvmgs are often substituted
Built Wings, of married strips
—
"
"
Silver Scout.
for those of
The
any
Silver Jock.
fly.
23
3-
4.
Sun
Strip Wings, of two single strips
Topping Wings,
Fly."
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;
"
Ilic
Dunt'
of golden plieasant toi)pingsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; " Variegated
5-
Whole Feather Wings,
of
feathers, not pieces of
tliem-
Black Ranger."
"
are "
Dr. Donaldson,"
Butcher,"
the
Ranger
amongst other
composed
hkewise
when
the water
patterns,
the feathers of
of
whose under wings
macaw, and even
tiie
not too rough, are gencraUy inckidcd
is
in
set.
Mixed wings (No.
i)
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;the
for cahii, unruffled catches,
whole feather wings (No.
most mobile of the
and so on
5),
wliich,
in
set
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;were
booked
comparative rotation up to
being constructed to battle with
waters dashing along in violent commotion, were naturally assigned to falls It
in
and
rajjids.
may be
necessary to note that nothing has occurred to lessen
the slightest degree the favourable impressions created by this
manner
of arrangement.
But
interesting question of choice.
let
us proceed with the
still
more
:
25
a very simple circumstance, that must have been noticed
To
thousands of times,
we owe
deciding the sort of
fly
As
when
fishing
is
practicable.
know, the bright sun brings out the brightest
all
and from
the discovery of our system generally of
lo use
this constant
act of
butterfly,
Nature the system has partly been
evolved.
As
a matter of course, observation
From what
knowledge.
is
the basis of
Observation seems to be the keynote of every solution of enquiry
;
and
all
scientific
other agency could inspiration be drawn
in fishing, to
disregard such things
every
in
?
field
as, for instance,
the effect of light and shade, leads to reverses the most unexpected.
Hardly any of us form the
slightest idea of Uie extent to
which the
Take, as an example, a brief
faculty of observation can be utilised. illustration of this.
The
writer
was
oul mi a river in Aberdeenshire,
when a
put up his rod
gillie,
and had hardly
from the fishery below, handed
in
a letter
to the following effect "
We
have a match on to-day
Will \(iu come
He was
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;you
to
coach a friend of mine.
?"
referred
to
one of the places where he received the
rudinients of his early education!
various methods of attack were
Ife all
knew
the pools of old, and the
equally familiar.
soon became clear that his companion
felt
However,
it
himself quite unable to
grapple with the problem before him, since he had not heard of
mounting insect
a bright fly
itself,
later in the day,
a
dull,
when
the sun shines, or of one, after the living
which, from time to time,
when
it
came
is
deemed expedient.
But
to the corresponding principle of using
sombre pattern, because
the
sky had
become cloudy, he
26
submitted
We
our
allotted,
Keen enough
in
tame
and sank
silence,
were now making "
opponents
"
for the
into an imiplicit confidence.
Catches which had been previously
having moved
in
another direction.
young fisherman, who had been
to a degree, the
to catch the usual spirit of enthusiasm,
one particular spot, and hurrying along, enquired about the
on
at
long
it
seemed bent on trying fly to
put
first.
The
reply was,
for should
it
would be by shooting a
To
me
" first let
be at the hut
understand the exact spot you mean,
in front of us,
your only chance of success
net."
paraphrase the proverb about true words spoken in
jest,
the
idea of shooting a net, though spoken lightly, proved later on to be true. "
No, we must go round the
the water here and that's
fatal.
The sun
turn.
Higher up the
shining across the water, in which case
Taking a
of gravel beside the
hill
close by, a
arrival.
it
came
The
lay
there, true
numerous
enough,
in
into view.
amongst the stones
scales of salmon,
been dragged ashore by the net "
Disappointment No.
2
;
it
peep
at the
which to
This led to
grass-blades were freshly
trodden down, the sharp edges of the footprints
And
down
will find
was obtained, and a spacious wet patch
bottom part of
very close investigation on
you
won't do the least Harm."
wood
short cut through the
pool from the glade on the
it
shines straight river
all
still
well defined.
at the water's edge,
appearance had recently
of the poacher.
one might
just
as well
cast
on the
The only
chance, for at least an hour, will be at
Thus we have only one
instance of the numerous advantages
grass as try there.
the bend."
The unmistakahk-
easily ohtaincti from ])crsis1cnt oliscrvalion. is
this
by the eye should be
All objects whirh can he seen
:
truth
carcfullv-
considered and their meaning reisoned out.
However, though the following description of the waters
at the
and ]3urposely misrepresented,
capital
bend
is
slightly
affords
it
a.
opportunity of giving one or two striking examples of the enlightened
method
of selecting
Here we
flies.
are, then,
stretch of water
say in the month of February, beside a deep
one thousand yards
in length, all of
which holds
though thirty yards away from our wading
on the
far side,
Except
at the tail end,
which
fully
is
exposed, the water
is
fish
track.
sheltered
from the sun's rays by a steep bank studded with high Scotch almost from the edge of the
an element of fresh
The
reach.
distance, are caused
mass
origin from a
we
will
by
a certain
of rock
there,
ruffles
way down
number
embedded
plainly
visible
in
the
the
which derive
their
bowels of the earth.
But
of peaks
in the
firs
which affords
proceed from the beginning and deal with these deceptive
curls in their turn.
little
What we have
first
to decide
In considering
this,
it
on which the picture up
peculiarity,
interest, occurs at a place haJf
attractive
little
The one
river.
to the
the water
is
is
the size of our
should be borne
in
mind
fly.
that the river Dec,
drawn, carries the largest of
all
(As the
fact
casting a
the head.
flies if
high and the weather unusually cold.
is
has been discredited
in print,
it
may
not be out of
place here to mention that the writer had the best sport
when
Spring
middle of March, and even up to the end of the month
It
fly
at
C'arlogie
exactly six inches from the bend of the liook to
ma\' also be said that the most minute
flies
are wajited
28
TIPS.
there in summer, and
though all
it
no part of the river
tliat
more
calls for far
and
intelligence
more enjoyable,
is
from practice than
skill
the other districts have occasion for.)
However, the
be
fish,
it
remembered, are sheltered from the rays
of the sun, which nevertheless brightens up the situation. the case, instead of the
than four inches
A
full size,
it
"
Next must be decided the
length.
Akroyd."
Cast
it,
was given the
"
down with
long, dark hackles,
fly
almost
Consequently
known
universally
Unfortunately he had never tried anything
he could
not.
But
still
the
sort,
fly.
black and yellow body toned
pupil
This being
should measure no more
the best combination for shady places in the North.
our "
being
and the character of the
colour,
is
in
fly
no blame attaches
to
him
the
as
so
large.
for failing
to achieve the impossible.
Now, answer
in
is,
such a dilemma, what
to fall
which means a yards and more It is
fly
is
of
in ten
any
size
is
fifty
minutes' practice.
made by hooking
the
on to an
fly
to a staple at the top of a five foot prop,
Having thus looped
at Farlow's.)
by
practicable,
can be propelled a distance of
which
the ground at the rear of the fisherman.
not penetrate the elastic
does
if
not necessary to dilate upon this method
that the cast
The
the only alternative?
back upon the Governor Cast,
itself
is
;
suffice
to
it
to
sa\',
band fixed
elastic
be inserted into
(The apparatus can be had
his fly into position
â&#x20AC;&#x201D; the
â&#x20AC;&#x201D; the
hook
angler walks towards
the
spot he wishes to cast from, lets out line as he goes, and then has
only to
make
the ordinary thrash-down in the direction required.
Visible to the eye of observation, these ancient peaks, spoken
stand
fast,
like
sentinels,
guarding
their
own
self-made
of,
lay-byes.
29
Apparently rising from the tranquil regions below, they
which
torrent,
time
course of
in
now seek
sheltering the weary travellers that
will c\])Iain
the_\-
of
hedgehogs
"
ghosts, these so-called
themselves
convcnliun-ridden
the
"
for
;
and
reduce
will
spoil tliem
to a
manifest, and the art of
is
for
Like before
little
here that the we.ikness
just
is
the
(jf
their protection.
must be spoken
it
made
<irc
by the action
semi-colinnnar, to adopt a botanical expression,
the
scientist
supreme.
we
In whatever else
behind these peaks
We we have
have
over the spot which holds the
salmon
catches,
What on
earth, then,
in
all
The
united
this
in
inference
fish,
or
invariably
it
princi]ile of presentation
a
effect,
and
at
thus
fly
In
all.
presented.
satisfy their tasle
An
the twinkling of an e}e at such complicated places as these!
ordinal-}' fly of
any
uncommon method schemes of
all
sorts
of
"
when
the
any colour or combination of
]3la_\-ing
over them,
it
had but the one
aiijiearance of the full
down
of
size,
moon
moon is
in
the
fact,
The
b\-
iiuariabl)-
fish
an
dodges and
produced
effect, \i/., that sk)-.
colours,
the
"go
up.
In the original belief that there
catches for not unreasf)nable hope,
it
remained an opening
was
inspection that the ke\' to the m\stcry
some
in
:
but actually
of,
be seen
will not
refuse
would produce an
close
llial
:
plain.
is
not four or five yards in front
fly,
ordinary
are
lie.
from the ordinary
to depart
to put our
we
differ,
salmon
will
special feature in fly
work
la\-
hidden
as yet untried.
at these
found on actual
iiislinc!i\e!)' in
the pursuit of
This finding proved
to be correct, for in due course a one-inch variel}- of
"
Iconise
'"
came
boastingly to the rescue. "
Louise
" herself
belongs to the tribe
"
Impennates,"
i.e.,
small
30
patterns with short wings.
her
but
ship-shape,
"cheeks"
of jungle
For these occasions, however, we made
— and and
here
the
is
point
—with
"
chatterer, extremely showy,
out of proportion larger than
and
sides "
and altogether
carry, in fact, the largest to
little flies
be
had.
The
success attained with this unique object, though not very
bore
regular,
eloquent
We
practice.
One
testimony
Once on
discrimination.
the
knew what
resolves, but continually practised in
"
Louise
"
"
Elsie
"
our
of
neat
imagination led to further
the fish wanted, and what they disliked.
man
did not walk therefore like a dazed
discovered that
propriety
the
to
riglit track,
produced the
nebulous
in a twilight of
At
sombre patience. desired,
effect
last
was
it
and knocked
into smithereens.
With
championess
this
—the
fact
had better be mentioned
—the
greatest success resulted in 1886, at one particular spot half a mile or so above the bridge at Crieff.
"
Elsie
"
has maintained her reputation
on the Earn and elsewhere on subsequent occasions, and came with flying colours at the
ruffles,
for she
won
the
viateh
off
my
for
protege.
Let
us reflect for a few
generally.
Is
simply this first
:
comes
moments on
our method clear?
What
accomplishments
these it
mean?
all
by a system that works wonders, because
All other
methods pale
matters of
fact.
There
is
it
that
founded
is
basis.
into insignificance.
to concentrate attention at the riverside,
fly
Cause and Effect enables us
on a perfectly natural, and therefore impregnable, simple.
means
It
Instead of going to a river and putting on the
to hand, the study given to
to progress
does
What
It
is
very
do
've
is
and deduce inferences from
nothing very violent
in
tlie
practice
;
it
is
'
TIPS.
consistent
quite
additions
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;when,
other
in
must begin from some
philosophy
of
to increase our l.ikes
we
words,
dependent, say, upon the variations of
and what not^-we subscription
good-bye
said
and
waters,
left
meet
to
flies
by repeated
certain
shade, temperature,
light,
to the "tri])pcr" element
all
haunting
hopelessly behind
(.thers
of
regularity
the
noticed
brought about by adapting certain
successes cases,
forms
all
;
And when we began
standpoint.
3'
the
in
angling records of the year.
One move
\\'e tackled
led to another.
Picture the universal custom
away.
army
to strike
work
Fancy
prevailed.
tliat
a
right
whole
of the best of sportsmen in the very thick of excitement, reeling
up and beating an ignominious
some
those contingencies, for
one of us
instance, that formerly induced every
effect of the sun
that happened.
When
Now
the truth
retreat,
upon the
what was the
different.
totally
despair
came with the
;
No
iinst
feeble understanding that
the fare of Hie
full in
impede our daily march along situation
Well,
result
dawned upon my
lord of light," unless shining
simply on the supposition that
compelled them to do so!
fish
river's side,
tlie
fish,
we
driven
"
the
reall\-
the change over the
Things are now
astounding surprise.
longer are
did not
from the waters
no longer are we disturbed or discr,uraged
;
in
no longer
is
Strength made the temporar\- slave of Weakness by the pardonable inability
to interpret
Quite the contrary.
For whether
fiercely
blazing or sleeping in
undisturbed repose, the " monarch of the climes centre and sou! of our system
even when he casts
influence.
and deal with the sun's particular
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;a
his last smile o'er hill
seek the couch of timid twflight."
"
alone
is
the ver\-
system which holds equally good
and
dale,
and hastens
" to
32
The is
two
desire to deal fortliwith with these
imperative, and therefore
it
had better be
different situations
gratified.
when
Tiie writer can never forget the set expression of a friend
gazing
at a
number
of
trays, replete
with furs and feathers,
and
speculating wildly on the proposed variation of flywork, in order to
meet the possible changes of the great luminary of the day.
Times
out of number, prior to this occasion, he had stood and watched the
surroundings with strained eyes to get them to divulge their secret,
and he worked
purpose of discovering the
just as often for the
fly
of
incidental need. It
was, however, from the Spey, that were brought
The
agreeable memories of victory. christened
and
then
"
there
by
still
conviction
a
new
that
The Variegated Sun
fish
taken with
had
era
the
this fly at the
consecutive July days
shred
last
Midsummer
With regard explanation will
unmistakably
is
best of
to size
all
to reason
is
places for
— the
opened
up.
— eleven
stream opposite Aberlour on the Spey
tliat, is
to
fish
successfully under
the
a fallacy.
and method
of presentation, a very brief
always made comparatively small, a No.
the largest ever required.
golden toppings.
been
done enough
suffice.
The Sun Fly hook
His
—to destroy effectively and permanently
of contention
brightest suns of
simply it.
further fortune at a second pool, brought the
Personally, the writer has seen enough, and
in four
the most
Fly,"
own immediate experience with
enraptured his friend by his success, followed
away
pattern ultimately devised and
T'.ie
it
— the
wing
quicker the
In streams, deep and rough
many
carries as fly is
played- -that
better one's chance of success
;
as half a is,
!'<
— the
dozen
conformably
but in most of these
TIPS.
Catches
it
manitnivre
mend
necessnn- to
is
tiie
33
the east, in the absence of which
hsh are more inrhned to follow the
fly
than to jump at
it.
Four toppings over a
"
dress
"
an inch seem to do most damage water
â&#x20AC;&#x201D; oven
then the
more than six-eighths of But
average places.
played quickly across
is
fl)-
of not in
it
â&#x20AC;&#x201D; the
low
in
smallest
hooks are used.
To approach magnetic beam
the
second
situation,
seen no more,
mounting quiet
it
namely, when
the
sun's
would seem almost superfluous,
said of our system, to urge the necessity
what has already been
after
of
is
looking
patterns
â&#x20AC;&#x201D; that
to
is
not
those
say,
decorated with bright, showy feathers.
On time
is
the Dee, for instance,
we
But we must not overlook the waters
constantly hear
coming," and this implies that the day
cease
to
sparkle,
fact that, in the
said, " the
Gordon*
drawing
to a close.
evening,
when
comes a flood of rosy
there
first
it
is
the
light.
Accordingly, the Cordon, disfigured by the substitution of a dark blue hackle at the throat for the light one, which the reserved for duty later
love,
is
that
kills
Gordon
?
The fact
on
in
Dee
And
in
those waters so well at night time as
In
my
is
so dearly
fish
there any
the
dark
fly
blue
experience, none.
principle of this toning
all
the evening.
where the bright
fly
down
system
holds good on most rivers, in
is
generally practised on bright
days.
Referring again to the deep stretch shaded by Scotch
not be taken for granted that a four-inch elsewhere, far from the
it.
The example
practice under such circumstances
is
fly
would be
firs,
merely given to
and conditions.
must
illustrate
On C2
it
rigiieur
dt-
other
34
rivers, tlierefore, fly
is
the
full
judgment must be exercised.
size used,
Supposing a two-inch
we should mount one
of about an inch
and
a half in length.
When efforts to
the angler's ingenuity, however,
cover distant
fisli
with large
so over-taxed in his
is
by splashing the
that
flies,
water he alarms the aquatic camp, the onerous duty of changing front
becomes imperative.
To
begin with, an interval of ten minutes
before the renewal of hostilities
make up if
his
mind
is
a
he gets farther away from them.
both
in size
sine
to get nearer the fish
and character.
The
For size
is
qua
iioii ;
this
reason his
composed a
fish,
And,
Thus we have
a
as radiant as
common
differ
fly will
to carry the
having seen a dusky pattern partly
of feathers impervious to the light, should
gaudy specimen, even
must
fly
reduced, because the
inevitably travel across the water at less speed.
mind back a few pages, the
he has then to
of course he will fare worse
;
"
Beaconsfield
illustration of
now be
offered
" itself.
what we are pleased to
call " contrast."
now
Our
subject
We
have done with the sun, we have done with the shade, and
takes a more definite turn.
partly with geological formation,
and
will
now
consider the principles
to pursue at the riverside generally.
As
the variety poet says, "
it
takes a bit of doing,"
of local advice, to decide off-hand the size of
fly
to put
in
the absence
on
;
but
still,
the behaviour of the fish will soon give one the cue. If,
or rise follows, the If a
salmon only follows a
for instance, a
brighter must be used. fish
fly,
one smaller
and
Should, however, a swirl be seen, and no tug
should be rested for about eight minutes.
salmon comes sharply
in
rough water and misses the
fly,
tliree
35
minutes shinild bo allowed, and a smaller s])ecinien of the pattern use n\-
on
i)ut
than a If in
hut aKva\
;
s
in
renieuiher that a fresh fish will take a larger
kelt.
smooth water the
ten nunutes' interval
rise
If a straiiLjcr to the
a very small,
nci;^hbourhood
are fishing with, he should use a
when
early season,
wmU increase
his
not of a determined nature, allow
is
and mount
the weather
ily is
a
showy
tly.
able to learn the size (;thcrs
is
trifle
smaller
;
but
in the
very
very cold and the water high, he
measure of success by putting on the largest pattern
the river carries.
some know, acquire knowledge
I'ishermen, as
and
mail)- others too, in the
experience teaches us what
method
to
adopt
b>- in
fmd
cramped
in
impracticable
to
coumiand
situations
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;that
to select for the time being,
fl}'
utter ignorance
passed
to
iliscover
that
Do wc
undisturbed.
left
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;places
we have
we
if
Vvr
in
which the
to resort to
And
haven't got the
is
and what
which formerl)- we
this or that po'A.
and
command them ?
methods
of tiiesc matters,
dear school of extensive experience.
not often
Overhand
one of the more not this the
tackle
we
love,
cast
very time
we
is
modern
arc
to
either
compelled to love what we have or calm ourselves by watching the progress of
others more wisely appointed?
remains that
we
possess,
The
well
known
fact
we
are always wanting something, no matter what
and few can say with the
consist, not in the extent of
my
late
Mr. Brotherton,
"
my
riches
possessions, but in the fewness of
m_\'
wants." Tfi return to our subject.
when
the n.itural
fly
is
" uji,"
almost invariably acconmiodates
Let
it
be distinctly tmderstood
we have itself to
a sterent\'ped
routine
that
that
the prevailing plan of using
TIPS.
36
bright weather embellished with
flies in
case of
On
exception.
this occasion
resemble nature. of size, insect,
extra
i.e.,
to
moment
These
every other
case,
fly for
many
as well as to rivers
we
ordinary use, as on the as on the
We
to the
one and
;
other natural
Lochy and Ness, and on
result
is
find the fish appreciate the
the
by
will
be
side, rise to
flies.
on other rivers we come gradually
change and prefer
The
less
imitation of
all,
enormous patterns
all
rivers
the
for
down
fish
get
it.
also gradually increase the decoration of
sane reasons.
with any
are of
to say that salmon, side
creep up in size to
Dee
than the living
But as these matters
use on the Spey.
March-browns
On some
size larger
closely
to the element
our make-believe
even including our
it
size,
are tied
restrictions,
dealt with presently, suffice
in
materials must very
down
the
principal
we
slightly enrich
colour.
monster stone
accustomed
Take
feathers.
fly
making our pattern only one
of
in
our
In our composition
and we can only
show
gaudy
March-brown on the Dee, and you have the
the
flies
for the
equally good, and as years
roll
same
on we
most luxurious patterns, such as would
have frightened them to death had they been suddenly introduced. If this is is
it ?
fifty
not educating the fish^an expression often ridiculed
Fancy the commotion a
wings, possess,
we
teacli
bodies tails
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;what
would have created
Surely the time has come for none to discredit the
years ago!
fact that
six-inch " Jock "
salmon to take the smartest
unnaturally
adorned,
unconscionable
but
legs still
enlightened days, some people say these
flies
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;
longer
tails
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;and
fish are
this treatment,
and that they mistake our gaudy
other live bait,
Heaven only knows.
lures with spicy
than
living
why,
in
flies
these
not educated up to flies
for
minnows, or
TIPS.
Willi tlie
fiirllior
Sun
"
I'ly,"
reference to our system of
jierliaps the " fly of
of leal, gallina, etc., the
"
specifies
choice," passing over
"
made
has
most
the
Cliaracterised h)- a hberal consignment
convincin;^ headwa)' of any.
sini[)ly
3;
"
Rough Grouse,"
the father of this
set,
worshipped on drizzly days the whole way along the
is
river
Spey.
Unless engaged upon such a hold river as the Spey, the angler's next
" tij) " is
ver)' important.
i?efore
lie
follows another
down
a pool
or most other Catches, he should allow at least a quarter of an hour to elapse,
and then use a smaller and thmncr
than the one the
fly
fish
have seen and refused. deep, steady
In
whate\er
The
flowing
be, the fly
it
water, a silver
longer the hackle, the shorter the
to play the
hod)-
is
wanted,
and
should be fished as deep as possible.
movement
of the rod given
the better.
fly,
In fl.iked water, a gaudil)' dressed, silver
bodied
fly,
with
a
reddish
hackle at the throat, seems to be indispensable. In
dark, porter coloured
water,
having a dyed black hackle along light blue hackle
In
than at
snow all
use a dirty orange a black bod)-
body,
having a
when
fined
down makes
the ri\er clearer
other times, transparent hackles, with a goodly supply of
peacock's herl
If
first
and then
running along likewise.
water, which
in
the wings, are superior to
whether the body a good
it,
silver
is
coch-a-bonddu
the weather
approach of
hanging low
composed
is
haz\',
is
all
others. silk,
It is
immaterial
or silver tinsel,
the identical thing for the occasion.
small chirk
thunder, the presence of
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;
all
of seal's fur, floss
flies
are
jireferable.
The
a heat-haze, or a white mist
these conditions have hitherto been the signal for
suspension of work
;
more
so,
indeed, than clouds with white tops
But as soon as a
floating in mid-air, or even a faUing barometer.
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;a thunder-clap instance, the atmosphere â&#x20AC;&#x201D; the favourite
decided change sets in of aqueous vapour in
or the clearance
for
fly
of the river
is
the one to select without loss of time.
On
the water beginning to rise after rain, put on
"
Thunder-and-
Lightning," or a pattern of that description, and slightly increase the size as
compared with your former
For
fish
fly.
lying in deep water behind an upright rock,
show them
a bright body with double jungle in the wings, capped with three or four toppings. sharp, shaky
In this instance, play the
fly
by giving the rod
movements, and on detecting the
short,
rise strike fairly
hard
at once.
In districts where the bed of the river presents a dark appearance,
dark patterns are required, reserving brighter patterns for beds of a chalky nature.
Where keep
on
light
reflected, especially
is
throwing
back the rays
from holophotal mirrors which
in
one unbroken
mass
without
perceptible loss, or even glinting from wet, steep-cut rocks, use fancy flies,
glittering with silver tinsel, and,
it
may
also be said, resembling
the sunrise in the richness of their colour.
When larger higher.
the thermometer
When
it
suddenly
suddenly use
falls
than those previously
rises,
a rule,
it is
better to use a
In trying for a fish
do not put
it
which
dark patterns,
no
announcing the approach of warmer
weather, reduce the size considerably and select
As
thin,
employed, though the water runs
sombre
lias
fly
gaudy specimens.
before a showy one.
already risen, change the
more than one yard below
his lay-bye.
fly,
The second
but fly
should be
before t^iving
ui,
fail,
Should
trillc sniallor.
allow a long interval and then try a Grub,
present a very large dark
bright one, and fish both lixaiiiiiic,
and a
in cliaractcr,
totall)- (iiffrrcnt
the third aUcni])!
fly,
liul
afterwards a very large
ciuickl}'.
take note, niid endeavour to remeutber the run of
and
icater in all taking Catehes,
you'll soon learn to
spot"
''
tite
unknown
lay- byes in flood time.
In
these
principles
Genuine adherence
to
the
lie
them
will
greatest
make
independent of the ruling eventuality
Side Issues.
â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Sterne
and soul of reading. point
by
it
six
little
is
art.
senu-
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;disappointment. slight
detour
made
is
life
at tins
not intended necessarily to depart very
us.
while ago (October, iqdo), the post brought, from five or
different sources, a cutting from a paper
attack upon current literature It
our
the line of argument, but ratlier to endeavour to advance
the immediate subject before
A
of
workman
says, digressions are the sunshine, the
Now, although a
special request,
much from
potentialities
a fairly skilled
criticised in a singular
made
b_\-
manner the
a
which occ;isioned the
\oung fisherman (page
definite
system of
founded on approved and unassailable principles,
by competent judges, and explained
20).
fly-work,
fully authenticated
at great length in
"
The Salmon
Fly."
Although devoid of every
tr;u:e
of
keen angling
insight,
and
every trace of the simple precaution having been taken to investigate the subject at any time, the critic
is
and consideration by reason of the
entitled to generous fact that
he wrote
sympathy
in the
most
open and honourable manner, and not under the vagueness of any noni de plume.
Nevertheless, his hasty conclusions afford just an
40
the
instance of
knowledge
harm done by
to bear
who
enthusiasts
only a httle
bring
upon a subject which cannot be discussed properly study of
except after a prolonged
a
number
of
infinitely
for
some
varied
experiences at the waterside.
The
The Salmon
"
statements in
reason, were despised
by the
critic
Fly,"
which
—a gentleman
Baden- I^owell, that has won everlasting renown drier) fields (a little "
f
"
long and patient observation.
manner
possible,
that
previously presented the
way
Mr. Printer)
please,
they
"
Grey,"
fixed policy of using certain
tail,
hinted
been
flies
"
on
Red,"
They
etc.
certain occasions
by
;
(c)
that
when they
rock of the river bed to-day, and give
raw
recruit to-morrow, they are
direct cause,
the
author
or
even
—
flies
specifically
way
;
facts (a)
(b) that
act
supported
these
they
are immovable as the
to the artless lure of the
governed almost invariably by some
under the influence of mere caprice.
and do not
in
referred to the
They were based on stubborn
body, and wings.
flies
at,
fibres of this or that colour
that salmon act according to certain predispositions
take certain natural
(and slightly
the outcome of
stated in the most emphatic
never
characterised, as the occasion dictates, in the
in other
—were
inscrutable
bears a name,
Publie in any shape or form, at least
to the
of calling rivers
may be
It
had
who
facts
And
by an overwhelming array
of
evidence, well-founded, and calculated to explain j^roblems otherwise inexplicable.
These statements are stamped by the It is
was "
critic
very easy for the writer to exclaim
"
as rubbish.
Rubbish," as easy as
for the old lady to believe in the efficacy of
that blessed
it
word
Mesopotamia."
For the sake
of the author's chain of reasoning
which holds the
TIPS.
system
lojjcthcr,
pursue
tlie
the}-
put
no
s)'stem
it),
to offer
than fur the satisfaction of the anylers wlio
less
and
feel hurt !>} the entieisni, "
an explanation
lucid, fully substantiated,
is
it
new book
in the
necessary (as
of yours, at once
and of a kind calculated to leave absolute
conviction upon the points affecting the issue."
Indeed, a
of
it
only natural for them to decline to allow the lessons
is
lifetime,
with
accepted
and
warmest approval
their
concurrence at the riverside, to be exposed to public ridicule
I)}'
full
the
airy criticism: of the wielder of a facile pen. If,
however, the explanation seems to savour loo much
reference, or even to exhibit traces of
interests involved
on
all sides,
what
is
Altogether apart from the logic of
he to do facts,
beenâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;
since the truth
must be told
?
own catches have
â&#x20AC;&#x201D; that
own methods must be
What to
else,
be natural,
is
The
during three
is
driven to the conclusion
superior to theirs.
he asks with that repugnance which anglers the
result
recent
so largely exceeded those of the whole
party working on the same waters, that he that his
is
he has Inmself personally
proved the value of the system by constant experiment.
outings his
personal
But considering the importance of the system and the
very sorry.
has
(jf
vanity, the present writer
will feel
meaning of such records as the following?
Thirty-two salmon out of thirty-four,
five
Rods.
Sixty-three salmon out of seventy-one, seven Rods.
Ninety-one salmon out of ninety-nine, two
The
Gillies
and
six Rods.
other fishermen, whose bags appear so small in these quoted
records in comparison with his own, were equally good
They used nothing but
a
fly,
and were equally
rod as far as Overhand casting
is
concerned.
sportsmen.
skilled wielders of the
—
42
It follows, that
way
only logical task, as
he
—
and
none
that
laid
down
— the
the mystery can be explained
companions brought
of his
employment
did, the
scores of tmies,
way
the only is
of
in his
his
book
system of for
to their
fishing, verified
one and
all alike.
But of course the subject must be approached from other standpoints.
We
now
allude, for instance, to that part of the fixed principle,
which so upset the little bit
critic,
of that in a
of putting a
The
fly.
little bit
one of many that shows how accommodating the system even to
those
no previous experience of
with
and a
of this material
following interesting example
it,
is
is
only
to all
and with no
pretensions to be in any sense experts at handling the rod. It
those
should be said by " skilled
had caught in the
way
of preface to this example, that
more than four salmon
in five successive years,
month
of
May
work, had consulted
made
get specially
tenant last May, fairly
also, that the
;
none
of
the rod," mentioned in the former case,
wielders of
me upon
the dressing of
for those waters,
flies
at Carlogie
new
to the
which he should
and upon the system of using
them.
Here
is
" I
his letter to me,
dated 30th May, iqoo
:
found your variation of the Silver Grey such a splendid
killer that
I
fear
I
stuck to
it
too long, a,nd did not give your a fair trial.
But
seven others.
My
system of using the others, on stated occasions, still I
had thirteen
fish
up
to the 2^th,
biggest turned the scale at ig
now
lost
lbs.
(signed)
We
and
JOHN BIDDULPH."
pass to more congenial arguments.
For what object did the author of
"The Salmon Fly"
say (pp.
—
43
tliat "
250)
bhie or any
;i
repulsive to the
an^lin^
fisii
we may
sense-
roloiiivd
(itiicr
on another.
say there are
deadly on one
f\y,
reason
that
I'"or '
Hlue
'
(Jrey
rivers,'
"
etc
!
Ills object,
was
to throw a
obviously
new
light
much higher
art to a
— to
young
para|ihraso his
on the
choosing
art of
bear repetition
this will
number
of
,1
words
friend's
fly,
and
raise this
t(i
level.
To use general language, the recognition
a
rivers,'
river, is
a technical
in
— arises when
we
successes with special
under similar conditions of
f)f
Cause and Mffect
e\i)erience, man\- limes over,
flies,
all
recurring
respectively
local tastes, of weather, water, teiii])erature,
etc.- successes w^hich bear a unique relationship of
antecedent and
consequent. (It
on
is
worth while noticing here that fortune sometimes smiles
may
luck, for these successes
arise,
though \ery seldom, from the
acciflental choice of the correct style of
conxey the lesson
not
Grey
arises at certain seasons
This was the
consequence
would
flies,
as
commonly witnessed on
— the
the Lee,
from nothing else than the huge, ever present
aii/sr
of our introducing .Silver monke}''s fur for
and putting
an inno\ation which has
donkey's the
in
performer
displaying speckled legs, body, and wings.
fly,
part of (he toilette,
nf
and may
one or two examples among the many
select off-hand
predisposition towards
blow
fly,
more experienced
deduce from them.)
infallibly
To
that a
fur,
fibres of teal
vastl\'
and the bead holding
change, seen times out of
notwithstanding our amiable
and gallina
superseded the coarser,
critic's
in the
rabbit's fur of yore.
number,
is
wings
less spotted
positively
The
rf,r/
notorious,
emjihatic statement that "strict
44
dressings of patterns, the fibres necessary
and the
bit
of
that
all)
(is
my
unfortunate connection, relating to states
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;of
without
course
the
Untrained
in
another
calling rivers " Grey,"
confirmation
men who
fish
this,
equally
he
etc.,
â&#x20AC;&#x201D; that
such
"
them, than
the
in
fish for."
love
anglers
established not so
And
slightest
things exist more in the minds of the
minds of the salmon they
wing, the bit of
in tlie
rubbish."
get
to
at
much by what men say
the as
and
truth,
truth
is
So
what they prove.
to
continue.
predisposition towards greenish bodies on the river Spey,
The
transient but clearly evident, arises from nothing else than the ever-
so called
present
"
green-king," gobbled up freely in
its
own
short
season.
cause of our careful imitation of the natural insect, and of
The
using nothing else for the time being, too
and the
;
equally notorious
is
a heavier
productive of
effect,
creel,
case
in this
steadfast,
is
convincing, and conclusive.
Once more. from nothing
The
else
predisposition towards
than the presence of
down
underwing," seen flying up and
autumnâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; and Fly,"
ad
the river
!/tJi/ii/t/>/i.(^ee
pages
is
m
practical science
It
is,
question. fact,
of
course,
For
is
beyond
open
to
it's
"
rcdin
"The Salmon
of a trained angler,
down
to see
several
sides of
a system of fishing
a
founded
rubbish, whilst a third writes to the author
of the system in a private letter,
hundred pages
the
thousands early
question.)
fishermen
instance, one lays
another says
all
the Earn, arises
called
25.4-5 i"
and kindly note the singular success recorded
whose
on
so on,
Red on
what
of honest matter
"
you touched nothing
in
your
which you did not elucidate.
five
After
—
TIPS.
I
read the book
begnn
I
liy
45
gcttiiiL:;
many
limes as
tlirce
fisli
as
before."
Let
be said here,
it
tlial
the author of
always regarded himself as a student writing of his exploits, of
current
i)()|)ular
practice
.Salmon Fl}-
"
lias
over remain one.
In
to carry the angler's
irresistible
mind above and
ensnaring salmon by hook or crook,
f)f
fl}--fishing.
What
he has written
has he learnt, thus and tins has he learnt
based on actual experience
criticism
more he has of
and the
it,
sliar|5cr
will it
is,
it
is
and
to say this
on the
this
All honest
spot.
be welcome to him
and the
;
Hut
the better in the end.
not a very unnecessarily strong statement for Mr. Baden-Powell
is it
stigmatise as
investigation
under
"
upon
rubbish all
"
the results of
kinds of salmon
that
given in the well-known Solvitiir
practically
working
anil'ii/iiin/o, it
answer
logical fallacy of i.e.,
the
is
the same as
and
the
solved
by
Achilles
problem
is
out.
individual workers have with infinite labour at the w.iterside
If
been accunudating
river
systematic
kinds of weather
sorts of conditions, with all kinds of flies?
all
Tortoise
flies
and
diligent
rivers, in all
In matters of this description, the plain
fact.s
which indicate the direct wa\- to
manner absolutely reconcilable with the
in
a
—
flies
appears
far
(i) as
and away more
(3) as
"
titivate "
peculiarities of a
killing than an\- ordinary pattern
though further argument were unnecessary;
though every requisite of both theory and practice were
and
under-
solely for the purpf)se of raising the sport to the highest branches
it is
of the art of
to
"The
will
he has given way to an
if
and desire
effort
beyond the
— he
though the iiroblem
in
category of unexplained m\-steries.
c]uesti<.n
—
it
(2) as
satisfied
;
were removed from the
46
So much
for the technical skill exhibited in this
new departure
in fly-work.
we know
In the case of salmon,
themselves upon the
some
natural agency
time,
indirectly, as
nourished them
when they
in their infancy,
them
wrong
river,
sets
How
them
in
associated or
which
but from
connected
an appropriate stimulation of
is
guided by
instinct, just as the
But as they sometimes take
into their
"
thinking apparatus
the
Very
of their instincts as unerring. "
—
e.g.
an extra bit of blue, or an extra bit of red in
"
rubbish "?
Of
course
it
cannot be when
we
reflect.
a rule, the greater part of the ideas relating to fly-invention
As
are not reasoned out
by the student
him by the master-hand
the other hand, have
any
substitution for
observation
of
over-thrashing,
making
in the first place,
as part of his education.
become
to be questionable, at
by the
is
fly
itself,
a state of passionate activity.
can this be
compare notes and
to
something
which comes
excitement produced by
—
not from the insect
tiie bottle.
we cannot speak
slight stimulation
fly
At another a
to action.
arms sucks
in
impression of
get the
natural impulse of salmon
The
time, directly, through
that revives the recollection of their favourite food
memory, one
stirs
infant
a
At one
light, contact, force of current, etc.
which, as experiment teaches,
it,
their
and
—
that external objects impress
two ways.
imitation containing
a specific
with
ftsh in
so settled
by
of
new
Not a
;
and they only decay
habits of thought occasioned
produced on die
fish,
when, of course, the conditions whicli
led
some such
of the former
"
few, on
actual experiment as never
rate at certain periods
them
but are imparted
evil efi'ect
awfully killing
fly "
by
say,
by
to
the
have become changed.
!
TIPS.
And
cannot be otherwise.
1 1
47
yet \vc encounter narrow-minded
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;piteously hoodwinked on an exceptional day by getting
enthusiasts
wrong
a fish or two with the
for the iieat of the fray,
fly
presented the wrong
way
all
number
gi\ e these
of red-letter days pure accident
them by
and devote
their spare time to
all
must
far to leave the sim]i!e
I
their
'topia in
own
Wiiat a
comers!
with three or four Standard patterns against
]!etlcr for
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;^who burn
and openly declare they can hold
gentlemen
which
tiicy live,
studying the practical habits of the
fish.
There of
no doubt
is
being any
there
possibility
of
that the ordinary fisherman resents the view
abstruse
largely
method
increasing the
of
denominates "new-fangled" innovaticns.
salmon, or
catching
catch It
what
b\' is
he
any
probably
highly probable that
the ancient astronomers also regarded Galileo as a most annoying and
crack-brained individual, whose innovations bade Solar
system,
and
to
introduce
a
quantity
to
fair
very
of
upset the
minute
and
unnecessary calculations into what had been the very simple job of star-gazing.
Poor Galileo had Put
it
is
recorded of
got up and said,
to put
liim,
" V.
cry, " Peccavi."
on a white sheet and
that after his recantation on his knees
]iur si
muove,"
in a
quid tone of
voice,
he not
audible to any of the Pope's familiars, to indicate that, though he had
been compelled to say that the earth did not move, npinion that Il
is
it
in a similar
and not without the
frame
rif
mind
tliat tlie
null
and
still
of the
author closes this cjiapter,
lionc that the latter jiassagcs
may
impressions of the Idval, change those of the sceptical
system
was
lie
did.
\()id,
and commend tliemselves to
all.
strengthen the
who
declare the
BURBERRYS. 31,
Haymarket, London,
and Basingstoke.
THE SLIP=ON. successful of a series of practical experiments in designs for It Over-liannents, the Slip-on is to-day in higher lavour than t\<.r with Sportsmen. covers thj wearer completely from collar to gaiters, and gives absolute freedom for quick movement. It is impossible to speak too highly of its waterproof qualities. Very light, affording natural warmth, it is the one Overcoat for Sport.
The most permanently
Fisliiny
" Tliroughout the whole time have been here a month, and had only one fine day. have never had a wet spot."â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Signed, GEO. M. KliLSON (Wark-on-Tyne). 1
1
CHAPTER
III.
METHODS OF CASTING. THE OVERHAND It
is
generally supposed, and the
sensible grounds, that the
CAST.
supposition
is
on
founded
Overhand has
ever-youthful
a right to
claim the longest existence, and to hold the highest place of iionour
among
all
This right
other methods.
one necessary condition
â&#x20AC;&#x201D; that
to render the cast practicable
made
"
cleaner
disturb the fish It
defective,
and
is
never in dispute when the
ample space effective.
than other casts, and
by the splashing
nevertheless
different
all
"
of
â&#x20AC;&#x201D; presents
then
it
becomes necessary
it
overtures for a long
to
can be
the least likely to
say that
occasions the luss nf
line.
it
of line.
methods of making the Overhand, and inasmuch as
is
so as
itself
At those times
that
Hies,
there
are
two
one of ihcm
and sternly
is
r('|H']s
TIPS.
50
This time-worn method, however, has a hold on the masses so describing the correct one,
great, that in
it
draw a
desirable to
is
searching comparison between the two.
The the
old school, accustomed to the
spot upon which the
vigorously denounced less semi-circular
fly is
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;are
sweep
it
is
risk run
is
to alight
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;a
habit
make
naturally constrained to
a
be
to
more or
of the rod in the background, with the result
and becomes altogether
that the fly often strikes the earth
The
same unvaried habit of facing
intended
decidedly less with a limited length of
Knowing
inseparable from the practice.
this,
line,
useless.
but
still
some make the
up-cast directly over their head, in which case, though security against loss or
injury to the
flv
The new
school go to
consummate
provided, the most
is
required to cover a distant
skill
is
fish.
work
in a
manner
totally different.
In these days, the one standing difficulty that presents itself to the uninstructed, will
do the work, That
air out of it
not so
much
we
the old question of finding a rod that
modern method
as of acquiring the
the plain truth.
is
soon after
is
of using
Then, what about ourselves
?
it
Well,
introduced the type calculated to send the line in the
harm's way, rather by the rod's action than by undue force,
remained only a question of a few minutes' practice to bring
thrash-down
at the right
and proper moment.
Of
course
we
off the
did not
pursue the worn-out principle of relying solely on the sense of touch, but took up a position from which place from
first
to
last.
we
could actually see what takes
This change of front
is
the secret of the
whole business. It
may, therefore, be taken for certain
lay-bye for this
cast, as of yore, the
that, instead of facing the
angler should stand sideways to
it,
by whu-li means
inspection
ground
is
thai
clearly Iraccable throuylu.ul the process.
tlie line is
care to proceed in this niamicr will sunn find
who
Tliose
made easy and progress it
bores
ihciii to
IJiat
mi the
ohjecl,
turn their head, will alwa\-s be subjected
in the
never understand or participate
and
practice,
will
immense advantage introduced
the new.
This being the
now deduce from all
Ihdse who
untoward consequences attending the old
to those
by
safe.
case,
tiie
him
;
one
not
onl>' to the lesson,
rareU',
if
e\er, hitches his fly
from
whilst, apart
is
which
the)-
in
may
drawn, but above
benefits connected with
and inseparable
to the additional
instance,
it is
system, that their attention
For
it.
any obstacle behind by
chances of breaking the rod
that, his
attempting the thrash-down too soon or too
late,
are reduced to a
Moreover, a greater amount of water, even up to twelve
minimum.
or fourteen yards, can be covered easily
This
and properly.
"
con-
summation, devoutly to be wished," cannot be over-estimated.
Now method
the
but
downstream before is
done
b)'
proceeding
initial
recjuircs
in the practical
To
little skill.
the cast can be made, goes without saying.
taking some of
it
This
from the winch and making a series of
false casts in neutral waters, care
the rod at
demonstration of our
get the line sufficiently extended
being taken to depress the point of
last.
Having considered.
other below
arrived
As it.
all
at
this
stage,
know, one
is
the
position
of
the
hands
is
placed above the winch and the
But the exact position of the upper hand must be
determined by the balance of the rod
;
the other generall)- comes in
contact with the india-rubber button at the bottom of connection, one can easily imagine
how
it.
In this
that cumbrous, weighty winch
—
53
TIPS.
of yore
—such
an implement, at
lowering of the upper hand
As
soon, however, as
all
enough
while the point of the rod
is
undue
events, as necessitated an
—would complicate
matters.
line is set free, the up-cast
is
begun
the rod
is
raised
still
depressed.
If
beforehand, the line cannot be forced high enough and far enough into the
background
and soul doing is
of the
—and
—a stroke of policy which,
whole system.
in this
in reality, is the heart
In order, therefore, to succeed in so
operation success usually comes as a surprise
—
it
necessary
To assume
(i)
depicted
the attitude, with regard to legs and body, as
in the picture.
(2)
To
And
(3)
studiously avoid jerking the rod at the outset.
To
check the rod in the up-cast at the angle shown
in the picture.
Ultimate success, provided the force applied rapidly increased and the thrash-down
begun
in
gradually yet
is
good
time,
is
then
absolutely assured. In the up-cast the
hands swing together
that the point of the rod
shown
the angle
On let
in the
must not be allowed
sketch before
it
is
itself
;
but the interval
is
is
The line
is
delayed long enough to
cut short in direct propor-
tion to the quickness of the action of the rod.
the retiu-n
and we must repeat to travel further than
checked.
checking the rod, the thrash-down
the line extend
;
To
dwell too long for
an act as perilous as to err on the side of impatience.
strongest evidence of skill and tactfulness in conducting the
rearward,
altogether.
By
is
this
best
obtained
means the
by
line falls
suspending
the
down-cast
on the ground, and then a
personal inspection reduces the matter to a certainty.
If
found to be
54
lying fairly straight and in a direction of the lay-bye,
with comparative ease. incarvate,
denotes
it
it
may
be taken
thrash-down might have been effectually made
for granted that the
on the other hand, the
If,
line
found to
is
curved inwardly instead
rod has
that the
of
having pursued a direct course.
The
rod barely declines outward in ascent, nor inclines inward
m
keeps to the course tal<en
in raising
in
descent
it,
the straighter, the lighter, and further will the line be laid on the
;
the closer
fact,
it
water afterwards.
The only exception when
blows
it
to this
golden rule
down-stream.
This
is
brought by the wind unfavourable to a
condition,
degree, necessitates the otherwise objectionable semicircular sweep
which depends on the strength of the breeze.
of the rod, the radius of
When snicked
the wind
There
the
tail
is,
however, another and perhaps a safer alternative
We
fl)'.
recommend is
said
very liable to be
off.
to use a second
is,
in that direction, the fly is
is
Finally,
if
or
"
To it is
begin with,
it
is
the rod
known
that
is
fly
only,
less amateurish,
and never
but after
all
a pure matter of sporting sentiment. is
properly
revolving rings, the length of a cast
by what
;
dropper," attached three feet or so above
hold strong reasons for using one
two.
and done
fly,
as
"
shooting
" line.
furnished with
may be
A
small
upright
considerably increased
previous description of the
process seemed to please friends so much, that the following account of
it
may be The
appreciated by others.
feat consists
first in
length of line required coils of
it,
;
the angler drawing from the winch the
and, while doing
so,
making and
jilacing
one by one, between the point of the forefinger and thumb
TIPS.
(if
Ihr tipiH-r IkurI.
to
I'lul,
Those
h.my down
until the " point of
the line in
its
but
rest of
the line
running
line will belly
;
not be taken out at
liglilly
thrash-down
reached,
is
from
so on in proportion. feat,
;
dropped they
will
down towards In making,
i.e.,
when
"
of
slack
the
" will
a thirty yard cast, a four yard
a thirty four )'ard cast, a six yard length
To
If
be dragged out by the
the water, and the
sa\-,
c-iul
held tliere
dropped too soon, the middle part
if
all.
length should be shot
no great
in the
in Icnytli
winch and arc
forward journey begins to tug the point of the rod.
at that instant the coils are
is
about a )ar<l
cuils, of
in front of tiie
tension"
55
;
and
shoot ten yards through our upright rings
provided the line
is
smooth, [jroperly dressed, and of
the right size and weight.
But
in
wading, when the
lakes them out of position, at the point
diagram.
A, and another at
The
coils fall
when an
from the hand, the
acute angle
jjoint B, as
shown
is
formed
in the
current
in the line
accompanying
force of the current on the lower part B, prevents the
56
This
being accomplished.
feat
winch end of the dropped
hand so
placed, giving a
easily
is
remedied by seizing
good snatch
to bring the
portion back under the bottom ring of the rod,
Thus
out as readily as on land. to
be remembered,
how much
it
will
be
the
and with the lower
coils at the point C,
whole of the slack
when
realised,
shoot
will all
it
and surely
it
ought
the action of the rod can be preserved,
and how much more water can be covered.
THE UNDERHAND This method not only by
who, advanced strain
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;
far easier to learn
many when
a long line
in years, are either
imposed upon them
altitudi-
is
an important
of the current.
in
factor,
is
CAST.
than the other
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;
is
patronised
unnecessary, but also by those
unable or unwilling to stand the
overhead casting.
But here, again,
and varies according
to the strength
In easy flowing streams, for example, as on land, the
angler can stand with his legs close together, and hold his body less
sideways than
He
is
is
convenient in rapids, or practicable
also enabled to stand in the easiest position of
In rapids, personal safety
is
fairly
all
Overhand.
â&#x20AC;&#x201D; bolt upright.
considered before convenience, and the
insurance of safety often involves an
must be kept
in the
awkward
position.
The
legs
wide apart, and on no consideration whatever
is
the back or front turned directly up-stream.
Having studied the
Illustration in detail, tlic angler
needs but a
/•
\
•
lliV
,
1
58
brief
description of
this
method
Even
for further guidance.
the
novice would at once discern that the aim and object of the cast
simply to bring the
fly
from the water so that
distance in the background. partially
extending the
It follows
shown,
line as
it
is
travels only a certain
that the force required in
much
is
less
than
the
in
Overhand. If the
he
angler brings the rod up at an angle of forty five degrees,
amount
will get at the
of
force to
make
the
take the
fly
track
traced in five minutes, or certainly in ten.
Contrary to the principle of dwelling
Overhand, the rod continues thrashed
down
and not the sign
;
to interfere with the steady It is
deep
no disadvantage
in the
the line
is
its
water well
;
renew a cast while the
to
below the
surface,
and increase
checking takes place thrashed
t/iroii^<^/i
go nearly down
is
somewhat
one fcch rather than is
When sees
it
kept going fast enough
line.
the
pace, finally letting
horizontal position pointing towards the lay-bye.
ends.
line is
failure is far less likely.
starting the thrash-down use butt action, pretty
Overhand,
the until
of a pause, nor the sign of a jerk
responding to the action of the rod, which
Ill
movement
swing of the arms beforehand.
on the contrary,
never to lose the tug of the
in the up-cast, as in
even, firm, regular
at the finish.
It follows,
much
the rod
as in the
reach
a
In other words, no then, that the rod
is
with that amount of force which makes the point
to,
but not in contact with, the water
when
the
work
TIPS.
59
THE SPEY former days,
In " reel
up
seemed
"
in
it
tlio
common
to arise
from certain general defects
weakness
in l)oth
beyond the bounds
place
innovations in the cast, which are
on .Spcy-sidc
]irartire
in the tackle, such,
rod and
That, of
line.
many
possibility the
of
now adopted by
to
work always
This cessation of
boisterous weather.
instance, as a willowy
would
was
CAST.
for
itself,
brilliant
who have
those
studied and practised the latest developments.
To
ajiparent
these
were
defects
devoted
years
personal
of
attention and work, with the ha])py result that, after numberless trials
and alterations
at the riverside, success in
fashioning a special style
of rod, not only capable of carrying a suitable line, but of
with
complying
the requirements associated with this much-coveted method,
all
was accomplished.
may be
It
Many
interesting to recount a few details.
}ears ago, during a prolonged
incomparable river
then
.Spey,
might be devised to obviate the
visit
with a friend to the
occurred to us
it
local
lint
some means
custom of striking work
in
wind\-
weather. "
.Surely \-our beautiful
hand, "should
winds "
to
we observed
calm days and
to a practised
light
favourable
" ?
Well, gentlemen," rey>lied jioor old ("ruiky
soul of
you
S])e\- cast,"
not be restrict(-d
Wester and Easter
I'.lchies,
can't get the line well away, what's the
wearing out tackle "But,"
we
â&#x20AC;&#x201D; once the
heart and
and the doyen of Aberlourâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; "
If
good of wasting time and
" ?
re])lied,
"would not
a
heavier
top
joint
pmpel
a
6o
and make
stouter line than yours, " It
might, perhaps
the Highlands as
Be
that as
his
own
old
"
but
;
we
you gentlemen
into practical shape.
necessary
"
tools
the South."
in
On
his return
which had belonged to
for
re-model the rod
home he looked up an
his father, and,
having the
manual operation, began then and there
in his
own workroom.
much
After
it
Spey
cast
place
it
line,
was considered that the action
moving
upon would make the
even more interesting and effectual than ever.
In the
first
would not only enable one to work a comparatively heavy
but the weakness, arising from the top joint curving backwards,
would never come about.
Nor was
by the intended reduction more wood than line
fixed
to
deliberation on
the science that treats of the laws regulating the power of bodies,
" ?
may, the writer soon endeavoured to put an idea of
it
greenheart
wind
cut through an adverse
it
don't use such iieavy laden tackle in
is
necessary, as in
distant hsh, by
To
shall
accomplish get,
in different
was thought that and by leaving
the ordinary
way more
easily,
but
to cover
direct throw.
successfully
by repeated
traditional style of rod.
our
trials,
self-imposed
task,
it
the exact action required.
many
was
And
times over, the rod was tested
winds, and finally approved.
With regard
weakness
just
to learn that the top joint of
some
made with
it
be made more evident presently, but therein
after a delicate use of the plane,
many
in
supreme advantages over the
determined to
For
windy weather, could even be made
means of a
This innovation lay the
all.
usually seen at the bottom of the upper joint, the
could not only be propelled
when
this
in thickness at the butt,
a
to the
backward
mentioned, of the
it
may
Spey rods
surprise
is
curve, under the assumption that the
actually
power of
we must is
We
increased.
it is
need not enquire wlu) formukited
not sliut our eyes to
The scheme
really reduced.
itself,
by-the-bye,
adequate exposition of Highland notions,
much abused word
application of a
no
local parallel.
(iff
hand
Why
They do
ready and simple.
manner of propelling the
As
it.
a matter of course,
hut
line
by no means an
demands
it
unique, in so far that
is
it
is
tlierefore
do Spey rods so soon bend backwards is
the local lifting
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;
this notion,
that the strength of the joint
tlic fact,
has
Our answer
use?
in
tiie
it
so because the force used in is
considerably more than
in
follows that, sooner or later, the
it
rods must show corresponding signs of weakness.
As a inevitable of
further instance of a similar sort of weakness, consider the
used
rod
a
curve which
(â&#x20AC;˘/</ri'//:iv?;v/
only
the
for
commonly seen
is "
the top joint
in
This
Overhand."
from
arises
dianictrirally opposite causes; for, in casting overhead, the force used
to is
the line and send
lift
far greater
The argument,
towards the rear the distance
our opinion,
in
and
convincing,
it
than the force required to drive the
no
mure
is
incontroverlil)le
and
doubts
it
fly to its
ought
it
;
has to go,
destination.
uncertainties
to
should
be be
entertained.
But what of the system
We
shall
The Spey
cast
devised
That cast
?
now is
chiefly
in transit, the line
is
fur
which our new
st_\-le
Spey rod was
of
see.
remarkable
pays a brief
for
visit to
two
distinct facts:
the water
;
(2)
(l)
That the
entertaining to some, exasperating to others, yet the idol of
Most
of
us
know, that
skilled
performer of
decree
of
Fate and
the
"
it
is
no small matter
Spey," for
Circumstance,
in
the
to
be a great
accordance with the cast
is
liable
to
all.
and stern
become
strangely
complexâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;
realisation
and treatment, and then
sound elementary knowledge of
Those who best know to
pay no attention
inevitably arise.
changes
occasional
of
full
requiring
fuller of pitfalls in the
swift
path to a
marvels.
its
will tell us that
it
were well
for the student
which suddenly and
to certain tricky variations
easy enough, they say, for some individuals to
It is
But
get into the knack of the earlier form of the cast, even at sight. as to the nuiltiplicity of embarrassments,
and now
ledgment,
with
that,
now
lightning
violence of the elements has the bad
involving this acknow-
when
rapidity, e.g.,
taste to
the
the face
in
fly
of
science, to say nothing of covering a fish at right angles, then only a
past master of the craft, with personal gifts of a special kind, can do at the
to the possibilities
justice
mind
inspired
man
Seeing that no
power required, there the earlier form.
power
is
wanted
operations.
the
who
But
still,
in practice,
accomplish
A make
little
moment
of
overstrain the rod,
;
little
in
describing
and, in giving too
effort
of
Certain
fail. is
the
little
on the scene of
realisation
the earlier form of the cast
methods, as very
the
to
some people never imagine how
force at starting, the line
thrash-down to be successful
other
and
his rod,
out.
can specify the exact degree of muscular
instance,
until
much
of
admittedly one drawback, even
is
For
Others,
in giving too
command
worked the whole system
that
it
is,
that
lifted too far for
is
the
not far enough.
little,
a great relief after
muscles
is
needed
to
it.
practical experience
on the following
lines
may soon
the observant student proficient.
In practising the "
Overhand,"
for
example, use
thoroughl)' e.vtend the line in the background
;
sufficient force to
in tiie "
Lhiderhand,"
66
use force enovigh to extend the line half
the distance
"
beside you.
Spey," merely use enough to drop the
fly
and
;
(Note that you are obviously intended to understand the
It
people
" visits "
but for
that,
by the thrash^lown, the
early influence exercised over the line
portion that
in the
the water beside you would remain in
it.)
must, however, be admitted that the question of force puzzles
But from
in general.
this
standing conundrum, wliich, like the
Socratic dialogues, raises a problem incapable of any positive solution,
we
is
Spey casting
turn gladly to observe that in
that the operation begins with as elevated,
(shown
in
Illustration
arc t:co
tlierc
7lui_vs,
delay as possible, af/cr the rod
little
the rod does
and, that
i);
descend below an angle of forty-five degrees
not
completing one of
until
the two down-casts.
Of
the two ways, process A, for example, necessarily compels a
rather long length of line to run along the water beside the fisherman all at
Process B, allows a very small portion to do so
once.
beside him, however, but higher up the steady, flowing waters
hand first it
B, in fast,
desires to excel in the cast,
read and
out,
and
;
and
left
it
A,
ri\-cr.
rough waters.
may
handed, the process A, ivhen he
to
is
not until then should he practice
actively to the course of operations in
till
made on
Oh!
Nonsense,
"
Well, you talk aboul the line on
never understand
)'0u
t/nit
he
ho:c'
sJioiild
to
carry
he masters, both right
apply himself steadily
and
certain observations
verbal description.
"
shall
in
the untried
!>.
"
I
if
do and
These words are emphasised by reason of not uncommonly
But
most important
is
thonvi^i^^hfy dij^rst all there
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;not
practised
is
it.
It can't
be expLnined."
won't take the trouble to grasp wlint its
imvard
is
journey,
said."
and say
â&#x20AC;¢u,uUvanlsoi,i.,)sc<l
68
body from
right to
Observe
may
part of the hne circuit in the
ment
of the
rod
movement, which in
pace until the
at
any
hand.
is
rate,
futile
fly is
line
to
should be brought
by the point
outside, the track taken
no pause whatever
is
made
too far for the orderly achieve-
the
in
rod's
one incessant and undivided motion, not varying
moment comes
And remember,
for the thrash-down.
even resolute adherence to these
that
started hiter, the curved
is
That the
(2)
little
That there
(j)
;
m
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;
but very
witliin, or
thrash-down
tlie
if
possibly range astern as far as the
Underhand
of the object
round
left.
(i) tliat
tactics
may
yet be
rendered
by the intervention of the wind.
The thrash-down, however,
is
practically a thrash-through, seeing
that the rod, as formerly stated,
is
not checked at the
In
from the generating centre of the applied), continues
exhausts
i.e.,
emanates
where the strength
course along the rod, expelling the
its
during the
itself
fisherman to
butt,
finish.
(which
tlirash-through, the centrifugal force
this
transit of
the
fly
line,
is
and
from water near the
destination.
its
The second and more
effectual
way
differs
only
in this
:
That, in
renewing a cast when the rod has been elevated as before, instead of dragging the
line
along near the surface,
extremely sinuous course Illustration
2).
This
is
the rod
away i),
in
accomplished by a
moving against the
in a right
the line
hand
is first
is
made
sliglitly
In the former case, the line
of the rod at starting.
by
it
higher from the water (see
direction.
set in
current, outwards,
to
take an
dotted
line.
varied vwvciiicut is
first
animated
downwards, and
In the present case (see Illustration
motion by slightly raising the point of the rod
journeying outicards, from which position, however,
it
diverges in
69
precisely the
same manner as
before.
Tlie point to which the student's attention liiis
That
:
markedly,
in certain instances as,
waters, defeat
would be inevitable
if
too
much
run along the surface at any given time.
choppy waters and rapids are very into confusion,
recover
in
it
and dash
it
is
specially called
It
liable to
were allowed to
line
stands to reason, that
plunge the floating
"
lime to complete the
By reducing
cast.
The
this floating
of
tlie
is
less
is
tlie
due.
water,
For the experienced, who habitually
right spot with unerring accuracy, ;
much
precisely to the slight
rod that this reduction of floating line
to be dealt with.
upon the
as a moral certainty
a
it
question as to where this same portion strikes
now remains pitch
And
queering the pitch."
movement
initial
line
depth from which the rod could not
to a
portion from ten )'ards or so to a few feet, the current has
chance of
is
very rough
in the case of
might be decided
it
for beginners, as a possibility
depending upon
For instance, a wild and increasing descent of water
possibility.
more and more speed.
entails the necessity of casting with
Is
it
not,
therefore, perfectly plain that the point of contact vajies,
and takes
place further and further up stream
of course,
while the distance
?
is,
regulated by the degree of strength applied.
The tlic
difference
between
tlie
two wa)'s-
uneducated eye as being very
on the
line at starting in
belief, that
by
B
is,
A
and
H-
ma)- apjicar to
produced
insignificant, l)ut the effect
at all events, sufficient to establish the
this " sliglitly varied
movenx-nt
"
the best results can
alone be obtained. In either method, the line can be cast along butt of the
Spey Improved Rod
necessity, as for instance, in
in
llie
the usual wav,
water from the or,
in
case of
rough weather, propelled through the
air
(as represented in Illustration 3), froi/i
an iucrcasiugly poivcrjnl
/>j'
tltroiv
top Joint.
tin-
riiis tlu'ow,
impossible with the original Spey rod,
with the modern type.
Hence
beneficial
new
effects
of
this
it
may
of rod
style
is
quite easy
safely be affirmed, that are
now made
"
the
more
evident."
many more than one
the wish of
It IS
some
supplied this rod for action
required, that on
fractured,
whatever.
he
a
new
to our
it
is
which
read
has
is
having been
butt
wanted no
alteration
in front of all rivals.
from time to time, nor
difficulties arising
them
But
all.
in the limits
desirable to mention that
compelled to reverse the position of the hands. to
who
former observations, we shall not attempt to
necessary to enumerate
further comment,
occasion, a
joint
In this emergency he
To go back
to say that h^irlow,
lime, so thoroughly understands the
one recent
forwarded
exhaust the catalogue of it
little
the signs which
we
are occasionally
It is
suggest this change, but
is
assigned to
not very easy
when
the
wind,
crossing the water, blows the line actively engaged towards the inner side of the river, to put the lower
matter of dire necessity.
On
hand
in the place of the
these occasions, the line
towards the right shoulder (as usual), by working with the
above the winch and the right below round
in
due course
o'i'cr
with the hands so placed,
This variation
is
is
For
is
a
brougiit
left
hand
and then, on bringing the rod
ones /wad, from right to
left,
the down-cast,
readily effected.
perhaps the only one
notwithstanding their acuteness of
and unceasing
;
other
is first
in
which the uninslructed,
perception, are
lialile
to galling
defeat.
this ideal cast, further
than
it
has
now been
described, there
/I
is lliis
)ct to be
The
saitl.
Underhand, yet
is
it
"
Spcy
" is
not so
"
being master of the method, which the angler fascinating of
And
worked.
its
value
is
it
and
iuiperative
all
transacted
ca.iL is
m
beyond the
within
eminently suited less
No
the furegrotuul.
Ic)
put
a
comparatively
for places
it
is
plainly,
portion of the line
an angle of
at
tilted
angler's right shoulder. it
can only deal death and
limited
where the space
the
area,
Switch
work the rod
to
The
than at those adapted to the Spey.
he used,
line
CAST.
therefore be seen, that although
It will
destruction
by
ajipreciated.
ought to reach a point behind the rod when forty-five degrees
in
be very easily
under these conditions, when a long
just
most
tiie
is
or
On
it.
densely shut
can often
fish,
THE SWITCH This
Over
tlic
other casts are either impracticable or ineffectual,
most highly
is
as
will find
tJiosc ornaiiienlal reaches,
and sometimes teeming with
trees,
that
even
all,
"
clean
often surprising what can be done wilii
])laces
where
it
is
is
even
has to
are llmse in wliirh clustering boughs, or
upright rocks, close in upon the water almost immediately behind the angler,
and
The
interfere with the full play of the line in other methods.
nature of the cast
With
and past the position seen angle of forty
made without than two or liul
is
the line extended
five
interval,
the rod
:
stream, the rod
in Illustration
degrees in the
i,
is
and when
brought up to it
reaches an
background, the thrash-down
and without causing the hue
tiiree )-ards
when
as follows
down
to " circuit "
is
more
behind the angler.
is
elevated, and the fine
is
bnaighl
m
contact
THE SWITCH No.
I
CAST.
Illustration.
74
with eddies, helping belly inwards so
object line),
This
to
is
make
so that, in
on rather than holding
it
much
the line belly outwards (as
making the thrash-down,
achieved by a
is
merely consists
and bringing the head,
it
when
little
in
in
any
The
"
This trick
Peter."
rod very slightly forward,
a very narrow oval, from right to
cast.
the sake of relieving the
when
The
shown by the dotted
left
above
the thrash-down can be successfully effected.
Besides this use of the for
back, the line will
tugs the point of the rod.
it
called
trick
in twitching the point of the
round
it
as to require handling in a different way.
cast the line
is
Switching
is
frequently resorted to
monotony of promiscuous
so badly buried that
will
it
false
casts,
not come up
without seriously trying the action of the rod.
Those who have received no preliminary
know
that the down-cast
already
tyro
may
like
to
the rod through
as
would acquire a
definite
of the process in five minutes' practice.
THE WIND This
training
made by thrashing
The merest
explained.
knowledge
is
cast
seldom
is
exceptional circumstances.
or
ever
When
CAST. adopted
except
under
very
those blasterous gentlemen, Libs,
Notus, and Auster are fighting out their battles on the surface of the
waves, the timid and prudent fisherman is
determined to persist
to acquire a definite It consists of
in the face of
is
such
difficulties,
knowledge of the Wind
it
will
if
he
do well
cast.
kind that hoists the line straight up above the head.
send
he
an upward pull of a most forcible character, of a
gets there the fisherman's business thrust, to
But
better indoors.
straight
is,
The
instant
it
with a strong thrash-down, or
forward again.
As
a
matter of fact
it
THE
"VIND CAST.
76
resembles, in some degree, the business of the story wlio marched up the the top
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;marched the hne
If
down
is
lifted
hill
King
of
with 20,000 men, and
France
in the
when he got
to
again.
so as to
take the coiu-se
indicated
by the
dotted line in the Illustration, the thrash-down requires less force to
bring about better results than other way.
In fact,
if
the rod were manipulated in any
by no method can the
line
be made to reach
destination in such a perfectly direct course, provided that lifted
it
is
its
not
from swirly waters, or that a sudden gust does not interfere
unduly with the process of the operation.
DIAGRAM.
To
attain the initial force for the up-stroke the resistance of the
water has to be
utilised,
devil, pull baker."
â&#x20AC;&#x201D; the
casting
latest
favourable eye
born of Time
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;
is
it
is
latter
when they
rather than go peaceably home.
a case of still
" pull
this style of
looked upon with a much more
by tackle-makers than by
be adopted by the
work
under which condition
Facts must needs be faced, but
fishermen, and should only
are determined to keep at their
:
ANNOUNCEMENTS. 38
TJ
AWARDS AND GOLD MEDAL,
Read what
PARIS,
1900.
^^The Field" says
"
It is to Messrs. Hardy, of Alnwick, aciiieved as Rod Makers. Competitors hopelessly behind."
we have
.
we owe .
the supremacy They have left all
HARDY'S FAMOUS SPLIT CANE RODS, Wrril
AND WITHOUT STEEL CENTRES,
"ALNWICK" GREENHEART RODS The " KELSON "
Improved Spey
Rod,
See Page 133
17ft. in this
The "HI = REQAN," an Extra Powerful,
i6ft.
The " PENNELL," an Extra Powerful,
14ft.
The "Halford
Priceless," the
And other
3111.
Book.
"Houghton," the "Pope,"
Special Dry Fly Trout Rods.
SALMON FLIES Tied with our Untarni.shable Tinsels.
LAROe ILLUSTRATCD CATALOGUC, FREE!
HARDY
BROS.,
ALNWICK.
Edinburgh IJranch:— 5, South St. David Street. Manchester liranch — 14, Moult Street, Cross Street. London Branch 61. PALL MALL, S.W. :
:
BURBERRYS, Haymarket, London
31,
and Basingstoke.
THE WEATHER'ALL. EmbracinLj the cliarncteristics
and best
featuies
â&#x20AC;&#x201D; the
roomy, easy
Shoulders and Slip-on Sleeve.
fitting
Recommended or Coating "
Sleeves
and
exposed
to
of "Slimbei"
Combine
The
Urber" Combine. Shoulders
wet
protected
are
Burberry's Weatherproofed Silk or " Urberette."
most
being
"
by
Urber
"
The Weatherall,
so constructed of " Slimber," weighs easily
under two pounds, and can be
carried in a Satchel (supplied) of a few
cubic inches.
"
a
Coat
As rainproof that
leaves
as Mackintosh
nothing
desired."â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Tmc FiKi.n.
to
;
be
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;
CHAPTER
IV.
RIVERSIDE HINTS.
Oblivion quickly slirouds the majority whose exploits have never
been brought before
same the
time,
men have
memory
by means of the
puhlir
tlie
lived
Press.
and achieved things which
as vividly as in the age
when they were our
and whicli no author of angling records would but one
flasli
in particular
At
the
back on
dai]\- talk,
die.
willingl)' let
admissible
liere,
Instances
could be
because
serves to increase, in an admirable manner, the significance
it
cited,
is
of certain points in this chapter.
The hero associates, but
of the stor)
â&#x20AC;&#x201D; known
whose identity
is
possessed a strange individuality. wealth, he had a retiring,
London he shunned
if
as the
"
Professor
"
to his intimate
not of the slightest consequence
Of high
birth
and considerable
not a decidedly morose, disposition.
In
not onl\- the society of his kind, but actually went
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;
way
out of his
In
to avoid the lady of his heart.
fact,
passages of Spohr and other classical composers on a in
he wrapped
by attacking with much
himself in obscurity, and killed time
"
skill,
Strad," sweet
tone and of untold value. ability as a musician surpassed that of the
But though his professional
only those
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;besides
whom
his violin he
he constantly and lavishly entertained at his distant
fishing establishment, realised the fact that his
matters equalled,
The
but
in
in a
knowledge on angling
did not excel, that of any other mortal living.
had the privilege
On
at the riverside.
demonstrated craft,
if it
writer once
engaged
average
had a remarkable tenor voice
that
of seeing this
gentleman closely
memorable occasion, he not only
wonderful manner the niceties of the fisherman's
by
the evening, having obtained
consent of the lady he wished to
a quaint coincidence, the
marry, he
amazed the room by
with characteristic shyness, on the ceremony taking place in
insisting,
private.
The and
tale
yet, alas,
should
is,
however, profoundly instructive, not without humour,
But perhaps certain
deeply tinged with pathos.
be given
in
order that the student
may
details
fully appreciate
the
conditions under which the actual achievements occurred.
One word
To
sit in
company
of
hints as to the best
been the
splash
some painstaking method
delight, in fact,
of the professed
place, cither
and
waters
of rapid
hearing genial
to begin with.
some pleasant
of
bower
of
or bothy, within the
salmon
;
to
be
student, ever ready for
overcoming a stubborn
fish,
art,
the
a few
has always
one might almost say the highest
exponent of the
in
privilege,
who, notwithstanding that he
displays the practical side of his nature in having a necessary stock
of
usually blessed witii a (juiet and sentimental disposition.
flics, is
IIow often has "
Ah,
and
anytiiing,
No
unburdened
a speetator
if
doubt,
they won't take that is
it
fly
soul
iiis
You're
you're out of luck to-day.
sir,
fishini,'
of yours
tiiey'll
part of the education of
tiie
But
good gillieâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; to encourage.
would be
it
a
Uus wise:
in
enough
well
for
lake nothing."
gillieâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; at least a
far better for
him
to say
:
Yes, you have covered the pool right enough, but to speak the truth,
you entirely fish to
failed to present the fly in such a
acknowledge
it
fl\-
Now
occasion.
there
tumble piece of water, tranquil on each of imperceptible eddies, which, in a
by the
fact that the current
way on every and
measures
special purpose.
following characteristics,
at the top, a straight
and twenty yards
flrst five
own
its
instance, suppose a pool has the
For the
best for
is
methotls,
of
variety
a
is
manifuvres, every one of which
viz.,
sort of
same old-fashioned
travel in the
as to induce the
the same old-fashioned sort of cast, and
make
Students, as a rule, let their
way
form whatever.
in an)-
rough-and-
followed by a succession
side,
of speaking, are perfected
manner
here flows somewhat slower;
while the
lower part consists of
one large "slack" well within reach, above
which the main stream
divides,
side, the
A in
one half flowing towards the opposite
other coming towards the
]wol of this sort has
many
bank we
lay-byes,
are on.
and three separate Catches
colour of the water. p]y according to the season, and the height and the Slack at the
Fish would rest
in
the middle part,
when
top section.
be fished
On
Hut
of
for the
tail,
when
medium height purpose of
;
the water runs high
and when quite low,
illustration,
how
;
in
at the
should the pool
?
starting
operations
at
the
head
of
the
water,
whatever
82
description of fly
is
used,
it
must on no account be allowed
to pass in
This would
assuredly
front of
any one single lay-bye head
happen
under the foregoing conditions unless some
first.
measures were taken, because a portion of the the rough water, and " bellied
away by
Let us be quite swift,
on
clear
"
the belated
of the line are fly,
it
carried
tlie line
is
reducing,
if
dragging course
in a
fl\-
could not
to say, not until the stream
had
Accordingly the whole ft
and probabl)- bring on
fish,
down stream
across into neutral waters.
proceeding would be worse than useless, scare the
and the fisherman,
Left alone, the
should take.
possibly right itself soon enough, that
fly
at full speed, naturally
not broad side on, but head
quite different from that
fly.
There, on the crest of the
this point.
swept along
would be carried
some distance below the
wave-like current, romping between the
some yards
line
precautionary
would not only
" fit
a
of
the
fail,
but thus
sulks,"
not ruining, the chances of success for some time to come.
Wliat, therefore, are the precautionary measures necessary?
To
put
it
briefly,
operation can the to
"
By no
mended."
beyond the rough water, where
it
other
ought
be properly presented.
fall,
The method and
the cast has to be
that falls
fly
of
mending
generally found least
is
The
most wanted.
object
a cnst, though simple, requires practice, difficult to
is
master on water where
to get that part of
the
line,
it
is
which
is
being bellied by the rough water, back, or rather well be\-ond the place
wlierc
correct
water, easily of
it
originally
course.
and
This
is
fell,
so that the
fly is
managed, as soon
effectually,
by making
compelled to take
as the line falls
a quick horizontal
movement
the rod inwards, and, witli plenty of wrist action, a smart
circular swish
back again,
ft is
notorious that there
is
a
on the
semi-
considerable
TIPS.
disagreement as it
is
tu the utility of
the salvation
shown,
To
contingencies.
omit
would simply mean that never
stir
If
"
men
a
to tiie
sustained
This
and
is
to
meet further question,
i)ool in
must alwa}-s go the wrong way and
all.
mending
"
is
something of a conundrum
to
up to or even above average form, what
cjuite
about the rank-and-file on active service certain.
effort
performance at the
)-our lly
a hsh into action at
the policy of
anglers at home,
operation, but as a matter of fact,
the whole business, and \et onl\- the [jrelude, as
(pf
be presentl}-
will
tliis
83
not propliecy, but
Their defeat
?
is
absolutely
outcome of the
logical
tlie
facts
factors of the case.
What \olumes candid, there
adopted, hiliierto
is
hardly a
To
could be written on "divided opinions"!
hardly a mechanical action
stroke of policy that
single
obscure problem, on which
we
be
foimd necessary to be
now makes
clear
a
are uiianiiuous.
Witness, for e.\ample, the widely different ideas expressed on the
modern system
of choosing
flies.
How
often the majority of
subject, however,
we have
already enlarged in (Chapter
has been set forth in great
detail, so as
to
men
On
seen struggling with their fly-books in a sea of doubt! II.,
iu-e
this
where
it
show how experiments
suggested by change ^of weather and temperature present tliemselves differently to different minds,
to pin their faith to
variation of circumstances "
cast."
So long
various minds in
anew.
to
its
set of
men
swear by manoeuvres of a different
as the noble art of
fly
fishing
engages so many
luid
pursuit, so long will differences of opinion arise,
and the old proverb of verifled
and consequently induce one
schemes of one kind, while others are led by some
"
Quot homines,
tot
sententia; "
will
be
This, however, does not prevent us from asserting that
84
amidst the apparent chaos certain well defined principles wiU be seen to stand out.
To done,
By
return to our Catch.
across, its
and depressing the
The
still
salmon,
be understood, would
let it
business on the far side will its
jump
close to the
Those
But as the
common
coming through the more tranquil water, it
lie
fly
artificial
Consequently the rod must be brought round by a
we
are
all
and
at the right
more or
less
often the creatures of circumstances far certain,
if
anything
short, the angler
two
must
retire for a
sizes smaller, or cut off the
fly totally different
casts with the
in,
both
changed
When winged fact that a
Grub
its
means must be
flies
fly
in
tlieir
event of
sustained effort,"
is
"
sides
using.
"
to elapse of
from ten
fly
one or
(probably of Jungle
Should
usually constitute a sufficient
many
it is
salmon jumping
this plan fail,
type and colour should be
are no good,
time.
control, but
few minutes and mount a
gaudy
often has a successful issue.
allow an interval
"
and proper
aware that fishermen are
beyond
certain, that in the
is
and Summer-duck) from the one he a
would decrease
sense dictates that, in
not only on the move, but up to the speed required.
as already said, to the near side,
continue,
edge of
meaning
fish
at the fly full-drive the instant the
passage.
pace on reaching the inner lay-byes,
adopted to keep
speed desired.
on one side or the other.
rough water accelerates
by
point, or hastened
to the near side at the exact
round
the rough water
To
is
coming
while
For example, the pace can be checked
taut.
by holding the rod it
tlien
pace can be regulated by a judicious management of the
rod that keeps the tackle
bringing
mending operation
the time the
have reached the current, and
fly will
tlie
tried.
Two
test.
are apt to overlook the
However, prior to fifteen
to giving
minutes, even
85
longer
Is.ing " "
if
a
flasli
of brighter weather
is
approaehing, and then treat the
a passing view of their favourite hire, that
fish to
on the Spey, the
Jock Scott If
"
on these occasions
old Standard patterns,
any of
larger than
its
Gordon
Penpergwm
"
or the
"
it
is
it
"
is
to say, the " Purple
on the Dee, elsewhere, probably
Pet."
found necessary to use one of those
should be full-fledged and three or four sizes In addition to
predecessors.
this,
the fisherman
should stand further away from the water, hold the rod high to avoid
"
bellying
"
What one man
as
much
as possible,
new and unforeseen
to
the
fish
and the
liy
matters of detail, the importance of which stood, the angler's success
is
close is
and
rise in
the
generally so
of a decided character,
manner known
be able to make them take a
On
coming
to
and must
Catch No.
2,
fly
of
as
"
and
When
be, the
to
minute
little
under-
attention
the best advantage at these particular Catches.
to
The
what one
ability to apply
contingencies, are,
master hand.
prerogatives of the
there,
in the air,
quickly.
fly
can do at these puzzling places another can.
superiority in personal initiative,
knows
and
is
shown
to
salmon are
heads-and-tails," one ought
some
sort.
where, as formerly stated, the rough
water flows more steadily, the line must be dropped lightly into
tiie
eddies on the far side, short steps should be taken Ijetwecn each cast
and the
fly
should be comparatively small and quiet in ajipearance.
In this Catch also, save early in the Spring, the salmon would the
edge of the current, and when the
beyond, they
come
for
it,
will see
and the
it
a long
fly
way above
faster they travel, the
falls in
them.
lie
on
the oily water
The
fartiier
they
more surely they take good
hold.
But, as already intimated, here the
method of
tactics
is
materially
86
TIPS.
changed.
of
hi doing to
this,
the- cast so as to defeat
and reduce the speed of
current to hasten
tlie
mend
Instead of having to
action of the water
tlie ily,
advantage
is
the
taken
it.
allow enough of that part of the line nearest the
have free access
to the current.
Take
care that
tlie
rod
is
fly
held at
such an angle that only a due proportion of line catches the current,
when
fly will "
the small
most alluring manner with the rod,
come
will
it
play
"
possible.
with unerring accuracy, and in
the
In the absence of spasmodic efforts
steadily across without a
jump
or even a
twitch.
Latter-day e.xperiences have shown that no early attempt should
be made to play a sombre
And
whatever.
movement
of the
fly in
this sort of
as well to bear in
is
it
at times imperative,
fly,
water by any method
mind that a
mode
a
is
short,
sudden
of presentation
always kept in reserve.
no
Sometimes,
warmest wishes a
felt
touch
doubt, the
for success to
envious
of
inexperience, he
experienced fisherman really his
flrst-class
small
fly
on
fly is
gaudy
is
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;
is
it
to a degree,
and being
large,
composed of
it
is
in
is
off.
through
As
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;the
scantily
fly
simply wonderful.
in
giving
no
made
save
fault
the more
character, but
clothed
On
in
the
with
most
bright days his
not only in so far as the choice of
the manipulation of the rod.
His
keeping with the smartest pattern of the
seal's fur
his
of the rod, has
aforesaid, the success of a
a decided
differs altogether,
concerned, but also
while
many chances which
usually of
days
dull
angler,
because,
to miss
bring
will
man
unpretentious style
modus operandi
regret
doomed
is
average
some prominent brother
to travel unusually fast.
Should
adorned with short hackles and
a
fly,
river, it
be
change
.
44
Tbe
>
>
*
SalmoQ Fly;'
How
Dress
to
it
and
How
to
Use
it.
.
BY
GEO. n. KCLSon. (See
To
be had at
.
.
Press Opinions,
p.
162).
.
Farlow's, 191, Strand, and direct from the
Author, 2S, Victoria Street, Westminster.
OMLY A FEW COPICS
LCFT.
87
TIPS.
his choice simply resolves itself into the ciiicstion
becomes necessary, of
"
In otiicr words, he
contrast."
iiaviny a silk body, casts a
and holds the rod perfectly
Long
hackled
puts quite enough
We
now
at right angles across the water,
while the lure works
still
are never played
flies
its
way.
by the ordinary give-and-
action of the water alone, however slowly
The
take method.
mounts a long hackled specimen
more
little
flows,
it
into them.
life
pass on lu the
"
Slack," No.
where
3,
as the descripli\e
appellation denotes, the water from beginning to end, at least twenty
yards
in length,
While
hardly flows fast enough to carry the
this condition
comprehend, the singular
makes the place very hard fact
embarrass the most
It
is,
and baulk
skilful performer,
ground
lies
quite enough
is
all
anticipation.
the very spot where mistakes and miscalculations
in truth, just
have been and
along.
that the really productive
is,
eighteen yards across at the extreme end, and this to
fly
for almost all to
liven our experts
be made.
will
may go wrong,
as
they have done under less trying conditions.
Now, some men say not,
to the
first
that success at most pools comes, as often as
command
in
but
:
while defeat
is
by no means
necessarily, or always, a proof of incompetence, let us consider
chance the second would have in
the ordinar)-
way by
Sui-prising as
it
water like
to resort, he
casting
and choosing
qualifications
defeat
might flies is
that
what
had been flogged
to all but the initiated, the fact remains,
comer be
full)-
acquainted with, and capable
of demonstrating, well-nigh every device to
bound
this,
a merciless hand.
may seem
that unless the second
at
fish
may
on
till
which we are occasionally
doomsday.
Proficiency
in
render useful service, but without other
inevitable.
Victory at these subtle
places.
TIPS
surely enough, less
is
"
reserved only for our so-called
and
generals,"
astonishing to the rank-and-file than the manner in which
it
is
has
been gained.
We
to understand
are
that the
water
question
in
improperly flogged, but to distinguish more clearly the
and wrong practice of treating
of the right brief
we had
it,
had been
diflierent effect
draw
better
a
comparison between the two.
To
begin with, the usual habit of Ashing regularly
water would consider
be, for
this.
It is
side of such a place to the far side
fisherman
No.
absolutely
2,
down
the
Then
useless.
generally supposed that the sloping outlet on each is
always well worth a
trial
would complicate matters
that the compulsory operation of picking
m
but punishment given
;
no small degree, seeing
up the
line
over the tenanted
lay-byes at each successive cast, would most likely frighten the
Moreover, notwithstanding that
to death.
fish
an every-day practice
it is
to use a dull looking fly in stillish waters, the real
secret here
mount an exceptionally bright pattern with a body composed
is
to
entirely
of silver tinsel.
This
is
about
the second in
all
that need be said, not only to
command
is
likely to
show how severely
be handicapped, but also that
elaborate conditions require elaborate policies.
Of
course, there
must be a good deal of the conjectural about
what your predecessor has been doing, and
would form an
sticks
information thereon to
know amounts
The
sort
like to
previously used, the
whether
little
what
What one would fly
a
essential element in determining
number
were pitched
not caricature), and what
to this
:
of times the water has
do
yourself.
and
size of
been thrashed,
in for the little terrier to retrieve (this is
is still
more important, how long a
rest the
These mailers comprise lafonnaliun
place has had.
wliicli is ahiiost
indispensable.
To
Ihe
introduce
more
say
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;recently
parliculars,
definile
ascerlaining such desirable information
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;a
an
came under personal observation, and more or
interesting to be worth recounting in
While on the way towards a
of
inslancc
vivid instance, is
one might sufficiently
less detail.
which
pool, the characteristics of
have supplied the materials for our present consideration, a young sportsman
in
mentioned
one
the
(not
approached
opening
the
in
sentences),
exchanging words, we
On
wet waders.
learnt,
not
from him, bythe-bye, but from the gillieâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; that the Slack, "literally with
hlive
getting
a
fish,
whole hours."
After
details relating to the i)roceedings, a
distant
had been
number
of
for three
tlirashed
Feeling
figure appeared, strolling steadily along with rod in hand.
certain that ourselves,
we were making
we waited
" Certainly," It
one of us
"
Kindly say stranger,
why you or,
pool,
On
me ?
and being
close there
he came, and said
" :
You
"
replied.
was the lonely gentleman
two which came somewhat
was a
same
he came up.
to be courteously waiting for
seem
or
till
for the
himself,
give way.
knowing
ami
lie
then
jnit
a question
as a surprise.
that
Was
it
because you saw that
1
some other chap had been here
beforehand, you meant to give the siiow a thorough good rest before trying
it
yourself?
"
man remarkably
Evidently, this was a
well-informed, and of no
end of salmon fishing experience. T3eing unusually
interested
expressed much pleasure
in
by
giving
his
remarks, we,
way under
or
rather
1,
the circumstances, and
!
90
hazarded an opinion that put a
Ah
"
You
you come the
impolitic for
"
whole situation he continued,
to
did,
then
I
hit
on the reason
I ?
and
what struck me so much.
that's
bothy
into the
till
the storm
you
over,
is
At any
rate,
shall hear all
if
about
other chap,' as you call him, and decide what to do."
'
It
We
was a blinding snowstorm.
had no sooner
another incident occurred, the result of which increased
Bang went "
their side
passing by
gillie
;
I
"
he shouted,
well,"
U.
it's all
twigged
it
P.,
for
last night.
fly
Lodge
but
at a glance.
This morning
permission to put a staying at the
down
I
say,
I
if
Not
for
down than curiosity.
('
At a
me about
glance,'
the world,"
this
eh
!)
pool
My
this singular piece of
sent over to his lordship, asking
may
I
it.
you that a lady
just tell
an intimate friend of mine
is
those fellows can
was the
reply, in
a
but after
;
should be far better pleased to see you have a shot at "
my
took particular stock of
I
Charles lived near here and told
water
sat
a champagne cork
That sounds
wade on in
anybody
"
now, didn't "
would be wholly
and with one comprehensive glance which seemed
just so,"
!
to take in the
just
it
over the pool just yet.
fly
it
tone
all
I
yourself."
of
unshaken
firmness.
The sky soon began gillie),
to clear.
In the meantime, Charles
having been industriously engaged
stood "at attention," and while clutching a
No. 4 gut
line, to
â&#x20AC;&#x201D; the
which was attached four
batch of thin-bodied light-winged Slack,
and remarked
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;
"
They'll
flies
i6-ft.
rod that carried a
feet of thin but
precise tackle for the occasion
(his
in getting the tackle ready,
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;he
round salmon
glanced smilingly at a
intended for the bottom of the
soon be showing down
there, the
91
clnuds will "
disappear before very
all
Don't interrupt, Charles, for
would be
to hear
what
you have
else
sec a chance higher up, and
ignorance upon the
idle to speculate in
be easily selected when I'm
will
lonsj." I
in possession of all the facts. "
to say
want
I
(turning to me).
After explaining what had transpired, he questioned nie on nature of the boulder at the nose of the Slack. is
a logan
it
of using a
catch
is
?
For
'
fly at
of course
wanted
for a fish lying
from
native bed."
its
Yes, alwaj-s there, and a very deceptive rock
Ah-ah
(he continued)
there are times
way,
At
it
last,
the
it is."
sometimes no good reason can be
wrong
when
If
from the sort
fly,
victory
or presenting is
it
the
wrong way,
organised out of such mistakes.
would puzzle the devil himself without information to
hedgehogt
detect a
"
fish lies.
a boulder transported
"
"
tlie
always there, or
in character
"
still
Any
upon where the
very different
some distance below
assigned for choosing the
but
is
" Is it
you know that the choice and method
these places depends
close up, one's fly
it
which
required,
fly
in
such deep water as
a prolonged
after
this,
and
chat over the
I
]iros
guess
and
it is
one."
cons, the
sportsman created astonishment by taking from his waistcoat pocket a variet)' of " Iconise "
"Goodness! have you see this
*
;
fly
N.B.
" (I
having peculiar
qualities.
observed) "then
}-oti
have mastered hedgehogs,
but what would the anti-evolutionist say of yours
A
water, and ttien
if
he happened to
" ?
lojan. often of larpre size, i.s a boulder that rocks at certain heiRlits of It it is easily detected bv a slight discolouration caused by its action. may poise the stone so as to rock from side to side, or
has a ridge at the base which lengthways.
t Hedgehogs are
fully dealt
with in Chapter
II
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;
"
That
what
just
is
I
effacable
impression upon
satisfaction to
To
should enjoy.
special patterns to such people,
is
prove the effect of these
making an
the only chance of
them.
be
indeed,
would,
It
a
to have an opportunity of doing so, for there
me
sport in which precipitated action
in-
keen no
is
more pronounced, and more
is
unyielding than salmon fishing." "
And when
one considers
"
"
continued)
(I
that an infinitesimal
number appear to be aware of the existence of the law of advance the law which must be respected and maintained-
matters do not affect the
Whatever be
of
said to
tlie
so thoroughly as
itself
evolution,
However, differing as
want
of our national
characteristic
which
am
I
it
new
The Sun Fly and
of
fully
does
contrary, every
in
its
of the
significance
full
turn
special
others,
the
is
seems almost Still,
truth
fly, tliat
these
one
iota.
establishes
simply the product
is
product of
environment.
language of
that 'the
the opinion
it
clear thinking.
of
flies,'
could be reduced in a very few
in different places,
years to one uniform kind, provided a given set of principles were
enforced and practised generally.
As
things are, the highest success
can only be attained by discovering, not a policy to be initiated but the policy to be pursued.
nowadays depends
It
follows, therefore, that the highest success
entirely
upon the correct reading
points which control the methods of procedure
with these points, varying as they do on
;
and
this, that,
to
"
That
is
effect of flies
under
all
And on mounting
the
at the feet of
fly
familiar river,
and a thorough'
conditions."
the secret of the whole thing
wants to be brought up
become
and the other
necessitates incessant travel, incessant investigation,
knowledge of the
of the technical
"
(he replied)
" in fact,
one
Gamaliel at such times as these."
designed for his purpose, he whispered
:
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;
TIPS.
"
Come "
nlontj witli mo,
One
minute,
and
.
.
may seem
it
."
.
superfluous, but just
outright wliy you prefer this one
And
93
little
tell
these people
catch."
he hammered out an answer, hangjing with tension
every sentence, and emphasizing words by a smack on with closed
who merely
"
fist.
we have both
fully
upon
deal table
tiie
This pool must be a mystery to most.
Happily
passed the novice stage, passed the class of
We
trade upon tradition.
know
men
useless to try to fight
it's
We
the battle of to-day with the tools, the methods of yesterday.
must
No
on a
fight here
matter hcnv
totally different
equipped, no matter licw much
ii>cU a fellow is
understands the use and effect of here he must
The
fail
unless he
to the
Man
to consider
what
is
soon as
there will assuredly
fancy the spot a proper
whether
wn)-,
and
I
Listen
If I don't,
I'll
up.
tlie
One
of
good care
to stone
them, as you
Of
leaves
course,
I
is
it
know, might
unoccupied, and everyone knows that a
fly directly it
even
one spot
of the tenants lingering
fish will
one place and reaches another,
don't include
'
potted
professor had so far plumbed the mystery for his
new methods.
itself felt,
If I get a fish at the
!
taj<e
some
he
he propels them,
essential condition at this
start at the tail,
move
or Iwiv ivcll
may some day make
likely to happen.
if it is
far or near.
The
flies,
a clever student of
The
in the Street.
boulder, well and good. well, for as
take
is
peculiarity of the situation
olden times.
policy to that of
movements were watched with
" fisli."
In'msclf,
any
intense interest.
Avoiding hurry, he stationed himself some twenty yards above
* Potted fish are those which, having loitered behind, are so well educated by being constantly thrashed and occasionally hooked, that they will rarely rise to flies
or take baits of any sort.
TIPS.
g-1
the boulder, regarding the prospect around him with subdued deHght.
making three
After
he
out
interrogation,
The that, as
own
yet
there
of
waded
"
?
â&#x20AC;&#x201D; glancing
and shying a huge stone
afford opportunities,
Now,
me
at
or
Stepping on shore
in.
" difficulties
may be overcome.
tackled as such,
if
pulhng out a yard of Hne each time, he
with becoming equanimity,
said,
and,
casts,
of the water as quietly as he
waded out
two
exact reply does not come to mind, but
views,
it
then he remarked
" :
How
incredible
seemed
it
get a fish wistful
of
into the catcli. it
was
to the effect
agreement with
in
would not be long before he put a
we
smile
a
slaji
he had managed things so thoroughly
shall
sir,
with
fly
over the
tail,
salmon
that, in
my and
fishing,
as in every other field of sport, people in general were so averse from
basing their course, as
we
action on principles of
line of
see here," he added,
that an immediate change of
"
events
any
may
becomes imperative
policy
deny that any study which appeals exclusively
wont sometimes " just so,"
;
and
I
ventured an opinion
forms of philosophy must begin from some standpoint, of further approval,
revealed
the
nor do
;
to tlie imagination,
I is
to lead the best living judge into delusion."
we both nodded
1
thnt, all
wliile b)-
way
observed that experience liad slowly but surely
incontestable
beneficial effect
Of
sort or kind.
so shape themselves
fact
that
certain
flies
preserved
their
under the same circumstances and conditions as those
under which they previously succeeded. "
There he
is,
sir,
keep your waders
was immediately commissioned
A
fish
to
had actually crept up
In less time than
it
on," interposed Charles,
remount into the
"
llmt very
same
same
little
who
fly."
catch already.
takes to say what happened, a salmon scampered
up stream with the hook
in its jaw,
jumped, and away
it
went none
TIPS.
95
the worse for the interview. "
to
Thought
so, llie rascal
took
me on
surface and (hdn't turn
tlic
flgilt."
I5ul wliat a fine
example
a special
this affords of the effect of
What an
excellent lesson to those too prone to give
iflea that
only three or four
adorned,
is
flies
are
all
one wants!
one of the best patterns for these
way "
fly!
to the puerile
Louise," specially
places.
This was not the only lesson afforded at the pool by any means, yet very forcibl}' has the scene so far illustrated a change of policy
were
amounts to
It practically
folly to ignore.
average performer fishes his every-day
fly in
this
it
That while the
:
the usual manner,
some
distance in front of a salmon lying in ordinary catches, the master "
hand, alive to the fact that at straight
as an arrow
seen and recognised at
by those
specific
And
this
he has to present his lure
and
fish for
to
it
be
characterised
pattern
times been the backbone
many
we need not
modern diplomacy and
disappointed
Charles,
"
selects a certain
all,
elements that have
of his former triumphs.
a fair example of
hedgehogs
and close over the nose of the
hesitate to accept as
progress.
using
the
truest
drawing-room
language, sneaked to the bothy unseen and prepared the table for the
mid-day meal.
"
Come on
in,
gentlemen," he soon called out,
" you'll
have a good few minutes to yourselves now, as the threatening stormclouds above
and besides,
mean
real business this time.
his lordship
is
heading
this
way
Lunch
is
ready for you,
to talk, talk, talk."
The usual complimentary observations over, including a
words extolling the asked him to
method
it
tactics the fisherman
few
had pursued, the proprietor
fully explain the peculiarities of the Slack,
and by what
should be fished, excusing himself on the ground that so
96
many
of his friends failed there.
"If
tlie
explanation " it
words he used,
seeming, not only to
is
to be in the least profitable," these are the
impossible
absolutely
call in
made
to say the least, till
is
to
tell
you without
question the actions of a gentleman, who,
a fearful
commotion here from
half-past eleven, but also that of the official under
half-past eight
whose direction
your pools are generally fished." This appeared to have an unusual measured, was convincing
deadly calm, and listened to
no mistaking the "
me
common
"
"
Very
To
well.
in a
man
of
knowledge on just
"
What
"
No.
On
!
On
to allow,
is
no easy undertaking,
his catching a fish
his spoiling I
men on
place, safely, half-a-dozen
put a novice on a Slack, where the betting
;
of
me
" tell
pray go on," he repeated,
;
who
he had met a
believed
what you
wrong."
pools in three miles of water
one
but there could be
;
retorted his lordsliip,
that,"
intimated that he
anghng matters is
deadly calm also
and with a very uncommon amomit
sense,
language, though
the words were spoken in
;
which lay behind them.
Pray go on, never mind
whisper to
think
in
significance
The
effect.
substance
in
it
their proper
admit
;
but to "
twenty to one
" ?
for another
say, a novice to
is
I
who understands how
approach such water
weakness of judgment no words can express.
is
No wonder
to get
to reveal a
your water
gives bad returns." "
Ah," observed his lordship,
your indictment
is
"
we're not up to
the more forcible
bemuse
it
is
all
that here, but
delivered in a cool,
temperate, and business-like manner, free from the appearance of selfish motives.
My
foreman, though a good shot,
is
all
a poor fisherman
;
TIPS.
he prides
still,
all
iiinisclf
on being
97
imparlial,
and
tells
mc he
likes to give
a chance in turn." "
Yes
;
you rather imply, the common and widespread
but, as
mistake of priding one's
way
in that
self
knowledge, foresight, and judgmeni results in leaving the larder enipt)',
from a lack of
arises
mind
and,
;
\-ou,
though the run of
it
fish
invariably
be never so
large."
This revelation It
a bombshell on the ear of the noble Inrd.
fell like
made a profound impression upon
my
acknowledged that
me, he
turning to
him, and,
view, which on previous occasions had been
expressed, had received complete confnmation.
Continuing, the veteran said the
damaging
effect
always abounds circumstances,
on
'
in points of
usually
tax
" It
of
as a rule, but
fatal
However,
came
just
now
I
the
utmost getting
for
limit.
a
fish
easy to compass, but to keep him '
off,'
still
in
calls for a line of action,
from the only
effectual
begin by telling your lordship that
different
I
hope
scheme presently,
to
a similar
my
turn
that,
by
mishap
to
show
and may be avoided."
that which occurred can, "
Lost a
"
Yes, at the boulder
fash,
the
to
scheme
absolutely insejiarable shall
measure
which, even under favourable
with no good results, but
adopting a widely
difficult to
such a Catch as this
;
resources
custody there, to prevent him slipping
policv.
would be
morning
interest,
one's
the lower part are
at
:
this
the preliminaries
Nevertheless, '
produced
"
did you
?
;
and
attention to those rising at the
so, for tail.
the present,
Allow me
I
must devote
to suggest that
if
my you
can convince yourself by ocular demonstration of the separate scliemes suitable
for each place,
it
would save me from entering
into a long
98
and technical explanation." "
a
fly
all
Very
there
my "
they are often jumping at the
well,
next to useless
is
at
;
any
friends, with the exception of
Well,
am
I
pretty sure
I
rate,
one old hand,
—
it
it
goes
want a
will
tackle "
down
a
fine
let
is
shall
told that at one,
when they had
and
— the
it
goes up stream
fish is
doomed, but
likely
alternative, his all
if
pursuit."
be cut to the ground within a day or two."
had been
fish
am
hook them, and after
to
much more
a
I
them get away."
as the seedling alders there prohibit
Oh, the alders
As
is
fellow gets hold of one
coaxing to do that
stream, which
doomed,
is
If a
lot of
but
could get them to come
not been scared beforehand, but the job that to liold them.
tail,
when they do come
through
lost
previously, this decision of his lordship
them some few days
was most acceptable, and was
about to be so acknowledged, when the hero of the day exclaimed, with convincing animation, that
form a screen "
you
Now,"
for
"
four feet should be left standing to
your friends during the coming grilse season."
way
said the Laird in dignified solidity, " let us see the
fight the battle out yourself, for the
scheme you alluded
to
must
be well worth witnessing." Familiar with the long-sought secret of stopping a runaway
by giving him a
bright
line,
the old campaigner,
interval,
hooked and
eventually
He
wonderful accuracy.
first
had
sloping character of which rendered farther "
corner of the
Silver Grey,"
pensable
for
and
in
who had waited
it
to
fish
patiently for
managed a
half-distance the
fish
witlr
rapid, the
rather difficult to wade.
At the
Slack he then dropped his lightly dressed
an instant demonstrated
keeping the
fly
successful execution of which
up and going
—a
the operation indis-
mechanical
act,
marks more than could anj'thing
the else,
TIPS.
one's
in
and
skill
movement
efficiency.
of the rod towards
one foot of
line at
99
By
aid
tlic
near
a time, the
of
fly sailed,
matlicmatically
a
l)anl<,
though as yet to no purpose,
right across this piece of almost standing water, in a natural
Then
alluring manner. "
for the bank.
me
she favour
"
Fortune," said he,
next time (and at
seems
to
at
any
made
frown on me, but should
this spot fortune, as well as intelli-
have a better
shall
I
chance of unsheathing the gaff a shade higher up than ;
and most
the angler struck a course sideways and
gence, must always play a considerable part),
had here
precise
and of a gentle drawing
have room
rate, the fish will
to turn,
should have
I
and then there
wi.uld he a hctler chance of puUin;^ the iionk liomc."
and
iXlive, alert,
free
from unwarranted optimism,
sportsman, after a nip of whisky neat,
changed
his
for
Turning an
ear,
higjier
tJic
wily angler,
whose
identical witii those previously observed,
shrewdly remarked: ])a(k
him
the
in
up the
persevering
is
larger,
cold,"
icy
and
ri\er than
then
before. "
the
tactics turned out to
be
deaf as an adder's, to his host crying vivaciously
miles too big,"
would
liic
water
for the
similar patleni somewiiat
a
himself quite three }'ards
planted
fly is
fly
"
him
iioth)'.
off to
"Bother that
drew yet another blank and
retriever!
the place where the angels
The salmon can
I
wish the
come
keeper
from, or shut
see every hair of the smallest
dog
floundering about on the bank like that." Presently, wlien the
fly in its
midille of tlie catch, the angler
make heard
the
fly
" :
look-out
stop short.
Now's
the
Then, time,
second passage across reached the
rherked the movement of the rod to in the
gentlemen,
most encouraging tones, we
mind and keep a
sharp
" !
After a brief interval, a
moment
or two of breathless excitement.
one
him
jump a
slight tug of the hne, compelling the fly to
"There he
resulted in favour of the fisherman.
My, what a weight on
!
!
True enough, a salmon had got well hold of the turned, dived to the bottom, and indulged in a
compliments began to
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;got
"
hne tackle
this
forward,
little
Got him
is!
fly,
obligingly
Then
of the sulks.
fit
fly.
His lordship excitedly observed world of ours afford such a with this extraordinary
" :
slice of
man
He
!
Could anything
fortune, as
my
in this lovely
meeting
luck in
He
simply inspires confidence.
gives one the impression of being surrounded by a certain nimbus of
His remarks leave the conviction of grasp,
imaginative suggestion. application, thoroughness,
No wonder my
and complete masteiy of
water has given
such bad
essentials
returns,"
continued
his
lordship,
who had winced when
the Professor spoke of the blunders
made
sending
men
who now made
that
in
You avoided '
to their places, but
betokened a quickness of observation.
as
off,'
you
your rod
disaster with
at the
consummate ease
;
by the ingenious device
said,
supreme and
critical
you stopped
his slipping
of dropping the point of
moment when,
otherwise,
suppose he would have started to go down stream
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;
I
see
him!
coming along, "
Ah,"
I
full
hope you won't
lose
a remark
For he cried: "Bravo!
him now,
I
see
him
for the ladies
are
I
of excitement."
chimed
"
in the angler,
but
it's
a
little
premature
to
speculate with an)' confidence upon the ultimate result, because the rascal
is
hooked
any rash attempt
in the back.
to
Any
way,
endanger success
The salmon had jumped
I
won't excite him, nor
make
in the end."
out of water close to
saw that he was hooked near the back
fin,
and
us.
(liat
We
distinctly
he was not as
Every
large as \vc expected.
car strained In hear what
fish lay
With
the expiration of
make up
To
stream.
—
fish
deprecated— the Professor stood
terra
whole way
uj).
still
" It's
in a
pool of this
for fully ten minutes.
the very neck of the pool did
nicer, or
mine now
mouse
as a
as his
be strongly
that time, the fish evinced a determination to it
marking
siioot,
ducks-and-drakes
the
"
of the rod instantly curtsied.
more opportune.
for a pony. sort,
"
of
At every leap the point
Nothing could be
As good
firiiia.
a practice alwa}-s to
course by a marvellous succession
it is
fine
sulking.
nearer the shore, and soon stepped on
its
Every
angler.
the rod scarcely bending, the angler backeil inch by inch
word, instead of exciting the
At
tlie
on the advantagi; of
flashed out
Hut, pcrh.ips, the tactics pursued should be explained while
tackle.
the
face Uinied Inwards
lie
I
never mind the iiook being where
so long as
some one
This significant remark came forth
in
is
with
me
waders."
in
tones of such easy flow and
soft modulation of voice, that an unenlightened spectator might well
have thought he was listening on
my wading
to the simplest of [ilatitudes.
trousers in the bothy.
because they knew what hooking in all
in the
The
hvlies, dull
I
slipped
and
vexed
back usually meant, looked
each other's faces and read one unspoken thought there
common
to
— disappointment. " If
enough
my
fine
gut doesn't get cut by a rock, I'm thinking
for tlie job,"
urged the Professor,
particular treatment of little
perfecll\- at
the whole business.
it's
home
Then someone
encouragement, by remarking that the rod could not be
strong in
the
lent a
in better
hands, and that one of us would go at once and station himself in the rapid below, as sooner or later the
fish will
have to be steered on the
bosom
of the
"
lie
But,"
heaving waters, straight down towards him and the
continued,
" it
may be twenty minutes
before
I
gaff.
can get him
to ride tlie current motionless."
Never mind, go one must, and there one must
"
how long
say
manner,
will
the scramble
iir
very
ladies en route, in
more ways
drift
stop, for
fish,
and
'
like
in
down stream with no
from two or three minutes' chat with the
from information received," suspicion was roused
tlian one.
At
all
events, the channel through which the
was as
to the sport, stood
plain as pikestaff.
The
All continued to go smoothly.
audience, chiefly unaccus-
by and kept perfectly
quiet.
Nothing,
with the Professor in the e.xecution of what
fact, interfered
who can
hooked
him."
explicit,
day's fishing had been granted
tomed
before a
last
bob up here and there and
further strength
To be
may
considered a ticklish task.
From
is
in
usually
the distance the fish was seen
by
the gaffer to rise to the surface again and again, always displaying that increased
weakness which foreshadows the inevitable ending.
had been so played the butt
And
when
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;given
settling
down
line
when
â&#x20AC;&#x201D; that
in
him not a single kick remained.
then, dead-beat, he rode crosswise
assistant in the waist-deep stream,
deliver the eoiip de graee with the
Restrained
in
It
floundering about, and shown
on the current towards the
whereon nothing remained but
commonest
triumph as inflexible
to
of ease.
in disaster,
and no
less
nobly
proof against the insidious temptations of success than he was proudly
unshaken angler ,"
at the
now
boulder under ruder
trials
of adversity, the modest
faced the audience and extorted the admiration of
Ah," observed his lordship,
signal victory;
the
" it
all.
has indeed been a great and
work we have witnessed
is
of importance,
and
I03
my
shall transform all
Many happy
plans in future."
sunny row of openly
sprang from the
sustained cheers
from one radiant with delight and bubbling
ladies, especially
over with rapturous enjoyment at what she saw and heard.
The
Professor
praises
of
engaged
bowed
his
One
acknowledgments.
two
of the
present beckoned the gaffer aside and whispered some
grandmammas
lady who, he was given
the
for years,
and yet had only seen
to
been
understand, had
" this
wonderful mixture of
kindness, manliness, and weakness once during the whole time." gaffer simply repeated the words, manliness
The
and weakness,
interrogatively. "
Yes, and
we
so allied, that they
all
know
that manliness
who judge him by
and weakness
him are
in
his exploits here, see but the
single side."
There
is
the story in
its
simplicity.
The
regular succession of
Consent was given to publish them,
facts are faithfully recorded.
under a promise to withhold names and places, and hide from view certain other matters so as to defeat all recognition.
And
But how sad the sequel! be one, may
To
put
on
flies,
it
briefly,
Long before
evening.
yet the general leadcr,
like to peruse a modified all
dined
there
if
account of what followed on.
together
at
the
Lodge
in
the
the ladies left the table, a lengthy conversation
and the modern system of using them, had taken
All
place.
present were equally attentive, equally silent (with one exception), equally strained
in the desire to
argvmirnt aildured.
with
the
flshcrman
idea
that
who knew
The hero
catch
of the
the exact
meaning
of
every
day imjircssed us more than ever
he was no mere knight of the carpet, but a all
there
is
known about
the whole business.
!
!
I04
But withal, as far
from
exception
inferred, this
was not the only impression he made,
For once during the conversation
it.
—a
an all-conquering smile and that understand than hearts of the river
silent
she
allied," that
felt
blush as
—
this
marks the
by pronouncing with
particular lady arrested attention
"
none
and watching the very operations which were so
and convincingly explained.
clearly
She, moreover, right nobly endorsed her
by confirming a written promise made
fascinating remarks
might
else
she were on the bank
if
to sacrifice
both hand and heart
But
— oh
irony!
—
it
was not
tramping home wearily
a chill
to be. in the
Our
gallant hero contracted
lethal mists of
midnight, and
although he had avowed with startling clearness that the marriage
ceremony should not long be postponed, the avowal, no confirmation
in the
temple of Hymen, but
recording Angel of Death.
Our
fell
friend passed
after
into the
away
all,
received
hands of the
like the
shadow
of a sailing cloud
It
may, however, be advisable to revert for a few moments to the
matter of a salmon being hooked in the back. ^
a
We
fish in
may thoroughly the
rely
upon
manner described,
it
should the fisherman be alone, what such an emergency
that the chances of getting such
are considerably in one's favour. is
But
his only safe plan to pursue in
?
Certainly not to endeavour to hasten matters at ihe beginning by
using brute force, but rather to put on a due amount of strain and get
I05
commanding
into a
nuist be fought with
where the battle
the rod moderately bent until the fish
comes passively
the drift
tiie fish
will
down stream
to the surface,
At
and no longer plays the game of hide and seek.
moment
In other words,
position as quickly as pussiblc.
to get nearly opposite the work,
golden
that
Then, under given conditions,
begins.
probably abstain from diving
made
until
to
do so
just
that
time
prior to taking a last farewell of his native element.
The
conditions
which govern the
from
operations
The
onward, are dependent upon material circumstances. course
clear
the
consequent upon
compensated
for
eui
by giving
it
requires
rapid,
an adept
to a
hundred and one fish is
On
On coming fish,
work
inordinate is
easily
is
to one,
from which
advisable to slacken
a
would But
through a
fish
strain
it
line.
;
whilst
it
of supererogation to pretend to describe the
policies to pursue.
Suffice
it
to say that the lighter
held the better.
reaching the spot desired
has any heart
now
left, will
at the
fish will
shallow water, the strain must sink to the bottom, and,
wriggle into a position facing up
river.
hastens on and wades into the water twelve to
yards below the All he has to fL-,li,
it
these manoeuvres to guide
in
in
is
E.xposed boulders intervening are
line.
be suddenly relaxed, when the
angler
An
steersman."
so as to keep up a perpetual uniformity of
would amount
the
to haul the
b}' tlie "
increased rapidity of the water
as a mere nothing in general.
seem dangerous
trans]3ortation,
absence of trees and bushes, over which
in the
not be taken
could
line
strain
the conditions of
modif)-ing
in
nothing so important as
effect of a
fish,
and takes care to get
do then
is
to hold
utterly exhausted, floats
if
he
The fifteen
into a direct line of him.
up the rod as before, and while the
down
to him,
he winds
in line
so as to
io6
keep up the
strain,
and
finally uses the gaff.
In case the fish cannot be followed to a shallow place, precarious though
it
be, to
namely, to hold firmly on and chance the tackle bearing the
To
show, however, what can be
own
perhaps one's
done by the
The
steered a salmon of
I
8 lbs.
1
hundred yards or more before reaching a place of
fish,
hooked behind a boulder
and the run
necessary to
method,
five
Ray," was gaffed at the very bottom of of the river
strain.
safer
experiences should be recalled.
Fishing on one occasion at Carlogie, a distance of safety.
better,
is
it
submit to the only time-saving alternative,
let
"
fifty
yards above
of the water simplified matters,
the fish
sail
through the
Calm Pool
"
"
Jock
The formation
Clay Pots."
and yet
" at least
it
was
sixty
yards ahead of the rod.
Upon in
my
visit to
the
Usk
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;a
river which,
exceedingly well preserved
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;a
row
of
high bushes
another occasion, during a
opinion,
is
necessitated a longer line than that. all
the
Meadow."
It
of the last
day
Pool,"
way down weighed 24
to
The
the shallow
lbs.,
fish sailed
and was hooked
of the season 1881.
from
"
water just above late in the
Weaver's "
Church
afternoon
ANNOUNCEMENTS.
J. C.
CORDING
SPECIALITIES
107
&
CO.'S
FOR SALMON FISHING.
AND EVERY WATERPROOF REQUISITE FOR THE
flNGUER.
Improvements from suggestions of practical Fishermen, and the experience of
many
years.
:â&#x20AC;&#x201D;" As roRanls qiiality TiiK "Field" iiii lonj,' iit,'0 as 1H70 remarked of our Roods they have been too long before the public to fail in that respect."
Only Addresses:
and 35, ST.
19,
PICCADILLY,
JAMES'S STREET,
Corner
comer
of Air 5t.,
of
W.;
JermynSt.,W.
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;
BURBERRYS, 31,
HaymarKet, London,
and Basingstoke.
THE SLIP-ON COAT AND SKIRT. Recommended of either "Gabardine" or ' Shimber " Combine; the former where Either thorns, brambles or gorse have to be contended with, the latter for extreme lightness. C'ombine may be rehed on in pLace of MaLintosh, and is healthful to wear, fine or wet. Fishhooks will not hang up in them. The Outfit is light and free warm without weight and proof ;
without heat.
"Garmentsfor hard wear and
sport, giving perfect
freedom of movement.''
The
()L'K1ÂŁN.
109
CHAPTER
V.
WADING.
Fisliermen are aware
seamy
tliat
not a
unquestionably <jave
feet,
little
depends on the make and
Tlie heavy trowsers of yore, with straps and
material of our waders.
men
even
fatigue,
skilled
and
most
fully
that
oppressive for physical endurance.
me
as
much
all alike,
Murton. the
name
In thick waders,
from practice are constantly overwhelmed with
realise
pleasure to write, as
light material,
from
rise to a deal of dissatisfaction,
the fact of their liability to injure the constitution.
which
offers
it
they are
Tliis
stuffy
and
being the case,
far it
too
affords
will give the angler to read, that a
inducements and not obstacles to one and
has been introduced, at Newcastle-on-Tyne, by Mr. H. A.
The crowning of
"
feature of this material, which passes under
Murton's 53 T," rests on the fact that
it is
absolutely
devoid of any tendency to create excessive perspiration which, past, has often
been h
fertile
in
the
source of vexation, and sometimes very
deleterious
The
health.
to
benefits
real
from
derived
new
the
texture are so encouraging, and so obviously manifest, that the ques-
whether the waders made of
tion as to
long as the antiquated
One all
thing
may be
stuff, is
not last quite so
will or will
predicted with absolute certainty, and that including
stout waders,
it
rendered unworthy of consideration.
those
of
market, will soon become obsolete, and that the modern
have a salutary
With regard
to brogues,
some prefer
sideration not to be despised on rapidity of motion
made
for
my
is
boots, others shoes.
The
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;
con-
a
coming against a hidden boulder,
usually one's only salvation.
by Cording of
use,
in
competition.
all
be commended, as the ankles have free play
when
wliich
sort,
quickly assert their superiority, increase
effect, will
favour of the people by leaps and bounds, and defy
latter are to
that
is,
once ruled the
sateen which
The
soles
Piccadilly, of course with heels, arc
three-quarters of an inch thick, the nails are very large and not pul too close together.
A
water-tight boot for those,
from the bank,
is
don our ordinary walking
fished
them
and water-tight
Wading
is
who contends "
Co.,
"
Springfield
on moving
to
fish
our waders and "
boots
a place better
for years.
easier than
that:
choice or necessity all shift
Griffen's (Reading) Preservative keeps
from land than water. soft
We
shoes, or the knee-high
The London Shoe
supplied by
who from
almost indispensable.
it
seems
at first sight, despite the scribe
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;
The wisest and best some fear may show, And wish to stay, though they resolve to
go,
Sometimes rcsol\cd to face the gulf, and then Wade to the bank and there stop short again."
—
At any
rapids an alpenstock
in
rale,
should form part of our
impedimenta, as the firmer we hold ourselves the better for us respects.
It
we must stand sideways
witii tlie
vancinij on no account siiould leg
front foot
"
"
way
the
feels
digs in
in all
has already been shown, that to secure personal safety,
and plants
llie
after itself
lei^^s
tlic till
wide apart; but
other leg
is
first
ad-
in
T1«j
step.
and then the
fixed,
the next move.
In getting bark up stream, lean the travel sideways
set
front leg take the
body
well against the current,
and drag the alpenstock towards you from the rear
Avoid treading on boulders,
before each step.
eind
you
will
probably
escape a ducking.
move slowly and
In crossing a ford
plant the
wading
down
stick
stream, slightly in front.
Should any
difficulty arise
sand away with the
Guard looking up
in
the case of quicksand, clear the
gaff, so as to laise
against
ice
and
other
the heel
first.
by
debris
floating
frequently
river.
Wading
in thick
than
in
Summer.
one
feel
warmer
In
m
waders
is
less injurious in
the water than out of
every opi)ortunity to
air
Fortunately,
Autumn
when
however,
makes
In hot weather, seize
it.
the waders, for the effect of the moisture,
which invariably escapes from the body, entire loss of the legs
Spring and
cold weather, plenty of underclothing
tiie
is
liable
to result
in
the
forced back upon the pores of the skin. thin
waders
absolve
us
from
this
obligation.
Beyond
all
information
from even cleverly-written
instruction,
the novice should carefully observe the actions of an adept.
Memory
— that
inexhaustible
source
of
pure
refreshment
mournfully brings back the philosophy of a busy brain which, like the sun by night withdrawn from mortal eye, no longer pursues exploring the mysteries of our
less flight in
But who has not
Haslam
—poor
!
—used
?
—who
indeed
!
to advise his guests to take notice
and admiration enjoined by the King
the study
track-
and doubtless that same individual deserved
of a certain individual, all
a friend
lost
fellow
its
art.
But for
bright Highland home.
of Carlogie in his
eloquence and adaptation, his
all its
written instruction pinned up in the hall did but slightly indicate the
way the
in
which that wonderful wader (familiarly called the insect that
little
wings
its
way anywhere) taught
"
"
B," after
the art of order
to a peopled kingdom."
But
wonders
tlie
—the
" star
wader
"
puts to shame the wildest
of Rothes,
For among the
mightiest magic of Deeside knights.
most astounding antics
in
waders, according to Archibald Forbes in
his letter (20 June, '91) to the Field, this
remarkable performer gets
through inaccessible depths of the Spey by treading water, and addition to
The
this, casts
what a time we should
daunted writer
—
in his capacity as a "
the art of war where he
princeps
salmon
and
"
— found
river,
justly
tliis
feat
was not
re-
The amusing and un-
!
dead certain
"
correspondent
have been regarded as
"
in
facile
himself slightly out of his depth by the side of a
where only
his friend,
may
have
all
in
way!
however, of the performance of
secret,
vealed, or
a long line on the
his fervid imagination
from being whelmed beneath
In ordering wading stockings get them
its
sort,
swirling current.
made
than usual, or so that they reach the top of the After use turn waders, of either
can have saved him,
six inches longer
legs.
inside out at once,
and
"3 when dry
turn
doors than
in
them back
again.
front of
fire.
a
Waders
arc licttcr dried out of
W'lien they
have been used for a
one day turned inside
out.
India-rubber boots cannot be turned, but
tiic
fortniglit,
dried
wear them
by heating
is
lining
is still
vantage
quickly insirie.
damp, repeat the process.
an engaging sight to witness the refined manners of a lady
accustomed to handle a salmon rod, and put out a different
is
beans and initting them
a pint or so of small
treatment the lining
If after this It
for
methods of in
bank
No
casting.
fishing,
doubt
this
is
where the question of dress
Were
of fancy than of necessity.
it
line
by the
seen to the best ad-
more a matter
is
not for a certain deeply ingrained
conservatism in adorning themselves with apparel so unadapted to
easy exertion that physical exhaustion readily sets
in,
we
should
enjoy their company more frequently.
The two
things ladies most need are
a material impervious to rain.
the fair reader's attention
is
It
drawn
is,
freedom of
full
action,
to the
accompanying engraving.
In very cold weather a tweed jacket lined with fliumel serviceable.
This
of the picture.
worn over lady
is
" field "
is
shown by the
illustration
is
most
on the right hand side
In wet weather a waterproof cape of gabardine
this jacket
well
and
therefore, with confidence that
;
so that with the skirt of the
protected from the elements,
boots, of
brown
The London Shoe
leather, specially
Co., are a
come what may.
made
is
same material a
The
for this purpose
combination of boot and
gaiter.
by
They
fasten at the top with three straps and buckles, and are laced over the instep.
They
arc
made with
half-an-inch in thickness
;
in
rather wide welts, fact,
and a
sole nearly
these boots are suitable for every
condition of weather and give complete satisfaction.
H2
COSTUMES AnAPTED TO WADING AND BANK FISHING.
5
TIPS.
For wading many
"
called
half waders,"
lady on the
left
hand
my
ladies of
proof below and tweed above
1
ncquaintaiicc prefer riiobcr water-
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;a combination
which
and originally introduced of the picture,
side
1
is
commonly
The
Norway.
in
attired in
a
thoroughly
up-to-date costume, patronises these waders, o\er the feet of which are the socks,
the shoes
made by Joseph
by Cording,
of
Glciiwri^ht, of
Piccadilly.
Ilcr
sufficiently large to hold Farlow's Aliuiiiniuin
1"1\-
her cap and skirt, are of Burberry's Gabardine.
superior to an)- rubl)er waterproof.
page
For
its
Wark-on-Tyne, and
jacket
(having pockets
Hox) together with This material
is
far
man)- advantages see
152.
THE LATEST SYSTEM OF DRESSING LINES. In connection witli this branch of the subject, of daily anno)-ance
thoughts more than another, that malignant complaint
in
resting
in
by
trees,
open
it
in
A
as " knuckling."
knuckled
but paralyses every effort to cover distant
quarters.
line
working a short length over a pool
Permanent
such
troubles,
obviously require a good deal of close examination
endeavour
any one matter
surely must be laid to the charge of
known
not only baffles the best of us
hedged
if
has occujiied our attention and alisorbed our
;
and
to fuid the deciding factor here, the matter has
as in
fish
these
my own
never been
TIPS.
Il6
Dressing lines
allowed to drop out of sight. intensely interesting,
whole business,
it
and
seemed, as
it
has proved by
merely a question of getting a suitable
sound method of applying
it,
respects
all
and
gratifying
this has
oil
my own
experiments
properly refined, a safe and
and then making the surface smooth
and glossy with materials specially In
an occupation always
is
obtain complete mastery over the
yet, to
made
Tor the purpose.
been achieved
in
a manner at
Salmon fishermen may remember an ingredient mentioned first
edition of
his line
and get
ticulars,
given
means
"
The Salmon it
in
Fly," in
ready for use detail,
in a
few weeks.
give
fit
way
that the
only for old
Of
women
formerâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; a of both
in
preparation by
these two plans, anglers dolce
far
nicnte kind of
sexesâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; would, without
doubt,
In respect to the latter device, so
to better expedients.
capricious are the ordinances of Fate,
air-pump
Following the parof
pump, together with a better material
than the other for dressing purposes. generally understood
in the
which the dresser could steep
came another method
of a single cylinder air
business,
once
satisfactory.
it
came
to pass that the sort of
use did not reach the expected success.
I
myself antici-
pated a complete cure for the complaint mentioned, but experience
proved that the process only prolonged the certain
number
As shown pump.
life
of the line for
a
of years. in the engraving,
Let me hasten
to put
we have
here a double cylinder air
on record the
different effect of
this
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;
machine,
wliicli
can
be had at Baker's establishment, 224,
High
Ilolborn.
THE DOU13LK CYLINDER
On
trying
beautifully
Mitchell
Street,
initiated,
it
more
air
results.
in
all
sizes for the
Glasgow
â&#x20AC;&#x201D; incredible
witii
llie
"Kelson Lines"
trade by Morris Carswell, 90, as
it
may sound
to
the un-
was soon seen that the double cylinder pumj) extracts
from the
into the silk.
two pumps together
liic
made
AIR-I>UMP.
line,
and consequently that more
In this respect, obviously,
Nor does
it
it
oil finds
must have very
its
way
im]-)ortant
require an intimate knowledge of the intricacies of
pneumatics to offer an exjilanation of
this
somewhat remarkable
fact.
By
the former pump, for instance, onl)' a certain
be extracted, because piston
is
at a
man
greater than a
amount
of air could
given stage the power required to work the
But
can apply.
in the
double action we
rack and pinion," together with
"
have the mechanical advantage of a
the resultant thrust of the air on the descending piston which assists
Hence, the object of impregnating
in driving the other piston up.
the silk to the very utmost
And
as possible.
is
effected
time being considerably prolonged
At
this point
it
is
;
as perfect
in
the process of drying.
desirable to note that rods, lines, winches,
London and elsewhere
are sold to the public in
type or invention
by creating a vacuum
ample confirmation by reason of the
this receives
but
let
it
be distinctly understood that
etc.,
my own
as being of I
am
not
pecuniarily interested in the sale of any single article associated with
my
name.
The
object, therefore,
mentioned, which can be had will
be perfectly obvious to In dressing them there
at
is
to
a
is
first
pump, and
and second process,
first
process the line
sufficient
oil
shall is
be made.
packed
in
the tumbler sent with the
poured over to cover
it.
The tumbler
then put on the table of the ]iump and the glass receiver set over
shown
in the
taking a
it,
is
as
engraving.
Great care should be exercised
On
the
i.e.,
the highest standard of excel-
If
be attained, neither process should be hurried, except on
one occasion to which allusion In the
just
lines
all.
body dressing and the polishing: lence
recommending the
in
any tackle shop dressed or undressed,
new one from
packing the
in
line in the tumbler.
the cardboard box, get your servant to
place his two forefingers through the
coils, as
they shall assume a vertical position.
Now
yet undisturbed, so that carefully cut
away
the
ribbons that
litllc
tlicm
tic
then pull and pack
You ran
toL^'ctliri".
cacli shofl Icn^'lli in the glass williout setting Tip a
and creating ultimate
made
angles, the twists
in
would
it
number
result in
making the
used, but this docs not occur provided the hne
when
when hung up
twist
As you
down
again
for the froth
Make
the
oil
line
kink
from
free
all
line,
push the amount deposited
into the glass with a piece of metal cut in
By
the shape of a broad chisel.
made
is
to dry.
progress in packing the
now and
every
of twists,
the line were uncoiled at right
If
misrliief.
this
precaution
which appears soon
rather hot before pouring
after
pumping
the coils beneath the surface by means of a piece of
tin,
is
begins.
and keep
into the tumbler,
it
room
sufificient
the
scolloped and
perforated.
When
this part of the
work
is
completed, remove the screw from
the centre of the brass table and place the tumbler with
upon the
coating of mutton in
Now
aperture.
position.
fat,
In doing
its
contents
give the bottom rim of the receiver a thin
or tallow candle, and place
it
on the
Ijrass talile
gently press and turn the receiver back-
so,
wards and forwards so as to secure the closest possible contact.
Then begin
When
to
work the pump.
the bubbles rise to about half-an-inch from the top of the
tumbler suspend operations, Left
in
appear, for obtained. at this
or
else
an
overflow
will
take
place.
that state for a few hours the bubbles will gradually dis-
the But,
simple
and
this
reason is
that a
perfect
the exception, you
vacuum cannot be
may
exijcdite matters
one period by unscrewing the valve below the handle.
lets in the air, the weiglit of
drives the
oil
This
which instantly crushes the bubbles and
into all iiarts of the line
whence thev came
into cxis-
So
tence.
so good.
far,
The next move worked
as before
is
good vacuum
for instance, a reasonably will cease to
bubbles
valve,
to refix the
appear after the
The bubbles and beads
eight times.
when the pump can be
just as often as circumstances necessitate.
and
is
pump
obtained,
If,
beads and
all
has been worked six or
amount
will decrease in
as the
proceeds, but the receiver should not be removed until they
work
cease to appear either in
The
student,
may
him,
who
tlie oil
or
upon
its
surface.
regards this business as being too tedious for
rest assured that
he cannot get an ideal dressing by any
known means.
other
The leave
it
even
in
line
has
in the
now
to
be dried out of doors, but
dressing for a hne day than to hang
is
it
it
up
better to
in wet, or
damp, weather.
First cut three fairly stout props, say, as thick as a walking stick.
These are
to support the line
and prevent
it
from stretching.
get two stout sticks, say, as thick as your wrist, and
ground chosen line
for the purpose.
than can be avoided,
tie
Now, without wasting an atom more
the end to the stick, man's height, while
your servant holds the tumbler beside you.
you
ftx
Also
one into the
fix
Leave him there while
the props in a straight line with the stick, about thirteen yards
apart.
In taking the line out of the his
thumb and forefmger placed
he walks back towards the
Upon
oil,
just
first
get him to iiold
prop the surface
reaching the prop place the line
careful not to allow the
ground.
in
lightly
between
line
oil
drops into
it.
the fork j'ourself, being
wet dressing to come
Continue to take the
it
above the tumbler, so that while
from the
in oil
contact with the in
the
manner
TIPS.
described, and finally
tic
the other end to the far stick.
In six or eight days, according to the condition of llie
dressing will begin to
and then
set,
appear somewhat lumiiy.
Siiouki
between the
hands and, with
fingers of both
off too
much
The
liquid.
operation
weather, after which the line
drying process will take
much depends upon Should rain will
is
be
tiiis
so, it
catch the line gently
down
so held, walk
the
In thus smoothing the surface do not
whole length and back again. rub
weather,
tlie
certain portions are likely to
may be
may left
require repeating in wet
How
to dry.
hardly possible to
long this
because so
foretell,
climate and atmospheric conditions.
fall in
torrents while the surface
oil is
wet, the line
probably assume a frothy appearance, and then you must use a
duster instead of your fingers to rub
heavy
rainfall will
have no injurious
necessitate another application of
it
But while even a
smooth.
effect ultimately, the duster
to
oil
fill
up the
may
interstices of the
In giving this thin coating, use your fingers, though a piece of
plait.
rag will answer the purpose almost as well. take some few months to
dr}',
e\en
In any case the line will
in air destitute of
moisture like
that on the north side of the Grampians.
The
chief point to bear in
mind
deferred until this body-dressing
you should not be mistaken on rather severe test
is
given.
middle part by holding
While thus
hands.
it
held,
is
that all further
absolutely
is
this
dr}-.
work must be In
order that
point, the following sure,
between the forefinger and tliumb of both press the
line
by bringing
the
together as though you were trying to open the plaits of the repeat
while
tlie
in
but
Press, say, half-an-inch of the line at the
operation two or three times.
appearance, the dressing
is
still
If
moist
tlie
;
if
hands
and
silk,
plaits turn
at
a]l
you cannot move
by
the plaits
prepare
The ness of
this
means, you can begin to rub
object here
tlie line,
to rub in such a
is
and not make
Procure a piece of tlnck stone, double
it,
and thumb
maintain
any
the pad so formed, and proceed
in
feet at a time
With
it
of another
"
move on
"
five or six
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;as the gentlemen
in
blue
as the surface
is
thus
made
perfectly smooth, closely
the whole way, to see whether the interstices present a
Should
thm coating
the weather
is
sunny,
this
of the in a
be
same
so,
fill
them^ up
This coat
oil.
few days, when the
by the application will
final
be quite dry,
process can be
commenced. has
now been
beyond
ascertained
all
doubt that the method of
dressing and polishing adopted at the present time
ever
between the
fro,
twirl quickly, the line will
you
After rubbing the portion mentioned
hollow appearance.
It
If
replenish the pad prior to further operations.
As soon
safely
the fingers of
but remember that while so doing
;
of the left hand.
shape.
its
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;and
examine
part.
with powdered pumice
it
these instructions.
times in the manner described,
if
sprinkle
felt,
imperative to twirl the line energetically, to and
finger
say
as to preserve the round-
hand moving backwards and forwards, rub the surface of
about two or three it is
vvitli
way
oval in shape at
it
place the line
accordance
strictly in
the right
and so
line,
tlic
for the polish.
it
tried.
dition for a
The
line
can be used
much longer
only to be had at Naylor
period.
Bros.',
in less time,
The
James
is
by
and keep
special materials
Street,
Oxford
far the best
in better
we
Street,
con-
use are
London.
All dressers must clearly understand that in order to checkmate both
knuckling and stickiness
it
is
absolutely necessary for
their materials at this establishment.
them
to obtain
So superior are these goods
to
123
all others, if
that no reliable results can be
had without them.
In fact,
Naylor's materials are not used the body-dressing will remain in a
and
sticky condition for years
A
not dry.
sticky line
which case the polish would
years, in
must have a thin coat of tcrebene, which
should be put on and rubbed with the fingers as in polishing.
To full
bottle so filled against
as before,
tlic ball
quickly
fill
three -parts
it
Shake the opened
it.
of the right forefinger, twirl the line
working backwards and
finger
few inches of the line
to cover a
performance
length
a
until
round.
all
nearly three
of
feet
smoothly and evenly, but take the fingers away directly you
To
the least sign of stickiness.
occupies a
little
more than
run over the whole line
The
hall-an-liour.
is
this
second coat must not be api)licd until the
first is
feel
way
coat should dry
first
is
may be
in
The
bright and warm.
out of doors in a day, provided the weather
coals
for-
Repeat
Then, while the twirling continues, rub that much to and
moistened. fro
Mix nothing with
and with the wetted
wards proceed this
and
polish a line, get a one-ounce bottle,
of the special copal.
quite dry.
gi\en with ail\antage should the line seem a
Three
trifle
light
for the rod.
The
appearance, the e.\cellinicc and durability of a line depend
upon the treatment and be able
on the winch months,
it
of
it.
In order to preserve the plaits
to put the line after
should
"
where
two months' be run
off
>'ou please,"
fishing.
the
At
winch,
it
the
fi.xed
from decay,
should be reversed
end of another two out of
doors,
and
polished as before.
Any
portion of the salmon line
the rocks so violently as to
iafiict
is
liable to
a breach of
come
its
in
skin.
only superficial, should be healed at once bly giving
it
contact witii
The wound, a few coats of
124
the
oil
two
dry, rub the patch to get
as it
little oil
level
as possible each
and give
it
a coat or
and
Naylor's
of polish. If
careful
attention
materials are used, the will
never knuckle.
and
at the
in a
Use
with a camel's hair brush.
When
time.
end
is
paid
to
body dressing
Of
these will
matters,
not be sticky, and the line
course, the line siiould
be dried after
of the season taken off the winch, coiled
use,
and hung up
dry place.
Special Note.
The
numberless experiments, gets his line smootli
other
sort,
is
copal,
which has been decided upon after
labelled Thin.
enough
for polishing,
But as the amateur rarely one or two coats of the
labelled Stout, should be previously given, in which case
much time and
trouble will be saved.
BURBERRYS, 31,
Haymarket, London,
and Basingstoke.
THE ANGLER OUTFIT. Waistcoat and Consists of short Slips-on, a sleeved
KB
F-recches
Freedom
is
uniciue
PocUet^::^:^:;Uion^4.ead.^^^^^
SS;.
K'
f r
qS:'
F:'\iaro?Ho\t Ffshingnothingcould be nicer and may be worn m or outs.de them.
if
wadingthe
Slips-on waders cov^r the waistcoat, while the
We
the same time so rainproof." never had anything more comfortable and at
Fishing
CrAZF.TTE.
CHAPTER
VI.
KNOTTING GUT CASTS. Select eight strands so that
when they
form a gradual taper from end
shall
are
all
tied together they
After soaking them for
to end.
twelve hours in soft water, coil four double strands separately, and
An
put the two thickest at the bottom of a tumbler of water. plan of keeping the coils apart from each other piece
upon them, one
by knotting the two
after the other, as they are
finest strands.
another tumbler of water.
The
Continue
process of knotting
may be
in a similar
them between
the left finger
part of the lap and fold
make a loop which the point of it
it
is
to
it
much
and thumb.
it
into
manner throughout.
â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Lay
two ends
as six inches,
and hold
described thus
together so as to overlap each other as
Begin
immersed.
Coil this length and put
easy
penny
to put a
is
:
Catch hold of the under
back behind and above the work, so as
be held with the
left fore-finger.
up towards you under the work, carry
twice through the loop from you.
You
will
it
Now
to
bring
on and place
then have reached the
12;
DIAGRAMS
I
AND
2.
Stage represented on the right hand side of the upper diagram No. W'itiiout loss of time take hold of the
this operation the portion
forms a figure-of-eight of
verse the work,
left to right,
As soon
is
as that
and give a
waste with If
of that portion
but not hard enough to bruise the gut.
fairly taut,
knot,
end
and repeat the process
done catch hold of the two
short,
sharp pull to
make
Observe
it
that in
Then
itself.
I.
pull
re-
at the other end.
away from the
strands,
Nip
the knot taut.
the
off
scissors.
the knot
is
not close and neat as represented
diagram the probability
is
that too
it
may be
not sufficiently sharp.
before a second
that the pull given to
At any
attenii)!
is
rate,
in
the lower
much time was taken up
the tying, in which case the gut would become too other hand,
and
dr}-.
On
in
the
complete the knot was
another soaking
will
be necessary
mnrle.
KNOTTING EYED HOOKS. As
I
have been asked for the correct method of
"
mounting
"
a fly
dressed on a turndown, metal-eyed hook, the following illustration
is
128
given, not, however,
wrong
eye droops straight.
In use the
But
this is
is
a misapprehension.
formed,
is
If
KNOT FOR THE METAL and
if
the loop
itself is
thick
the eyed
hook
fly
it
the
in
left
it
;
carry
it
on towards the
fly
hand upside down. it
round on the
on the
the loop thus formed in the gut, and bring
hook, as illustrated. is
the eye, hold
it
it
down on
close,
last
far side,
Put the
far side
put
line it
and
on the
through
on the near side of the
Hold the point with the
drawn nearly
would
it
were dressed.
towards you under the hne, then up and over the
near side
the knot
sufficiently twisted,
EYE.
however well
point of the gut up through the eye, take
bring
up and works
stronger than a
enough and small enough,
longer than the materials of the
Hold
is
with a metal
the treble gut, from
good quality and
of
fly
itself
claimed for the former that the eye
which the loop
hooks are
as these
reluctance,
in practice.
the one with a gut loop holds
its tail,
It is
gut loop.
some
witliout
and worse
in theory
left
thumb
nail
while
then put the other loop of the gut over
the eye with the right
thumb
nail
and
pull
taut.
The knot superior to
all
for the gut loop
others.
With
this
is
easily tied
knot the
fly
and
untied,
and
is
far
always works properly.
;29
In tying
it,
linld the p.)int
of
hook downwards, so
tlic
Diagram
loop assumes a Iiorizonlal position.
shows
I
tlie
that the first
part
KNOT FOR THE GUT LOOP. Diagram
of the process, whicli requires
i.
no written
When
details.
tlint
part
is
ready, pass the gut line from the near side at bottom under and round
the short end
shown above
in the illustration,
it
bring
near side, and then bend the short end back with finger
and push
it
underneath
of the gut formed in the
tlie
first
loop of the
Eegin the work b\ placing the fly.
it.
it
With
is
to be' held
tiiis
riglit
fore-
and through the loop
:
left fore-finger
and thumb on
Put six or eight inches of the gut
through the loop, and place
where
over to the
part of the process.
Diagram
side of the loop of the
fly
it
tlie
it
over the nnil of the
by pressing the
precaution the work
is
ball of the
facilitated.
left
their
line
up
fore-finger,
middle finger upon
TIPS,
I30
WINCHES, If
nothing in the shape of
seems that the
last
Etc.
to stay,
Wlien one comes
tion,
not surprising to hear that Farlow,
to consider the
who had my
permission
to take out the patent, has not received a single complaint of
any
of his customers.
and
this
Upwards
Made
"
it
from
are in use,
The
alloy used by- Farlow,
Comparatively, i
ALUMINIUM WINCH.
KELSON
hardens the aluminium that
in
them
of alloyed aluminium, this winch can be regulated to
stiffness at will.
The one
of three thousand of
speaks volumes for the maker's work.
THE
brass.
it
this inven-
advantages of
Winch. it is
come
tackle has
fisliing
thing to go will be the Patent Lever Aluminium
have
is
it
one of the
constant use for years
it is
any
the sole maker, so well as
considerably lighter
weight.
first
lot
in
made, and though
none the worse
by the
for wear.
some measure, be accounted
for
without a ratchet-wheel.
measures 4 '4 inches
It
is
stands the work quite as
very
is
it
who
fact of its
being in
it
has been
This may, "
silent,"
in
i.e.,
diameter, weighs
131
only 13 uuiiccs, and carries of running line
"
Another contrivance
Hardy
Bros.,
drawn
out,
is
)'ards of line, that
it
is
to say,
42 \-ards
a thin bark line (see page 149).
winch has been introducer] by
to stiffen the
and though
there
51)
1
" to
married
only affects the drum wiien the line
no question as
to
the
adsancemenl
Their iimfusel)- illustrated catalogue, which can be had cm tion,
gives
engraving, together with
tiie
The same
the regulator.
However,
this
to descant in
salmon
rii h,
fishing, tiic
As
across.
I
firm have a
for spinning,
is
have thus
is
by
i)articulars
new winch
and although
mellifluous verbiage
winch
all
this
for
called the
book
is
is
worth.
in
a])plica-
working "
Silcx."
not intended
on that unbending branch of
far the best of its sort
I
ever came
briefly alluded to slaughtering fish
by
means, mention should be made of the Aerating Bait Can
this
which
Mr. Basil Field has considerately |)asscd on to one of his clerks.
This can life
is
an ingenious invention.
during a long journey
passes
all
others.
in
It
keeps bait endued with
the w;irmest weather, and thereby sur-
—
HEAD GEAR.
BURBERRYS, 31,
Haymarket, London,
and Basingstoke.
"The Golfer."
"The
Squire."
"An exceedingly li^ht fishing hat— as perfect as anything of the kind could be. The double brim answers admirably the gut collars are kept secure from the effect of light and damp (their greatest enemies), and always ready for use." The Fishing Gazette. ;
Kneecaps.
LEG GEAR.— The did not cause perspiration."
Lonc Gaiters. Field says :— " Kept
gaiters.
out the cold and wet, were comfortable, and
133
CHAPTER
VII.
MODERN IMPROVEMENTS. CANE RODS. The in this
"
Spey Improved Rod,"
volume,
is
to
which special reference
sure to excite the curiosity of the man}-,
the reason that the Highland method of casting
Those who have waded through the are already aware that this rod,
constructed
on
special
lines,
made
in
facilitates
is
if
only for
" the idol of
particulars
made
is
'
all.
Chapter
in
I.
cane and greenheart, and the
Spey
cast
generally,
besides rendering possible the proper performance of certain variations "
reside
which have brought the cast to perfection.
The
with their
me
severest critics of the
near the river
own
that their
;
the
'Spey' (say Messrs. Hardy) do not
residents, staunch hitherto,
original tackle."
firm
"
has succeeded
These manufacturers in
are content also
inform
getting Uie desired action
in
134
cane,"
and declare
compared with In
the rod I
found that
it
showed a marked power
way through
its
may now be
Their locktast
It is distinctive in style
Without a valueless articles
it
—but
it
thing in the
and
quality,
and known
need hardly be
said,
is
to lay out
—a
human
passes
There are some
hook, for example, with an up-turned
money.
He
did not like his bargain at
make mistakes
of some-
of their
winch
is
own make
for
my
well put together,
fittings.
most rods do not possess.
and
in
my
Alnwick, Messrs. Nettleship and Co., send a
with a line on a lawn.
to see that the rod
all,
of this kind.
M.S. of this book to the
of forwarding the
opinion and review.
have had a better opportunity of judging had
to the
how comparatively
this.
Not long ago, such a glowing account
it.
At the moment
down
Lloyd Treble
of tackle appeared in print as to induce a friend of
printers, another firm at
tried the action
"
patented.
wit to determine the value of a rod by
opinion the public are too often led to
new cane rod
simply excellent.
as the
which the master's eye can
introduced,
recently
way
of
trials
perfect, or all but
is
of a really practical nature,
trial
merely looking at
mine
work which
ferrule, fitted to the rod, is
detect as being worthless
point
feature
In recent
of defying adverse elements,
would be such an opinion of a rod as of ours,
as
without fear of contradiction, that these manufac-
said,
Grip Joint," which,
inodel,
a very opposing wind without flagging.
turers have reached a point in their perfect.
new
this
nigh incredible."
The predominant
gfladly concur.
I
of
possibilities
exceptional capacity in rough weather.
its
the line cut It
opinion
this is
the
that
local specimens, are well
This
is
It
and
I
is,
tliat
it
could it,
or
however, easy enough the action comes well
an especial feature
In these respects
I
cast a fly with
pleases
me
—one
which
very much.
135
STEEL-RIBBED RODS.
coiitradislmclKin io
Ill
cane
the
is
icinarkablc progress at Alnwick in
tlic
new departure
Ashbourne
at
Messrs.
greenheart.
in
Foster, the well-known manufacturers there, have introduced a steel
net-work that
•jvire
other firms. "
The
ingenious
this
fits
is
to say
" :
and the wood used
Then
straight grained."
him)
own made
and
invention,"
Cummings went on huikluig,
over their
after
The rod
is
rods as well as those of
1900, spoke very highly of
Fie^d of October 12,
is
a
clever
description,
of the finest quality, well-seasoned
the Editor observed:
a very handy, strong, and light
Mr.
of the highest grade in rod-
little
—"The
one sent
weapon.
It
and (to
has most
excellent ferrules, a kind of cap on the male ferrule overlapping, and
keepmg
effectually
out the wet."
Ayr
from
Writing Stephens says
:
—"
I
am
and on no occasion was the rod
trial,
Quarter-Master-Sergeant
Barracks,
delighted with the rod,
it
C.
has had a good
in distress."
Assistant Secretary of the Piscatorial Society, Mr. A. H.
The
Rolt, expresses himself to this effect:
—"The
rod has answered per-
fectly for years."
The Rev.
W. Tracy remarks: —-"The
F.
best rod
I
have ever
handled."
Owing rods,
be
and so
correct.
to
what appeared
far as
The
rod was sent by
wrote afterwards and said: yours
in
in
the Field,
I
sent for one of these
one can judge of the action indoors
balance and power,
me
—"In
liut
I
it
appears to
to a brother angler to try,
my
opinion
Foster's
don't like the ferrules at
who
rod equals all."
136
TIPS.
THE IMPROVED LONG SHANKED HOOK. These hooks, made Works,
Redditch,
my
to
order by Allcock and Co., Standard
by Farlow
sold
are
London,
of
Blacklaws of
Kincardine O'Neil, Hardy of Alnwick, and Garden of Aberdeen
Made
and hammered
of the best steel, they are forged
so that the wire
They have
reduced
in thickness
other advantages.
larger sizes,
and
the
instance,
is
this is of
Dee and
In the
at tlie sides,
and yet increased
first
in strength.
place they can be used in
supreme importance on such
rivers as, for
Again, as the point declines rather
Spey.
more than usual from the shank, they hook and hold salmon better than the old sort flesh.
;
in fact, the
During the Spring of
1
8g6, for example, the gillie at Carlogie,
William Dunn, gaffed over thirty salmon
mouth
of the
fish.
when being
instances
In addition alone,
for me,
and
in nearly every
hook had passed completely through
case found that the point of the
the
far
barb often goes clean through the
in
the
to
not to mention other
this,
Autumn
of
igoo,
Mr.
R. H.
Benson, hshing with me, witnessed a similar result time after time.
This well-known angler and flies
on nothing
the largest being No. that
my
many
They range
else.
i
other of in size
my
from
and the smallest No. 17
friends dress six inches ;
and
it
ail
their
downwards,
should be said
success has been considerably increased since using them.
Except
in a
few instances on the Tweed and Usk, anglers are
gradually discovering that thin-bodied
And when
it
comes
old heavy irons
beyond a
it
flies
to using larger patterns
was impossible
limited distance
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;
fish
to
are
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;
in
the
most
make a very
thin
body
lying five-and-thirty yards
be covered without any wonderful display of
eff'ectual.
which case with the
skill.
or cast
away can
137
'""**o..U*'*-'' WHOLESALE Till-;
•
(Long Fine
Kr.i.sdX "
ONLY.
iioDK.
Wire -Narrow— Forged
)
TIPS.
138
With reference
to the largest size used, a writer to
one of the
weei^ly journals contradicted certain remarks sent to the paper by
me from "
the North of Scotland in the Spring of
'g6,
and
said that
:
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;
Mr. Kelson misleads the public by talking about his success with
six-inch
''
flies
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;or words
all
One would
to that effect.
necessary, but this opportunity
is
hardly think
it
taken of again stating that nearly
the salmon alluded to in the early reports from Carlogie of that
were taken with
year,
dressed on these identical hooks measuring
flics
exactly six inches in length.
would here
I
to ask
like
if
method
this is a legitimate
of con-
troversy.
A
story
is
told of a saloon bar in the wild
A
miners and cowboys. following effect "
:
a somewhat
place before
entertainments took
notice
was hung
in a
West
where
of U.S.,
rough audience of
prominent place
to the
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;
Gentlemen are requested not
who
to shoot at the pianist,
is
doing his best." I
sympathise with that unfortunate pianist very much
not think the method of the gentleman
more legitimate than those brought If
I
who
thus criticises
to bear
and is
I
do
nnich
upon him.
had propounded some elaborate theory depending upon nice
arguments admitting
logical error,
and
my
opponent had impearhed
the validity of the sequence in such arguments,
be rather a strong statement to
But the case
number
;
me
is
different.
of fish with a fly
1
f^ay
that
I
it
state a plain fact that
measuring six inches.
and there are witnesses
of the fact,
testifying to the same.
An
who
would even
was misleading the
are
I
th.en
public.
caught a large
I
certainly did so,
still alive,
and capable of
exact replica of that same
fly,
measuring
139
TIPS.
hangs
six iiidics,
over,
at
at this
moment on
tlic
the year,
periods of
certain
impossible, to catch salmon on the
wall of
Dee with
my
very
is
it
flies
More-
library. diffirult,
much
if
not
less in length.
This gentleman, therefore, must be accusing me of being an economizer of the I
am
truth.
Wiiat
at a total loss to imagine,
presume, we both of us lia\c
methods
m
eartlil>- ol)ject
and at
I
can have
in
doing so
do not think the cause which,
I
heart,
viz.,
I
the adniition of sounrler
salmon angling, can be promoted by the methods of
criticism that
do not appear
retort of our
schoolboy days.
to
me
to
be far removed from the crude
Reverting to what has just been said of these hooks and the
advantage of thin bodies, very few of us even dreamt that size
would come
the cobbler's floss to
into fashion.
wax on
The
flies
of that
old sort of hooks were so thick,
the tying silk necessitating several layers of
avoid discolouration, which immediately followed wetting was
so unsuitable, that
As soon excellent
brought
as
Bambridge,
of
Eton-on-Thames,
introduced
white wax, and the improved long-shanked out,
it
more, ])roduced cobbler's
some reform seemed imperative.
wax
is
was all
at
once found that a single layer of
the effect wanted.
the best of
all.
Hut
still,
his
hooks were floss,
or
little
for general purposes,
140
STANDARD FLIES
(Extra).
EVE'S FANCY. (Miss M. Eve Allgood)
Tag.
Silver twist
Tail.
A
Butt.
Black
Body.
and
topping and
Two
scarlet silk.
fibres of
Summer
duck.
herl.
turns of
seal's fur
medium
blue
floss,
followed by dark blue
having a dark blue hackle along
Ribs.
Silver tinsel.
Throat.
Dark blue
Wings.
Four or
Horns.
Red macaw.
it.
hackle.
five toppings.
Miss Allgood's favourite
fly
on North Tyne.
NUNWICK. (Rev. James Allgood).
Tag.
Silver twist
Tail.
A
and
light blue silk.
topping and an Indian crow.
Butt.
Black
Body.
Two
herl.
turns of scarlet floss followed
blue seals' furs in equal sections Ribs.
Silver tinsel.
Hackle.
Light blue from blue
Throat-
Light blue hackle.
seal's fur.
by
scarlet
and
light
141
and
gall.na,
Teal,
Wings.
golden pheasant
two
strips of
t.i.pel
tail,
in
fibres of
swan dyed
mallard,
strands;
grey
Summer
duck, mallard,
scarlet
and a topping
Jungle.
Sides.
Rev. James Mlgood's special
fly
THE RED (^Kev
Tag.
Silver twist
Tail.
Ibis
Butt.
Black
Body.
Two
on North Tyne.
TAG.
James Alli.ood).
and
scarlet floss.
and two strands
of
Summer
duck.
herl.
turns of crimson floss followed
by
scarlet,
crimson
sections. light claret seals' furs in equal
and Ribs.
Silver tinsel.
Throat.
respectively. Light red claret and light blue harkle
Wings.
Tippet, gallina. and golden pheasant
grey
mallard,
crimson
dyed
yellow,
tail
light
in
strands, blue
and
bustard, and mallard
Blue macaw.
Horns.
An
;
swan
ul.l
North Tyne. seals' furs
stan.lanl
pattern
In large sizes a
and a topping added
uivanably re<l
used
claret hackle
to tiie wings.
in
October on
runs along the
142
EMPRESS. (^Kelson).
and yellow wool.
Tag.
Silver twist
Tail.
Four golden Bird and a thin
Butt.
Black wool.
Oval
Hackle,
Violet hackle along seal's
Throat.
Blue hackle.
Two
Wings.
two
of
strips
pheasant
dark
the Rock)
and
violet seal's fur,
one
ribbed with ova!
fur,
brown mottled
rose, peacock's herl,
part. tinsel.
golden
turkey,
grey mottled turkey, two broad
tail,
swan dyed
parts,
o'
and Summer duck.
Body.
tinsel,
Cock
of Paradise (or
strip of ibis
strips of
Amherst pheasant
tail,
and two toppings.
Horns
Blue macaw.
Sides.
Jungle.
When it
high-water dressed
was introduced
this pattern
became a great fly,
on
favourite
and almost invariably
2%
inch hooks.
accounted for fourteen salmon of I4i,lbs.
Empress
is
at Carlogie several years ago,
up and down the
In
kills in
i8q?,
the
on
in three days,
river.
month the
It
of
home
I
in the country.
possess an
Akroyd
and seem insusceptible
waters,
it
best suited to porter-coloured water.
Garden, 122A, Union Street, whose strip-winged
that
purely a
May when
with an unusual average
All these patterns are usually dressed, at Aberdeen,
second to none
is
Indeed,
of his, the
it
may be
flies,
by William
by-the-by, are
interesting to note
wings of which are
to splitting after nine years' wear.
still
intact,
â&#x20AC;˘43
THE SILVER SCOUT. (Kklson).
Gold
Tag.
A
Tail.
and
twist
light blue silk.
topping.
Butt.
Black wool.
Body.
Silver tinsel
Ribs.
Gold
Throat.
A
Wings.
Of mixed
(flat).
tinsel (oval).
light blue liarklc fibres,
and
differing in length. gallina,
gallina.
having a foundation of tippet strands
Two
or three strands of teal, ibis,
powdered blue macaw, summer duck, peacock
wing, bustard, black turkey
pheasant
tail,
with white
swan d\cd yellow, red and
tips,
golden
blue, mallard
and a topping. Horns.
Blue macaw.
Head.
Black wool.
This Scott
is
" is in
a useful pattern in
general use.
sunny weather
Another
of this sort
THE SILVER
Tag.
Silver twist
Tail.
A
topping.
and yellow
at times is
JOCK.
silk.
when "Jock
the Silver Jock.
'^iPS-
144
Butt.
Black
Body.
In two equal sections.
herl.
black seal's
No.
i,
Silver tinsel (oval) over silver tinsel,
Ribs.
over
(flat)
Hackle.
A
Throat.
Gallina.
Wings.
2,
and
silver
tinsel
seal's fur.
natural black over seal's
Black turkey with white tail,
No.
silver tinsel (flat).
fur.
fur.
tips,
golden pheasant
swan dyed yellow, red and
blue,
tail,
pin-
mallard and a
topping.
Head. This
Black fly IS
now
herl.
dressed with horns of blue
macaw and
sides of
jungle.
THE IMPROVED ALUMINIUM FLY-BOX.
Many
a fly has
been
spoilt,
bnrb of the hook, while taking
by injury it
inflicted
out or putting
it
on the point cr in
a metal
box
wlicn the mercury insists upon sinking below freezing point and the state of the temperature
benumbs
the fingers.
All this trouble has
been over-ruled by the practical accomplishment of a simple but genious purpose.
invention,
light
in
weight
and singularly suited to
in-
the
145
The
box, as sliown
and double-hook
flies.
in tlie cii<jravins, is
The msuie
cut a convenient distance apart.
FAPLOWS
body
of a
clefts. itself,
fly
It is
The one
I
to liokl l)oUi single
All one has to do
and press the bend
of the
The
of shaking will
hook
flies
it
is
into
make them
In fly
the
one of the narrow
slip
tlie
cork
out of position.
m
width, ard
superior to an\thing of the sort in the market.
THE PROPER GUT LOOP FOR making there
materials
to hold
do not penetrate
use measures ;'4 inches in length, and 4'4
in m\- ojjinion
tlie
is
ALU.MIN'IU.M KLV-BOX.
as easily taken out.
and no amount
made
has a cork ground willi fissures
employed
is,
FLIES.
of course, a difference in the
The
difference
quahly of
between good and 1,2
bad
[46
comparatively
trifling,
and such that
feathers,
seals' fur,
nearly,
not quite, unnoticeable to the inexperienced eye.
if
etc.,
is
a greater difference in the mechanical ingenuity
and
is
There
is
placing
skill in
the finer wing materials in regular succession from the foundation to the topping, but the greatest difference
is
seen in the
make and
mation of the loop, upon which, more than upon anything life
and behaviour of the
A droop less
fly
entirely depend.
which case
it is
whereas a small loop, properly
;
t\yisted with fly.
to
fly
and soon becomes use-
less attractive
longer than any other part of the
the
'
long loop soon hinges, and consequently causes the its tail, in
for-
else,
The
sound
gut, will last
thickness of
it
of
is,
course, an important item. If
the dresser applies himself closely to the following directions,
instead of his loop being the
first
cause of complaint,
it
will
the natural effect of rendering the play and animation of his
produce fly
more
realistic.
Let tance
is
it
not be supposed, however,
tiiat
because so much impor-
attached to this item, and because so few trouble themselves
to discriminate
between a good and bad
relating to feathers,
etc.,
is
of
little
loop,
moment
;
that
the
question
on the contrary,
well-known that proper feathers are the most alluring
to the
fish,
it
is
and
should liave the highest claim on the dresser.
The selected,
size of the
and
it
is
gut absolutely depends on the size of the hook
just here tiuit
one cannot be too
particular.
LenKth of Hooks.
TIPS.
148
THE STANDARD LINES AND TRACES. It
no doubt,
is,
familiar to all
who
take a genuine and intelligent
arranging their gear, that uniformity
in
interest
depends upon the construction of the fly
Let the rod be what
may, the
common
than the twisted makeshift,
many must have it.
But
which
at you," the trace,
effect of this disorder has
"
and
back
infinitely better
heavy or too
either too
is
persists in turning
plaited,
is
long.
The
been witnessed thousands of times, and
realised their inability to satisfactorily account for
uncertainty in rigging the standard line must
The
not
the iiccompanying instructions are definitely accepted,
if
progress
is
When,
fault lies with the trace.
parlance, the dissenting portion
and looking
largely
the line
cannot be properly extended,
line
and experience has proved that the in
in casting If
end, complications set in and spoil sport.
equally balanced at the it
tackle.
largest is
"
Kelson
marked No.
in length, a
3.
" line
wanted
in
come
5
all
an end.
these days of
For a well-balanced rod
No. 4 should be used, and No.
to
all
round
than 17 feet
less
reserved for low, clear
water in May, June, July, and August.
The
standard traces are kept
in stock
at
igi. Strand.
respective sizes were selected and numbered, under to suit the size of the lines
and
establishment for those
But
it
is
who
Their
supervision,
to correspond with their numbers.
Instead of attaching them in the ordinary
should be married, and this
my
way by means
of loops, they
effectually accomplished at the
like to
above
have the work done for them.
must be remembered that some
six inches at the thick
end of
these traces are cut off for a line which has not been polished in the
manner recommended
in this
book, or for one which from long use
149
decreased
lias
Of control
in size.
the standard back-lines, by far the best for securing swift in
emergency
Line," manufactured
the " Standard, Waterproof,
is
at
Braided Silk
Kcdditch, and supplied to the trade by Messrs.
Allcock and Co. Personally,
I
use K)o yards of size
the larger or smaller
I-",
and consider
THE HERCULES GUT The advantages
better than
it
is
CASTS.
good gut are so obvious, and so univer-
of using
sally recognised, that
To
it
size.
almost unnecessary to expatiate on them.
every one engaged in salmon angling a really reliable gut cast
is
not only advantageous, but absolutely necessary for insuring against loss of fish.
These
special casts
supplied to the trade by Allcock and Co.,
;ire
Redditch, and can be had at Farlow's, Kji, Strand.
gut
By
steeping the
an excellent preparation, the qualities of softness and pliability
in
are so considerably increased, that the mischief usually arising from
the process of knotting
it
into different lengths
is
completely avoided.
This preparatory treatment not only gives to the gut extra strength
and
flexibility,
light,
and, what
but protects is
rough usage of the
still
it
from the injurious action of
more important, enables
kelts.
This, in
my
opinion,
lo
our purpose.
and
to withstand the
is
the best possible
testimony to the fact that the essential properties of this gut
more than nrdinariU- suited
air
it
In fact,
make
it
myrelf and
TIPS.
150
friends have so Ihoroughly tested the various sizes with such
we
results, that
No.
IS
1/5
consider
is
good
the best in the market.
very strong, and
during Spring and 2/5
it
Autumn
;
but
is
reserved for use in high water
when
the water falls and clears. No.
used.
A
Nos. 3/5 and 4/5 are better adapted to small rods. of salmon
number
to
fell
my
Autumn
rod in the
of
large
1900 without
fretting or chafing the gut to the slightest degree.
"KELSON" RODS AND The rod,
opportunity
is
introduced to the
originally fashioned
previous to that date in boiled
oil,
by I
taken of stating that the so-called angling myself.
public, It
in
1858,
came about
with the result that the treatment
line
this
During a
made
visit to
me
in
20ft.
greenheart to get
it.
The
obtained, and Farlow had the rod to
A
little
incident that occurred in
be recounted. hated
the
A
"
little
it
it
too heavy for
Shannon
I
rod, which, however,
making the ordinary overhand
out the action required and gradually worked
butted
Kelson
A
way.
the river
went better with a Castle-Connell
failed to please
"
by Farlow, was
dressed an old silk-and-hair line by steeping
the style of rod then used.
found the
LINES.
cast.
down an
T
thought
old thick-
desired object was eventually
finish.
my
presence just afterwards
may
customer calling for a new rod remarked that he
Kelson pattern.
"
Well,
sir "
(said
the
Manager, Mr.
151
Davios)
you
"
I
ralhcr think )uu
look at a No.
like to
make
inspection the customer rejilied,
(observed the Manager)
"
a mistake, hut
we
108 rod
that
"
Oh,
Would
shall see.
Upon
"
Just
so, sir,"
[jaltern
and
his
a beauty
this is
Mr. Kelson's
is
we
recommending?"
are
own
!"
own
rtjd."
At
that time there
was no other rod
in this
nor any other shop that
The new
did not possess a thick butt and hne top.
caught on, and
goes by
all sorts
The Ridley. (iiil\-
in these days,
first to I
for
introduce the present style of line was Mr.
between the two
is
other
To
names have been given
find the result of
certainly pleasant, but
if
my
to
"
Kelson
W. Wells
" line.
As with
the rod so with the
labours has so far met with ajjproval
those
who have
in
any way
their fancy lakes
my books more
generally
adopted, their efforts would be better appreciated by one and
same,
it
would seem
that,
in
common
etc., etc.,
are nothing nwrc than the
as
The
Kelson
"
"
Hi
rod pure and
are practically the
Spey Improved Rod,' another pattern
of mine, introduced
my '
all alike.
jjublicity
"
simple; and that the lines called the
same
"
justice,
Houghton," the
"
should be given to the fact that rods called the
Regan,"
is
interested themselves in the
them, the system of fishing as set forth in
the
The
it.
matter of tackle would endeavour to get,
All
it
that mine are plaited rather tighter
than those Mr. Ridley used to have made. line, for
reason,
of names.
quickly followed on with the so-called
difference
pattern soon
some inconqjrehensible
"
Olinea
own.
to facilitate the
Highland method of casting and
to avoid the usual
necessity of suspending operations in rough weather, has a totally different action,
and
is
only suitable for the Spey style of fishing.
TIPS.
152
GARMENTS. Messrs. T. Burberry and Sons, of the Haymarket, London, have
introduced a riverside coat designed by experts on the subject with
which they
Rain runs
deal.
The
dries.
The
as well as wet.
produces is
the surface of the cloth, which soon
off
outer texture (Gabardine) protects the
—neither
movement
As popular
I
in casting,
any
prevalent
and assure
was informed on
a sharp test
over
full
that a
freedom of
made
my own
lengthened period, idea
— superfluous
action.
I
rubber
of
experience of
am
is
the
Gabardine was soon put to
entirely
mackintosh
does not extend
it
from
converted
is
month
the
Rain
a necessity.
continued, more or less heavily, throughout the I
it
coat
doublings and
reliable authority that the material
of the hour, a coat
and though
;
The
Well-arranged pleats expand to every
avoided.
demand
warmth
fabric interfering with the ventilation.
a combination of two thin materials
interlinings are
body from wind
inner texture (wool) maintains the
of October,
goo, but on no single occasion could a wet spot be felt or found
beneath the garment worn. either dry or
The improved The
The comfort
fishing cap,
underpart, fitted to carry
shoots rain off the neck.
Of
derived from the coat,
wet weather, could hardly be credited without a
by the same
flies,
The cap
these garments, Mr.
is
is
firm,
in
trial.
has a double brim
protected by the upper, which
light
and cool
W. Baden-Powell
wear.
in
writes
:
—
am^ sure so
" I
well-known a salmon angler as Mr. Geo. M. Kelson hardly needs a
word from me .
.
.
There
expecting
fish,
in is
regard to the good qualities of Gabardine for fishing.
no more bothersome thing while wading deep, and
than to have to come out for a mackintosh.
.
.
.
153
TIPS.
Willi
lliis
over waders and braces you can stand any amount cf
C(i;il
wet."
Mr. R.
Ik-nson says
II.
convenient.
A
for shootnit,'
and
â&#x20AC;&#x201D; :
"
The Burberry
wet sponge quickly removes fishing'
during the
suit is dirt.
all
last three
comfortable and I
have worn
it
years and never been
wet."
THE USK BASKET. This kit,
Ijasket, or frail,
hsh included.
introduced by Colonel Rocke, carries one's
In the event, however, of a good catch being made,
one's waders are slung outside at back.
the engraving, rests on the shoulder, and
The it
is
leather pad,
shown
in
stuffed with horse hair.
THE USK BASKET. Farlow makes these baskets of green rushes, which afford an extra element of strength.
Some
anglers, objecting to luggage, prefer to carry their fish
the metliod depicted below.
They provide themselves with
by
a few
lengths of thick string.
FISH TIED
For
this
dodge,
The
ends together.
first
FOR CARRYING.
double a length of string and
opposite end of the loop thus
made
tie is
the two
passed,
by
the latest method, in at the mouth, out at the top of the gilhcover,
over the head,
in
the far side
under the chin to
the-
near
gill,
side.
out at the mouth and brought round
The knotted end
is
then passed
'55
tlirotigh tlic loop
which
seen
is
it-,
Now make
the drawing.
a halftail r.nd
the knotted end, put the loop, thus formed, over the
hitcli at
pull taut.
This cannot
an improvement on the old method, seeing that the string
is
sliii
ever the nr.sc of the
hsli
and part company.
Messrs. Redpath and Co., Twcedside Works, Kclso-on-Tweed, for the well-known wholesale fishing rod and tackle manufacturers
the continental, home, and colonial markets, have, like
made
firms,
rapid
advance
in
late
years
in
all
some other
their
separate
departments.
The more due
to
recent effect of the progress of this firm
improvement
rank of
this
work, which has raised them
important handicraft.
purchase salmon
flies,
also true to pattern. distinctive
in fly
qualities
employed by
this
Indeed,
it
is
perhap;,
is,
in
the front
a relief to be able to
not only dressed with the best materials, but
The
retail trade will
characterise the
Scotch
be glad to know that these
work
of the
staff
dresscr.s
of
firm.
AN IMPROVEMENT ON HERON HACKLES. An lantity
excellent substitute for heron hackles
is
to
be found
on the Crown Pigeonâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; in French, the Gourah.
The
in large
hackles
156
on
TIPS.
this
splendid bird resemble those of the heron, but they are
superior in colour, fmcr in fibre, and infinitely
The
water.
de
bird
to be
is
had
more mobile
at L. Martin's establishment,
Madeleine, and 34, Avenue de I'Opera, Paris.
la
It costs
8,
in
the
Place
only four
francs.
BLACK VARNISH FOR FLY HEADS. Fuse shellac
of Egyptian asphaltum, and
3 lib
and
gallon of turpentine.
i
ment on ordinary
add jpb- of
liquid is
a great improve-
longer,
and does not change
Smaller quantities can be
made by decreasing
spirit varnish.
colour in the water.
when
This varnish
It lasts
the proportions.
IMPROVED TINSELS. Some that
time ago, Messrs.
all their
salmon
flies
untarnishable, and wrote:
way,
and guarantee
consider,
from
is
tinsels
is
it
Bros., of
brightness.
experiments with the different
may
amply
Alnwick, informed
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;"We have tested them
their continued
a most important development."
my own
duration,
Hardy
every possible
in .
.
.
This,
we
And
so do
sizes,
though of short
confidently be stated that the claim justified.
me
are dressed with tinsels which are absolutely
made
I.
Even
for these
157
TIPS.
FARLOW'S PREPARED SPLICING TAPE. Althougli this valuable article has been introduced some time, the invention has only recently
a rod can be
tai^e,
"
put up
"
almost as quickly as
fresh importation consists of
The same
material, for placing
some broader
between the
possible loosening of the joints.
By
been perfected. if it
used
in
tape should
may be
necessary, the ends tied
down
that the tape sliould be
worked towards the point
slightly spinal so as not to quite overlap. true, tightly
prevent any
During cold
be slightly warmed before with thread.
It
If
ferrules
mild weatlier this
tape will keep the rod firm throughout the season. weather, the
had
tape, dressed in the
splices, so as to
When
little
using this
use, and,
as well to
of the rod,
the splice
is
if
add
and run
not quite
bind two inches of the tape at the lower part with a
wax-end.
THE FIRST DAY OF THE NEW CENTURY. As we
enter this ver\- morning into the Irmg
unknown avenue
of
the Twentieth Century, and reflcrt upon the directions of advance in
angling knowledge which have characterised the latter
Old Century, we are naturally proud effect of
our discoveries and reforms.
Century
will
bilities
>-ears of the
of the accumulative force
and
Although the goal of the Old
be the starting point of the New, a long vista of possi-
opens up before the
reflective
mind, and a deal of the non-
158
proven must
for ever
But while we have
remain a mystery.
and made mistakes, while we are
faihires
still
our
liad
submitting to close in-
vestigation several matters of detail and shedding
new
familiar problems, yet to look
order of time
back on events
in the
to read a grand, unparalleled history of achievement,
may be
resisted
somewhile
So many years theory, have
now
yet, but
whose fmal
can never be averted.
passed by.
Any
We
to
the
principles, the result of steady
are grouped together,
Every
trial
eliminates
best
have found that
on the contrary, to
;
acquire a business habit of proceeding methodically, impossibility
in
forecast of our progress fifty years
method, unlike luck, does not lead us astray
seeming
is
issues
of progress in practical matters, as well as
ago would have seemed the wildest of dreams.
a
upon
light
possible
is
many
to turn
Our
advantage.
thought and the observation of
and await only a
fair
some tempting form
facts,
and reasonab'e
test.
of error, every failure
is
a
step to success.
Our primary Century,
is
business to celebrate the
to pursue as far as
we
first
season of the
enjoy a higher level of prosperity than anglers have known course of their previous existence.
New
can the system under which
Our second
business
is
in
we the
to see that
our progress suffers no check.
The
question arises as to what steps should be taken to ensure
this. It
might be interesting to some, even with other matters pressing
upon them,
to turn to the future
and contemjilate what the next few
years can possibly bring forthâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; to inquire whether that the logic of events can possibly
problems of the age with
work out
sufficient clearness.
it
for
is
really true
them the big
.
44
How
SalrooQ Fly;'
to Dress
it
and
How
to
Use
it.
.
BY
GEO. n. K^LSon. (See Press Opinions, p.
To
be had at
.
.
162).
.
Farlow's, 191, Strand, and direct from the
Author, 25, Victoria Strhet, Westminster.
OMLY A FEW COPICS
LCFT.
TIPS.
Bui It
seems
system
there not a
The
so.
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;the
practice, is
is
more satisfying measure
original system, be
to the
case,
becoming, to declare
many
it
to ailopt tlian tliis?
way
lucrative
it is
wheel and constantly adding to
tiie
To men
of this
1
might work
some
out
me
is
tiie
often a
required.
is,
to offer
therefore,
them the
and always
is
my own
of
benefit
facts
much
of
to
be
will
value
have also
I
recruit in their ranks given to enquiry at the
good
learner,
Should he look for a
and that a good learner very soon
investigator,
and
theorist.
specific explanation
of the reason of our
advancement, and ask what special observation has engaged
our attention, the answer naturally
and persistently on practical purposes, will find is
is
had ample opportunity of learning.
becomes a good workman,
rajiid
It
That the record of contemporary
observed that even
remaining
the
of
stamp nothing could be more acceptable than
in current events.
iiave
New
to the
actual attainment of visionary ideals, there are
extremely agreeable to experience.
it.
equipped and better pre|iarcd to
propositions for which no great originative power
be posted up
Old
while the passage of the
that,
men who
able
riverside,
of proving the
said^is by steady and regular
not |)resuniptuous, but reasonable and
finds the fisherman better
him toward
to them,
5Q
and the suicr method of preserving our stock of knowledge
This being the
carr)-
and more
easier
by setting our shoulder
Century
1
lines that
is:
Tiiat he
must proceed
have been carefulK-
laid
and by which alone the end can be obtained.
nothing recondite or obscure
perfectly simple
in the
and comprehensive;
it
system of procedure is
elastic,
adaptable to circumstances, and, ]iro\ide(l no condition filled, is
jiatiently
down
proved to be sound be\-ond the
and is
left
pnssibilil\- of doubt.
for
lie ;
it
rer.dijy
unfulb_\-
the
i6o
ordinary
As he progresses
test.
in
drawing inferences from
reading ajight the signs of local surroundings, and
more obscure passages
book
in the great
and when he gains an advantage over
facts, in
deciphering the
in
of Nature, he deserves well his
;
comrade, that rouses the
enthusiasm which warmed the Spring-time of his career, he fares as well as he deserves. ciples
for dull,
flies
He
then sees the good of having based his prin-
He
on a safe foundation.
has, for instance,
dark days, his bright ones for
kept his sombre
weather
fine clear
;
and
has reserved his special patterns for those particular occasions which
have been enumerated in these pages and In truth, the system
one which
is
upon the attention of one and
in
my
previous publication.
sooner or later
will force itself
all alike.
These observations would, however, be manifestly incomplete were not some notice taken of offer a helping
to
"
sincerity
and conspicuous
to use
it,
and
ability,
his ideal
supervision, they succeed
is
either, to
which
prompts
ever ready to
He
where
to stand,
what
where they have previously
them
to
get
every
f.nds
show them with frank fly
attained when, under his
But, as a leading feature of their nature
mind
"
the genuine old stager
younger members of the vocation.
and no small amount of time
time,
how
hand
is
to use
and
own personal
failed.
a restless activity of
scrap
of
information
obtainable, they are occasionally tempted to hold friendly fellowship
with the too learned enthusiast, who, with a sublime disregard of the
consequences of his gratuitous instruction, and abortive struggle to help the world along,
him
directly
he
talks,
is
too often in evidence.
just
as
knowledge of an angler who
They can
identify
they can grasp the extent of the starts
on the perilous adventure of
rushing into print, and struggles to prove an universal negative.
He
i6i
IS
on the rampas^c
at once.
lie will
small rod and usr a fine line
lip a
dead Imv water, hut
with the taekle in use, anil shorten the ui)
than usual.
Or he may
instanro, not to pn*
tell iIkmii, for
in
hrin^
md
out
a
In ri)nliniie
by
ratehin^^
"
Mary-annc
|,i<,Thcr
h,,!,)
"
in
stiff,
]iretcntious costume, whirh, Ihous^h absoluteh' useless in their steady ilowinj^ water,
and
ills
he bids them
great-grandfather."
all
system
put on
They
merely
enthusiast " does not
ceremony and
"
and keep on
fmd
will also
ij^niore,
till
the)-'ve <jot
that this
"
decry and calumniate
liul
him
too learned all
Hut since the conclusion cannot
in fishing.
be avoided that he possesses no clear idea u[)on any one branch of the
and prides himself
subject,
on
[xiss
full
a menial rudder lo steer itself
to
in
pursuing old nursery nostrums, they
of sorrow, seeing that reason, instead of having served as li's
nrnd
intn the right course, has suffered
be borne away by the strung g.des of a disorganised and
vitiated fancy.
With
the hope, then, that the present
acceptable to predecessor,
hoping days."
to
all
in
a
measure not
"The Salmon
meet with
it
Fl\-,"
(or rather
I
an
little
work ma)' be found
inferiftr
to
cast
forth
it
its
more voluminous u]ion
ap[)reciati(in of
il^i
the
waters,
"after
many
PRESS OPINIONS OF
"THE SALMON The
art
FLY.'
of catching sahnon
with a Ry
is
often
beginners, as a very abstruse and complicated problem.
regarded, especially by
There
is no doubt that the want of success experienced by most tyros leads them to lay this flattering unction to their soul, that it's "the sort of thing no feller can understand," as Lord Dundreary
used to say. lUit
how
if
pursue " Rules of
they
set
Thumb"
about
which
it
will
by
entirely the
wrong method
never lead them anywhere
I
How
if
they
!
have set forth in T/ie Sahnon Fly, a regular and systematic plan based I upon the practical observation of a lifetime, which if it be not a Royal Road to success, will yet lighten very materially the burden to be carried by these young beginners, and may even afford some valuable wrinkles to older hands.
To show that this is not merely an unsupported assertion of my own, I have ventured to print below a number of cuttings from the papers containing reviews of I do so for the purpose of pointing out that salmon fishing with the fly, is
the book.
susceptible, like
many
other pursuits, of a treatment based upon knowledge and
experience, which will certainly yield results, in the hands of those it,
who deign
to try
very different from any that can be expected from the haphazard treatment of the
" chuck-and-chance-it " school.
and
length,
is
The whole
The Salmon
.Mr.
at great
Marc/i
^th,
1896.
Fly, by Geo. M. Kelson (published 1)y the Author), is an elabvolume on a subject of profound interest to many sportsKelson writes with the authority of a skilled ami enthusiastic angler."
orate and fully illustrated
men.
expounded
alluded to in the extracts given below.
THE TIMES, "
subject has been
>63
SCOTSMAN, â&#x20AC;˘'
is
I'licre
niiicli
moio
March
<)//i,
1896.
Mr. Kelson's Ijook on
in
T/if
Salmdii
/"/)', lli.ni
tlic
on the science and art of salmon fishing, written by one who is an acknowledged authority on the art, as well as a noted exponent of it. Mr. Kelson is convinced that care and skill in fly dressing, will meet with their full reward at the waterside, and the directions that he gives for title
would
indicate.
It
is
a coniplctc
treatise
performing the various operations incidental to the making of a fly, are as complete as the veriest tyro could desire, while even the practised hand will find much to learn from his description. A list is given of some 300 standard patterns, in which the materials of the various parts, the rivers and circumstances to which they are appropriate,
are
carefully
detailed.
The more
characteristic
patterns are
by a series of coloured plates. Having dealt with the flies themselves, Mr. Kelson has much to say with legard to their proper choice under various circumstances. The different casts in use are minutely described, and directions illustrated
performance are given, which are as explicit as written directions illustrated by drawings can be. Due attention is also given to other articles of the fisherman's equipment." for their
DAILY NEWS, "
The
M,iir/i
12///,
1896.
salmon fly is a gaudy object it is so small that half a dozen may be stowed away in any compartment of a purse without inconvenience, yet in Mr. Geo. M. Kelson's recently published book. The Salmon Fly, it demands a matter of five hundred pages, with profuse illustrations, and type exceeding 200,000 words. The interested enthusiast, will perhaps, go into retreat to grajjple with the contents of this gigantic work, and should he live to a green old age may possibly have learned its lessons if he has not climbed to the scientific elevation to which the author points. We have diagrams devoted to the complications of not merely the ordinary and Spey casts, etc. In some of these evolutions the course of the line fills the horizon with its curves and doubles, or ascends to the sky in graceful loops. Mr. Kelson gives a series of eight plates, upon which fifty-lwo typical
.
.
.
patterns of
;
.
.
.
flies
are bc.iutifuUy represented in colours, but this
is
only a tythc.
In
full dressings of 300 salmon flies. No angler for the future can complain that he has not ample store from which to choose, and any successor to Mr. Kelson may be warned that he will find m'arvellously little gleaning in the field
addition there are the
which he has shorn so bulky volume,
close.
.
.
.
for, in truth, it is full
Mr. Kelson has been
known
for
We
should have liked to do
of sound instruction
many
and
full
justice to this
classified information.
years as a highly successful salmon fisher,
and one of the foremost living authorities upon the structure of the salmon fly. We may add that Mr. Kelson's style is clear, and, if his original theories do not .
.
1
64
prove acceptable to
all
with real earnestness.
work as the apple of to dress
experts, tliey are courageously laid .
.
his eye
them, but neither
The salmon
.
down and
may be
angler
insisted
America nor
in
upon
expected to treasure this
and how England has the task ever been done with
others have aforetime written upon salmon
;
in
flies,
such thoroughness as by Mr. Kelson."
THE FIELD, "This
is
March
1896.
14///,
a inagiiuiii optis, not only on the part of
the entire category of practical angling books.
It is
.
.
.
among come
Kelson but
.\Ir.
the long expected,
being well known that Mr. Kelson has been labouring for years at this monumental embodiment of his wide experiences and theories in salmon fishing,
at last,
flics
it
and general equipment
achieved fame.
.
;
and
The
.
.
matters he
in all these
introduction
is
an essay
in
the need of system, the science, the generalities of rods,
may be justly said to have which much is said about and fishing. The
flies, fish
remark that certain flies bear unmistakably distinctive marks is abundantly upon the eight beautifully coloured plates of fifty-two salmon flies. dressings of most of the flies mentioned by Mr. Kelson are given. .
.
300
71
flies,
own
are represented as the author's
patterns.
.
The Of these .
.
.
.
illustrated .
After the
.
introductory chapter, the author comes to a classification of salmon flies, which the amateur or young angler may be recommended to master by aid of the diagrams, and explanations. and in all these indispensables the reader is being instructed by a master of the craft, while the methods of silk tying, hackle manipulation, putting on wings, tinselling, and topping are illustrated by clear and commonsense diagrams. The rod and special equipments are the subject of a thoroughly practical chapter. The essential qualities stamping a good line, Mr. Kelson thinks, are compactness, suppleness, evenness, and durability. He looks with indifference upon the element of strength, from the fact that even the thin end .
.
.
.
of a tapered .
.
.
In
line,
fit
.
.
for use, stands a far heavier strain than the gut attached to
'The Rod
at the Riverside'
There are several diagrams as
of Mr. Kelson's ingenious inventions, lying
fifty
we
how
.
it. .
and he knows of no other way of reaching
fish
to fish
and wading.
.
one
.
.
.
After the casts the reader
The chapter
is
instructed
weather study, the effect changing flies, artificial catches,
them, conclusions
of rain, the state of the atmosphere, hooking foul, striking, playing, gafiing
(The Governor Cast)
is
yards or more across the stream.
as to the places to fish and
arrive at a variety of casts.
to shooting line
in
entitled 'miscellaneous,' has
essay on silkworm gut, and the way of twisting and looping
it.
.
.
.
an
varieties of
such impedimenta as receptacles for tackle, an antidote for midges and mosquitoes, with other matters herald the conclusion, to which
is
limits of fishery districts, close seasons, rod licenses,
the chairmen
and
appended a table showing the and names and addresses of If any reader has
clerks of the several boards of conservators.
1
ever
felt
puzzkd to know lunv ;i one armed angler manages a salmon by studying the illustration entitled the necklace.'
enlightened
rotl,
'
he
We
65
will
be
hc.irtily
congratulate Mr. Kelson upon the publication of this most exhaustive, interesting
and
instructive
work upon the salmon
and
fly
use."
its
DAILY GRAPHIC, Afanh '.
.
.
the writer, for
means
.-\s it
in this
insignificant
happens, this
1S96.
\Gth,
making
not a rase of the book
is
the reputation of
instance the author's fame has gone long before.
community which
in
proper season,
world, pursues the sport of salmon fishing,
That by no
various portions of the
in
with the zest of preoccupation, will
that no one could be more fitted by acknowledged ability than Mr. G. M. Kelson, for the task which he has taken upon himself Hoth as a tier of flies and a wielder of the rod he is so expert that it is scarcely possible to say at which he excels the more, and as he has done his best to place on record what he knows in The these two departments, the reader may be allowed to make his choice. details dealing with the choice of feathers and hooks, and the hundred and one little expedients in fly-tying which only long experience could evolve, seem to us to leave nothing to be said. From the very beginning the art is taught as we do not remember In describing the various casts, Mr. Kelson is to have seen it taught before.
recognise
.
.
as
much
at
topics, all difficulties
home
.
find
flies.
.
.
.
Besides these leading
hints are given in anticipation of the various troubles
which beset the angler, who
wants to know and not
.
.
as in instructing in the tying of
manner of useful
.
it
will find
it
difficult to
and
think of anything he
alhidctl to in this volume."
WESTERN
MAIL,
April
i^//,,
iS,/..
Kelson is well known as a mighty lisheiman, and he lias indeed produced a mighty and tremendous book It a pity that this sumptuous volume, with its wealth of new ideas, theories and suggestions, should necessarily be reserved for the comparatively few." " Mr,
...
THE POST, Manh
"...
2yd, 1896.
We
have seen many attempts to reproduce, by a process of coloured plates, the standard flies of today. Hut it has not hitherto fallen to our lot to peruse a work on the various branches of the subject at all satisfactory or exhaustive. It is, therefore, doubly pleasurable to possess a treatise containing some 500 pages in quarto form, written by a gentleman whose name alone suflficicntly guarantees that the information is reliable and authentic. Mr. Kelson has devoted a .
.
.
1
66
and practice of angling. He is one of those untiring sportsmen boast of a well-filled past and look forward to a considerable historic future. has edited weekly journals, treating of the subject of fishing, and his contributions
lifetime to the study
who can
He
to the Press are as familiar as
household words.
His genius,
it
can be called nothing
elseâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; for fly invention, fly dressing and salmon angling, is of a very rare quality. It is by no means our intention, in this busy thoroughfare of ours, to attempt to criticise at great length, the up-to-date methods and principles clearly and cleverly set forth in The Siiliiion Fly, by so popular an expert as the author of this really beautiful book.
.
seems destined
many
there
if
.
.
Mr. Kelson has indeed attained an ideal reputation as an
He has fortunately puljlished an account of his exploits, which decorate the libraries of his colleagues, if not of all sportsmen, for years to come. Mr. Kelson is the pioneer of a system of salmon fishing, and
exponent of the
is
art.
to
a fault
to
be found with him
somewhat
doctrines appearing
compose another
in
it
rests in the superficial fact of his concrete
advance of the times, though
in
reality
they
step toward the ideal salmon fisherman of the future.
To give the held by rich and poor alike. His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, and the Duke of .Saxe-Coburg, have honoured
reader an idea of the estimation in which he
him by
is
gratiously accepting a copy of his book, whilst our
own
retire to rest without diving into the mysteries of the gentle craft
Salmon Fly
gillie
declines 'to
between the
sheets.'
and merits a place among the, standard works of the day. All those who want to know how best to tie a fly or catch a salmon cannot do better than read it. To appreciate the book one must read it carefully, and to read it carefully is to enjoy it." T/ie
is
replete with original epigrams,
...
TRUTH, March
\f)th,
1896.
"...
Mr. Kelson's monumental work on The Salmon Fly will specially appeal to your interest. For my own part, I am too humble a fisherman to venture to criticise one who writes with such experience and authority."
LAND AND WATER, " Ouite
Kelson.
an
Printed
cililion clc in
luxe
is
this,
March
2isl,
1896.
the latest work on angling, by Mr. G.
very legible type on good paper, containing a large
number
M. of
one of the most elaborate books of the kind ever published. In dealing with practical matters, the author's long experience and careful study of the best means of capturing salmon, impart great value to his opinions and instructions. The author's disquisitions on feathers and materials of various kinds used in fly-making, will be found simply invaluable by those who dress their own flies. The descriptions of various methods of casting are excellent, and capital illustrations, .
it
is
.
.
.
.ibly
.
.
.
.
illustr.itcd
.
by illustrations.
and thoroughly handled.
.
.
.
.
The subject never before has been so fully Mr. Kelson has much to tell us on the patterns of .
16;
salmon
to use in varying
flics
conditions of weather and water
should be made, and of what nature ;ind
how
the
fly
;
when a change
should be presented.
.
.
.
Mr. Kelson treats every branch of his subject from a superior standpoint."
VANITY FAIR,
March
z^th,
1896.
who not only knows and generally preparing f'shing tackle of every kind, but who also knows when, where, and how to catch his fish, this book differs from almost every book of the century, in that the writer knows what he is writing about, and conveys his knowledge tersely, pithily and well to his Though as light in weight and reading as may be,' it is a big and reader. As to the letterpress, heavy book, yet worth its weight in gold all the same. from the first page to the last, from the directions how to tie a fly, to the directions how, when and where to use the fly when tied, the book is from cover to cover The whole book is full of information, is, obviously, honest admirable. and is a book which, not to-day. nor to morrow, but for long years to come, will some of his ideas, indeed, are quite be the premier book upon the subject. admirable, and the whole work teems with suggestions which must be valuable to We have hardly touched upon the thousand and one every fisherman. a past m.ister in the art of salmon-fishing,
"Written by
everything that there
is
to
be known
in the ait of tying flies
'
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
merits of this book.
.
.
.
.
It is
not that
it
deals admirably with
many
things, but that
it
omits nothing."
ST.
JAMES'S GAZETTE,
^ra)rh
31.1/,
1S96.
" It is to be doubted whether the revered father of fishermen (Izaak Walton) would not have modified his opinion had he been privileged, as we have been, to Ko doubt, for the true fishing peruse this l.itest classic on the science of fishing.
who sees the world through piscatorial spectacles, even in the when most of us have dismissed our thoughts with our gillie and our
enthusiast,
season, all
this carefully
worked-out
information
will
be of great assistance
;
but
close gear, it
is
probable that the less accomplished majority of fishermen will be more grateful for the practical hints on the actual catching of the wily salmon, liberally given by one whose
There is and deductions on the muchAngler informs Complete The disputed habits and motives of the salmon. the only question being for a beginner whether he is us that angling is an art capable of learning it.' Mr. Kelson has shown us that fishing can be more than an and his book will undoubtedly do much towards rendering art it can be a science this science learnable by those ÂŤho have not leisure or capacity to woik it out for
experience, knowledge and authority on the matter are unimpeachable.
much
that
is
interesting in the author's observations .
'
;
â&#x20AC;&#x201D;
themselves."
;
.
.
'
'
1
68
THE WESTERN MORNING NEWS, " This
volume
June
26///,
1896.
a comprehensive treatise on the subjects of
is
its
title,
contains in addition, most interesting matter in relation to salmon angling.
and
It will
book of reference, and not alone in connection with the beautifully executed example of the various flics in use throughout the United Kingdom and the minutia; of their manufacture, but likewise for the thoughtful and thorough manner in which the exceptional experiences of a lifetime, affording be valued by
salmon
all
opportunities on Kelson's
name
his preface, his
is
fishers as a
known
the best
all
rivers, are
Mr.
placed before the reader.
already well-known to the sporting fraternity
own
and, as he says in
;
experiences are fortified by those inherited by him by generations
The author tells us that my programme embraces so much that is technical and mechanical that I should rather endeavour to please by instructing than to instruct by pleasing,' and his endeavour is fairly carried out. Mr. Kelson's volume is, in fishing metaphor, admirably presented,' and we can most cordially recommend it to all who are interested in the noble sport with which of salmon anglers.
'
.
.
.
.
'
.
.
it
deals."
PALL MALL GAZETTE, "Mr.
(leorgc Kelson,
in
April
1S96.
2()ih,
recent book on salmon fly-tying, has gone one
liis
better than the famous ad.nge of Mrs. Glasse with regard to the cooking of hares.
Our present
author, a fine all-round sportsman and an accredited authority on the
Ullinhi 7 /////f of piscatorial art first
On
make your
fly,
then cast
the tying of salmon
flies,
...
one under review. discursive, ami without interesting.
.
.
.
it
â&#x20AC;&#x201D; salmon
;
fishing
hook your
fish,
â&#x20AC;&#x201D; harks
back and practically says
then land
Sound
it.
advice.
.
.
:
.
there are but few books, and none so complete as the
As he
progresses, he
anything
losing
in
Mr. Kelson has written a
warms
teclinique, fine
becomes more both instructive and
to his work, is
work, which
is
a great acquisition
to the angling library."
EVENING STANDARD,
July
6lli,
" Mr.
1896.
George Kelson, we need scarcely say, is a recognised authority on all that relates to the salmon fly, and the most approved methods of dressing and using it. He is an enthusiast as well as an expert. There are many finely This book is filled not so much with counsels coloured plates in the book. of perfection as with pithy, business-like directions, and its value to the man who wishes to conquer the mysteries of the art of fly-fishing, so far, at least, as salmon are concerned, is not open to question." .
.
.
.
.
.
ANNOUNCEMENTS.
FARLOW &
C.
CO., "
STRAND, LONDON, Wx!!'"
191,
FISH ING TAC KLE. Special Patterns of Greenheart
Salmon
liave the Exact Models in Stuck, as siipplie the followiiif; well-known Gentlemen
of which wu
;
1
I|ods,
ami made by us
for
-
"The 5pey
" Improved Rod.
Q. M.
KELSON,
Esq.,
G. M.
KELSON,
Esq., Celebrated " 108," 3 pieces, i81t. long.
i6ft.
Spliced, in 3 pieces,
17ft.
â&#x20AC;&#x17E;
Mr
Kelson won First Honours when coinjietint,' this particular Rod that for ihe si\ different methods of Salmun-I'Iv Casting, at the International Tournament. 1.SS5 The Rod is specially recommended bv the .Vuthor in this Hook It
was with
Major
TRAHERNE,
W.
Jlrcommc mlttl
WELLS
3 pieces, Spliced or Ferrule Fittings. 3 pieces. Spliced or Ferrule Fittings.
17ft. 4111., i6ft.,
,,
,,
tilrimalij
in the
RIDLEY,
Vtilumc vn " Sdlvwti <ind Tmxtt."
Esq.,
18ft.,
3 pieces
i<f
/he IliidminUm lAbrarij.
(much
liked).
These Rods are made from the Choicest Togs and Best Seasoned Wood obtainable, none beinf; used unless it has been in stock four years. .Ml Rods are balanced and constructed at our own Factory by the most Experienced and K.-lial.le Workman
The " KELSON" Palenl Silent Aluminium Salmon Winch.
Salmon
allies
a
^pccialitir.
Materials of every description for Dressing Salmon Klies kept
INTERNATIONAL FiSHKRIES EXHIBITION,
in
Stock
1883.
6 Prize Medals, 6 Diplomas of Honour, and Special Money Prize for Best Collection of Rods. Prize Aledal, 1862.
C.
Farlow &
Co., Ltd., 191, Strand,
London, W.C.
.
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GENUINE CRUP. THE
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Medium
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)
No. 913, Kut Brown,
^""
55/6
No. 914, Black.
GRAIN LEG, CALF GOLOSH. Goods sent on npprohation upon receipt of London Trade AV/e/, /,,,â&#x20AC;¢ Paid on British Letter Orders only, Init not on .ipfn o/'otion I'ohlIs. THE LARGEST STOCKS OF HIGH-GRADE BUOIS AND SHOES IN LURol'l
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\
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BROWN COWHIDE.
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,1
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P UTTIE."
GRAIN HIDE.
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Price
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GAITER in
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;it
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ANNOUNCEMENTS.
Messrs.
REDPATH &
Co.,
WHOLESALE MANUFACTURERS OF
FfcbiDg Rods, R??Is, Lines, mm Plies, Baits, Gaff Hooks,^
^^\X
GENERAL
TACKLE
FISHING
J^or Rivct\ Loch
TWEEDSIDE WORK S,
OF
THE
and Sea
BEST
IJUALITy,
FisJiiug,
KELSO-ON-TWEED, SCOTLAND.
Artcn
l:xhihiti-ii
rst
TRADE MAKKS. ESTABLISHED UPWARDS OF HALF A CENTURY.
for the f.rsl time at
///<
,.,;„,r „rlrin.
Iiitniuitional Fiihciics Exhilnlhm, Kditiburgh,
COLD MEDAL
i
and SPECIAL PRIZE for Fishing Rods, &c. Edinburgh, SPECIAL PRIZE for Salmon, Grilse, and Trout Flies do. SPECIAL PRIZE for Materials used in dressing Salmon and Trout Fi.ir.s do. SILVER and BRONZE MEDALS (Highest Awards) for Fishing) ... ...
.,.
... Rods and Tackle ... ... ... for Wholesale Manufacturers' Exhipit
GOLD MEDAL
Messrs. Redpath
&
Co.
have
NOT
...\ ...
'ynemouth,
London,
Exhibited at any Foreip or Colonial Exhibition.
ANNOUNCEMENTS.
WILLIAM GARDEN, Gun, Fishing
I|eel
I|o[l,
and Tacicle
Ifaicer
UNION STREET, ABERDEEN,
122,, SI'KCrFUI.I.V
invitus tlic atUiiDoi.
,.!'
Spm tsmcn
to his
Slock of
.SALMON FLIES. The
(|u.ihty of the ni.ucrial
A
ami
tlic
excellence of workmanship ha\e
ABERDEENSHIRE DEE LOCAL PATTERNS. I^ocli.
them
t,Mincil
WORLD-VVIDK REPUTATION.
^nd
XiCi-ver*
(V^-Am--.)
Tr-oxxt r'lie**
FLY DRESSING TO PATTERN A SPECIALITE.
SALnOM AMD TROUT
.
W.
('..
being a practical
particular interest in
Workman tliis
as well as clepanment. All
FISI^ING
RODS
.
Angler of many years' experience, takes Rodb are hand made on the pieniiscs.
A/nnuMiTion of evcry descriptiom. Cartridges
/l!\\ '
Loaded by Machinery
|(j||:
,.s
1^ ^^..^
V
Guns, FisHin^ Rods, and Reels Repa,iped. ILLUSTRATED PRICE LIST POST FREE.
.
.
.
THE "OLINEA" WATERPROOF LINE. This Waterproof Line theory and practice the "Ol.lNEA.' THE only perfect enamelled under the vacuum process, and hand-finished on an entirely new in
in
is
line is is principle. The strength of each line is tested and guaranteed by us. The line itself is plaited solid, which is an admitted improvement on the old style of core lines. The "Olinea" lines are so enamelled as to render them a perfectly solid mass of silk and composition, flexible and smooth, and free from any danger of knuckling, and as no varnish is used in the process, the enamel of the " Olinea" line may be relied on not to crack or
chip
off.
The " Oli.\ea " lines are made from a special quality of silk of extraordinary strength, and we have no hesitation in mrintaining that the thicker of the Trout sizes are quite strong enough for .Salmon fishing. These are made in Olive Green, and Dark Brown colours.
C Strength by " Salter's" Dynamometer.
40 to
D 44.
33 to 36.
E
A few
H
G
F
27 to 30.
24.
16 to
I
12 to 14 Lbs.
S.
many
Extracts out of a great
Letters testifying to the Excellence of our Solid Plait "OLINEA" Level and Tapered Lines. Extract of httcr from
Mr.
\\'1LI,IAM
Maker, Taikle Garden, Fishhio; Aberdeen {one of the best known Anglers North of Scotland), Dated \\th March, 1896. "The Olinea Lines have had from you are the strongest W.P. Silk Lines 1 have ever used. As a Spinning Line, in particular, they are superior to any other in the market. Customers who use them once will have no other. As a Salmon Line in the
'
'
I
they are unequalled. They are so strong and free from kink or knuckle, the great trouble in most of other W.P. Silk Lines."
Extract of letter from Major Traherne (ÂŤ gentleman known to every Anglo), Dated 2jrd January, 898. "Please send me one 'Oi.inea' Line, 1
and as it is the best dressed Line I ever had I want you to send me another. size C,
i^^
I have used the one I bought from you for spinning, and it has had a great deal of wear, but it lasts longer than any Spinning Line 1 ever fished with."
Extract of letter from Montreal, Canada,
Maltev,
S.
Sen.
Dated 4th April,
3
1899. "I see they are trying to imitate your Lines in the States, but they cannot do it, as you see every defect in their production. I
can throw a fly with your Olinea Line ten yards further than with any other.' '
'
& CO. LTD. MORRIS CARSWELL SOLE MANUFACTURERS, 90, MITCHELL STREET, GLASGOW To
be obtained Retail thi
Fishing Tackle Dealei
THE "KELSON" ENAMELLED SALMON LINE. noul>l,..THi.m:.l. Tli.-se
Faosiinilr
Lines are perfectly
..(
il„. .,.|,l,r,f..,l
si)li<l.
•
1'1,'xil.lr. :in
ANNOUNCEMENTS.
your Rob too Wbippy?
Is
Then
.
.
.
"STeet RiBBino" Will give it a New Lease Strength and Stiffness This Transformation can be effected
at a
merely nominal
5/9 for a Trout Rod with 9/3 for a
Salmon Rod
The Additional Weight
cost, viz
:~
One Top (Extra Tops,
1/9 each).
„
1/9
„
„ is
of Life,
Ounce
less than a Quarter of an
1
after Steel Ribbing has been proved at the Sheffield Testing Works to be nearly Doubled I
The Additional Strength
1
Every habitual user of a Steel Ribbed Rod proves to be an efficient medium for advertising Steel Ribbing, for Old, Weak, Wet Fly Rods are transformed by Steel Ribbing (which is Rustless and Durable) into Strong Up-to-date Dry Fly Rods, and unduly Svvoppy Back-boneless Salmon Rods are Stiffened and Strengthened by Steel Ribbing in a way that is declared by every post by numbers of our delighted Clients to be marvellous.
Send us your Rod and we Steel
will report
on
it
(without charge).
Ribbing has been recommended by
Mr. W. SENIOR, Editor of the "Field," Mr. MARSTON, Editor of the " Fishing Gazette." Mr. G. M. KELSON, the Well-known Writer on Anghng. Mr. GEDNEY, the Well-known Writer on Dry Fly Fishmg. Send
for
.
FOSTERS CATALOGUE OF ANGLERS' REQUISITES. It is It
postage. Posted Free to any Address on receipt of 3d in Stamps to pay cost of parcel together with it there are over 300 Illustrations of Tackle, One Coloured Plate and Collotype Frontispiece.
contains 2S0 pages, and in
"Well Worth if-"— Vide
D.
S
W. H.
-Fishing Gazette."
FOSTER,-^—.
FISHING TACKLE MANUFACTURERS,
ASHBOURMe, DeRBYSHIRe.
.
ESTABLISMKD
TELEPHONE
,833 No. oiq8.
,4
EXHIBITION AWARDS.
Including Three Highest for Rods, Lines and Flies
ANNOUNCEMENTS.
Anglers
don't
U
foiy,.i
iimi
l^ur»ton's
Flies
id
Reliable
thul
111.-
ri>.|,..l),it.' .\n>:l,r
Im.v
ii.:,,v
cilililiii
Modern Fishing Tackle.
MURTON'S "SPECIAL" TYNESIDE lift.,
9 or lo-ft., 7/6.
8/6.
iS-ft.,
9/6.
Salmon
Murton's 'Special' ](>H.,
ROD,
12-ft.,
Rod<
17 6, 25/6 and 40/ = 35/- and 50/..
.
Murton's 'Special' Sea Fishing Rods i6-ft.
BOTTOM ROD, ii-ft., MURTON'S "Perfection
Tops, 15/6 complete.
Rrazed and Winch Fittings, from 4/6. "
Cane Trout and Salmon Rods
Split
"Tyneside" Reels and l-ines. Superior Bronzed Reels 2
ins^
6.
Our New Brass Illip.MlilMl
til
SlllnilMl
Reel, Flsll TS.
Spanish
Silk-Worm Gut, Casts and
Hooks
Traces.
to (jut.
Artistically Dressed Qrayling Flies.
Trout
&
ll.iikk',1
16 mtcd
Casts, i/=
and 1/4—
Tapered Casts,
j
Of
' \
Wiiif,..-,!,
per do/.
i
/-
and
1/6.
Lock Mies, 2
Sea Trout Flies, 2/6 per doz. Local and Standa.'d Pallern Salmon Flies. Splendid Selection.
NOTED FOR WADERS
&
WATKKI'ROOI-S
HENRY
OF EVERY DESCRIPTION
A. IVIURTONT,
Grey Street and Market Street. NeWCaStle=On=Tyne. And at SUNDHRLAND.
ANNOUNCEMENTS.
HtGO Musical
GORLITZ,
& Dramatic Agency, Il9p
New Bond Streets
London, W. Nine Years Private Secretary to Paderewski. Director of
all
.
.
.
PADEREWSKI TOURS in America, Mexico, Canada, Russia, Holland, and Germany.
THE LEADINO LONDON
.
.
.
"AT HOME" AGENCY. Sole All
the
Best
Artistes,
Manager for PHIL MAY.
Entertainers and Bands, can be through this Agency.
procured
Complete Programmes prepared, and Private Concerts and At Homes, including all Preliminary Arrangements, carried out.
Every well-known and successful Artist can be engaged through .
.
.
HUGO GORLITZp 119,
Mew
Bor)5 Street, Lor)5or),
4013 Gerrard. Telegraphic Address: '' HugoHolas, London:' Telephone:
W.
ANNOUNCEMENTS.
BV ROYAL WARRANT.
PIGALL,
F.
riAMUFACTURiriG CUTLER, 4,
Rupert
street,
Coventry
Street,
LOMDOM, W.
Tbe novelty
FisbioSf K^'^^^ Can he opened and closed with one h;ind. Sportsmen will fmd this Knife a mo>t u.seful
adjunct to their Fishin>;
Kit.
POST FREE.
Best
HOLLOW (iROUND RAZORS
Sheffield
4/= and 5/= each. (iuaranteed to slia\e well.
SPeCIALITY
!
!
REPAIRIN(i and SHARPi;NlN<i .A
Competent 5taff
of
Workmen
;ill
kinds
of
Cutlery.
kept on the Premises.