The Teesdale Angler Part 7

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RODS.

The three distinguishing characteristics of a really good fly rod are strength, elasticity, and lightness, such rods are to be bought in the London tackle shops for a pound; these rods are perfect as three or four piece rods, but I much prefer one for my own use in only two pieces, such a rod is more readily put to, and taken from together than one consisting of three or more joints; not so liable to get out of order, and has a truer bend with it when subjected to pressure. I recommend a rod having a root 9 feet, and a top of 5 feet, making together 14 feet in length, as the most useful; a fir root, and top of good sound lance wood, well painted, ringed and varnished, makes a neat and serviceable rod. For trolling, your top should be stiff and strong.

For worm not so pliable as your fly top.

LINES.

Lines composed entirely of hair, are lighter on the water than those made of silk and hair mixed, perhaps the latter is the stronger line of the two, but it both carries more water and is more expensive. A winch line should be for Trout from 25 to 35 yards in length, and may be bought at all tackle shops, at the rate of a 1d., 1-1/2d. and 2d. per yard, according to quality; at so cheap a rate, it is scarcely worth while to make your own line, which you may do by the purchase of a little machine for twisting, or you may use goose quills, which is however but a slow and tedious process.

HOOKS.

The best hooks are Kendal, Limerick, and Carlisle; I prefer the Limerick for fishing the natural flies, they are all however very good.

Some anglers are partial to the Kirby bend, but perhaps you get better hold of your fish with the sneck bend hooks. If you purchase wholesale, you get 120 hooks for a shilling, if by retail at tackle shops, generally 6 a penny, or 72 for a shilling; so that wholesale you have about 50 more hooks for your money.

REMARKS ON FISHING GARMENTS.

With Cordings, Fishing Boots, and Macintosh Coat, you are weather proof; neither the water from above or below can affect you; by the aid of the boots you keep your feet perfectly dry, the coat enables you to continue fishing during the heaviest showers, and in Summer especially, when the flies and insects are beat down by such showers, the best of fish are then on the move; without the India Rubber Garment, you may get thoroughly wet in ten minutes. If you find shelter you probably loose some good sport, and if not, by continuing your fishing, you become so cold, wet, and exceedingly uncomfortable, that you generally deem it adviseable to proceed home with as little delay as possible.

When the day is fine, and the water repeller not needed, avoid light, or glaring colours; brown, green, or grey garments are most suitable, particularly when the water is low and clear.

HEALTH,--CAUTION.

If your feet are wet either in Spring or Summer, do not, if you regard your health, sit down above two or three minutes. You may frequently have occasion to wait some considerable time by the water side, looking out for the expected feed, and consequent rising of the fish; at such times keep walking about in preference to sitting, which is the best way to avoid catching cold. When you return home loose not a moment in changing your wet garments. Colds and Rheumatism are the pains and penalties anglers are liable to, who do not follow the above advice.

THE EYE, THE ONLY ACUTE FACULTY IN FISH.

Trout, however quick sighted they may be, are like all the finny tribe, supposed to be incapable of hearing, in consequence of the density of the element in which they exist. Water has long ago been proved to be a non-conductor of sound, and if fish are possessed of any faculty of the kind, it must be the dullest imaginable. From the h.o.r.n.y construction of the palate, their taste cannot be acute, and their sense of smelling (judging from the medium by which all odours are conveyed to them,) must be peculiarly defective. Taking the above suppositions to be correct, it is of course clearly apparent that they must be guided solely by the eye in the selection of their food; for instance, when fish are stupefied or fuddled as it is termed, I do not suppose their olfactory organs are affected by the berry or drugs, used to intoxicate or kill them. I am persuaded, that small b.a.l.l.s of paste or bread would, if offered to them at the same time, be devoured at precisely the same rate as those prepared with unguents or drugs.

The formation of fish is peculiarly adapted to water, through which they glide with the greatest facility; their motions being regulated by the fins and tail; the tail indeed being to the fish precisely what a rudder is to a ship. The air bladder in fish is another wise provision of nature, by means of it they can remain for a long time under water; still they must from time to time take in supplies, for if during a severe frost the ice be not broken on ponds, the fish therein would perish for want of air. Some fish are much more tenacious of life than others; Roach, Perch and Tench, have been conveyed alive, for stocking ponds, thirty miles, packed only in wet leaves or gra.s.s. One thing is quite certain as regards all fish, viz., that they live longer out of their natural element in cold than in hot weather. A clever invention for the transport of fish has come under my notice; an account of this machine may prove interesting to some persons, and therefore I insert it.

THE TRANSPORT OF TROUT AND GREYLING.

The Apparatus consists of a tin case, separated into two parts by an open work part.i.tion. In one of these the fish are placed, and in the other is fixed a mechanical contrivance for keeping up a considerable supply of air in the water.

In November, 1853, 33 Greylings were sent from the Wye at Rowley to the Clyde at Abington, a distance of about 250 miles with the loss of only two fish.

The Apparatus is composed of a zinc cylinder, about three feet high and two feet in diameter, with a strong iron handle running round the middle; to the top, a small force pump is attached, and by this fresh air is forced through a star shaped distributor at the bottom of the cylinder; a ring to bring the fish up for inspection, and a loose concave rim to prevent splashing over, complete it. A drawing with particulars was deposited with the Society of Arts, in London.

THE NATURAL ENEMIES OF FISH.

Fish have so many enemies that were it not for the millions of embryo or sp.a.w.n deposited by the female, the breed of Salmon and Trout (to say nothing of other species) would long since have become extinct. Eels, fish, birds, water rats, toads, frogs, and last but not least, the water beetle,[8] prey upon the ova, sp.a.w.n and young fry; floods also sweep away and leave on banks, or rocks, a considerable quant.i.ty of sp.a.w.n, which of course comes to nothing. Escaping the above perils and causalities, and arrived at maturity, they become the prey and food of the otter and heron, king's fisher, gull, &c., who emulate man in their destructive propensities. The larger fish also prey upon the smaller.

Luckily otters are not so numerous in any English river as they used to be. Night lines, shackle, rake and flood nets, and other devices not at all creditable to those who use them, and to which I shall not further allude, make terrible havoc amongst fish, and mar and spoil the fair and honest angler's sport, but in most rivers and brooks of Trouting celebrity, such practices are greatly on the wane. Proprietors will not sanction such wholesale destruction; and now almost universally adopts measures for the detection and punishment of such depredators.

[8] The water beetle is chiefly instrumental in conveying the sp.a.w.n of various kinds of fish to waters, where such species had previously been unknown.

LAWS RELATIVE TO ANGLING.

It would occupy too much s.p.a.ce to be diffuse in reference to angling laws; I shall therefore briefly observe that all persons discovered robbing fish ponds during the night, and all persons found poisoning fish are liable to transportation; all persons using nets, listers, snares or other unlawful devices, are liable to the forfeiture of such nets, &c., and also subject to a fine at the discretion of the magistrates before whom such offenders may be brought; and also, that any person angling in any brook or river without the permission of the proprietor or proprietors of such river or brook, is liable to a penalty as a trespa.s.ser, and also to the forfeiture of any fish he may have caught.

OBSERVATIONS IN REFERENCE TO THE EFFECT OF THE WEATHER ON FISH.

Your sport in angling, whether top or bottom, materially depends upon the state of the atmosphere. He who has paid some attention to the effects of weather on fish, knows pretty accurately the extent of the sport to be looked for, when the wind is in particular arts. An East or N. East wind shuts out all hope of diversion, whilst a Southerly or South West wind, is the wind of all winds for the angler. However, as fish must feed at some time, let the wind be as it will, an angler who is particularly in want of a few Trout, may succeed in obtaining small ones with the fly in an East or N. East wind, provided the wind has been in that quarter some days, and there is feed on the water. Any sudden change in the wind affects the fish, and they will sometimes give over, or begin to feed, on such changes taking place, just as it happens to veer into the wrong or right quarter. After white frosts in the Spring of the year, you need not expect much, if any sport. Frosty nights with bright sunny days following, accompanied with East or N.

East winds, are precisely those sort of days, when a man had better refrain altogether from attempting to take fish with the fly, or with any kind of bait. During the Summer months, the colder the wind blows, the better sport you will have with the artificial fly. On cold stormy days in Spring, with wind West or N. West, accompanied with heavy snow, rain, or hail showers, good fish are usually roving about, and then your sport is of the best. Either in Spring, or Summer,

"With a Southerly wind, and a cloudy sky, The angler may venture his luck to try."

WHAT CONSt.i.tUTES A GOOD FISHING DAY.

It is of the greatest consequence to acquire a correct estimate of what really const.i.tutes a good fishing day; and not put too much faith in the advice of the author who wrote an article on angling, which is published in _Brewster's Encyclopaedia_, who tells us to follow the example of the navigator, who does not wait for a favourable wind, but goes to sea at once, to seek for one; not to sit at home on the look out, but go to the river in all weathers. The three great essentials of a good Trouting day, are water, wind, and cloud, if there is a failure in all three, you are better at home, at least that is my humble opinion. If a deficiency or partially so in any, expect only moderate sport, but if all three are in unison, then you may fairly calculate on excellent diversion. There is nothing like a South West wind for holding forth a promise of a cloudy day. As to the water, the second day after a heavy fall of rain is often the best. The wind however sometimes (too frequently indeed) veers into the North West, or further on that day, and if the barometer rapidly rises at the same time, there will be too much sunshine; on the third, if the wind veers to the South West, the day will probably be too dark; for a dull day occurring about new and full moon, is seldom a good angling day. A man whose avocations do not permit him to angle in all weathers, will therefore do well to select a day, when the three great essentials of his sport, wind, water, and cloud, are in his favour.

NOTE.--An angler is so dependent on the weather that he should omit no opportunity of acquiring meteorological knowledge. Electric influences guide and coerce fish in a wonderful manner.

The Teesdale Angler Part 6

If you are looking for The Teesdale Angler Part 6 you are coming to the right place. The Teesdale Angler is a Webnovel created by R. Lakeland. This lightnovel is currently completed.

You must for this kind of Angling, have a tolerably strong Rod and tackle, you may begin trolling about the middle of March, and continue to the end of October. The very best of fish are taken with the Minnow, it is an active bait to fish with, and keeps the Angler pretty well on the _qui vive_. When the water is in order, that is, after it is a little swollen and discoloured by recent rain, it frequently proves a most destructive bait, and will take Salmon as well as Trout. Those Anglers who are desirous of a few good fish, will find it their interest to use it on every suitable occasion, independent of the good fish to be had with it, it is next to fly fishing, the most animating and exciting method of angling. To make your Minnow spin well, one or two swivels should be used, attached to the gut, which should be about a yard in length and of fine and good quality. In fishing the Natural Minnow with two hooks, one of them must be large enough to pa.s.s through the body of the bait, going in at the mouth, and pa.s.sing out at the tail; the other, rather larger than a May-fly hook, should go through the under, and pa.s.s out at the upper lip. In trolling with only two hooks, be careful to give your fish time to gorge, otherwise by striking too quickly, you will miss your prize by pulling the bait out of his mouth. With three or more hooks, which is termed fishing at snap, you cannot strike too soon as the fish is generally caught by one of the loose hooks. If the fish you have hooked be not too heavy, the best plan is to land him at once by a quick and sudden jerk. In fishing the Minnow, if in still, deep water, let it sink a little at first, then draw it quickly towards you, making the bait spin well and briskly, which is effected by the swivel. In streams, especially if they be rapid, cast up and down, but chiefly athwart, by so doing your bait shows greatly to advantage. Trolling in the Tees is not much practised; the difficulty of procuring Minnows at the precise time when wanted, is I suppose the reason. But there are artificial Minnows which in heavy waters will kill well; those sold by Frederick Allies, South Parade, Worcester, and by Farlow, Tackle Maker, in the Strand, London, are excellent, the price for Trout reasonable, two shillings and six pence. The former is styled the Archimedean, the latter the Phantom Minnow, which collapses when struck by a fish. The best river I have ever trolled in, and I do not suppose there is a better in England, is the Eden, which takes its rise a few miles from Kirby Stephen, in Westmoreland, thence to Carlisle, and so seaward, running for the most part over a gravelly and sandy bottom, and full of good Trout, so that splendid sport may be had by trolling when the water is in proper order. The Greta is an excellent trolling stream, but the fish are not near the average weight of those in the Eden. It is not a bad plan when the water is low and fine, and Minnows are easily procured, because you may then see where they are, especially on a sunny day, to catch as many as you want, (which you may do, with small hooks baited with very small red worms,) and then cure them. Of course those cured are not so good and durable as the fresh, but still they are found to take fish very well. And thus provided with artificial and pickled auxiliaries, the indefatigable troller will never be brought to a stand. For what can be more provokingly annoying to an angler, than to have to leave off in the very midst of sport, merely for want of baits?

MAGGOTS

May easily be had; any description of flesh exposed to the sun is soon full of them, for choice I should prefer horse flesh; when sufficiently large they are an excellent bait for Trout; preserve them in tin case (with holes to admit air,) filled with bran, where they will scour a trifle and keep alive some days; when you fish with them, use a Palmer sized hook, and a single No. 5 shot corn, and when the water is as low or almost as much so as it well can be, your gut need not be leaded at all.

WASPS AND HUMBLE BEE GENTLES.

These Gentles are excellent for both Trout and Chub, preserve them the same way as Maggots, and use the same sized hook.

DOCKEN GRUB.

This grub is found, as it name indicates, at the roots of dockens: the body of it is somewhat similar to a Maggot, it is a good bait for Trout and Chub, and may be kept some time in a woollen bag containing fine sand; fish will often take it when they refuse the worm, you may begin to fish with it in February and continue to do so during the season.

Small May-fly hook and one No. 5 shot corn.

CREEPER,

Found underneath stones having a little water and gravel or sand underneath them, may be kept in a May-fly horn, but soon die for want of water; a good bait early and late, or in streams on a hot day. A No.

6 shot corn and May-fly hook, fished like the worm.

CADISS, OR CAD BAIT,

Found in brooks or rivers, encased in little straw or gravel husks: a curious little grub similar to a gentle in size, with a dirty yellow body and black head. Palmer sized hook, shot corn No. 6, or your hook slightly leaded on the upper part of the shank, round which have the hackle of a Landrail or dyed Mallard. Kills well with hackle when the water is slightly discoloured.

WORMS.

"You must not every Worm promiscuous use."--GAY.

The best for Spring fishing are the Marl or Meadow worms, the Gilt Tail, the Squirrel Tail and the Brandling, are excellent in Summer. A Lob Worm well scoured is a good bait early in the morning, either in Spring or Summer. When you fish with the Brandling, it is a killing way to have two on your hook, letting the head of the second Brandling hang a little way over the tail of the first, or you may put heads and tails together; always procure your worms, and put them to some good moss, some time before you want them; after three or four days, by adopting this method, they will be clean, bright and tough; a glazed earthen jar is the best thing to keep them in, and in Summer set your jar in as cool a place as possible; by attention in changing your moss every fourth day, or so, you may preserve and keep your worms a long time.

Moss from heaths and waste lands, is the best you can get; always be careful to pick from the moss all blades of gra.s.s, leaves, or dirt adhering thereto. Put your worms into water if you want them scoured quickly, and let them remain in it for twenty minutes or half an hour, they come out in an exhausted state, but soon recover on being put into good clean moss. Bole Armoniac will also scour them very speedily. As to gum ivy and ointment put to worms to entice fish, such practises I hold to be mere matters of fancy, and I do not deem it necessary to give instructions in reference thereto. It is my opinion only time and trouble thrown away, and you may depend upon this as a fact, that if fish will not take a bright clean worm, the addition of unguents will be found useless. As I have observed elsewhere, it is the eye and not the sense of smell (if they have any) which guides, influences, and directs fish in their choice of food.

You may breed worms in abundance by the aid of decayed vegetables and leaves, mixed with marl or any kind of soil; the Brandling or Red Worm are found in Pig's and other dung, also in Tanner's bark.

SALMON ROE.

Salmon Roe is such a destructive bait for nearly all kinds of fish, and Trout in particular, that I know nothing comparable to it. It is moreover a bait requiring but little skill in the use of it. After a flood, and before the water clears, is the best time for fishing with Roe. Log, or still water having a gravelly, or sandy bottom, is the place to be selected, and you may use three or four stiff rods, placed at convenient distances from each other. You can also have floats if you like, by doing so you will immediately perceive when you have a bite. It is a good plan previous to casting in your lines, to sound the depth of the water, which you may do easily enough with a string leaded for the purpose; because, it is of material consequence that your Roe should lie at, or very near the bottom of the water. A hook about the size of a Limerick May fly hook, is quite large enough to put your roe on, which should be in regard to size about that of a French Bean or marrow fat Pea.

Salmon Roe is cured and preserved by spreading it upon thin layers of cotton wool, pack the layers on each other and cover them tightly up, so as to exclude air; glazed jars covered with bladder over the tops of them are the best to keep your Roe in. When you want to use it, mix the Roe with a little wheaten flour and gum water, to cause adhesion to the hook. In concluding this notice of Roe, I cannot refrain from expressing a hope that gentlemen will abstain from the use of it. By the purchase of Roe they hold out a premium to Salmon poachers who annually destroy immense numbers of sp.a.w.ning fish solely for the sake of the Roe, the high price which it commands encourages them in their illegal pursuits. If there were no buyers of Roe there would soon be a visible increase of Salmon.

DYING FEATHERS FOR FLY MAKING.

For dying feathers use clear soft water; to strike the colour add to each pint of water a piece of alum about the size of a walnut; to dye white feathers yellow, boil them in onion peelings or saffron. Blue feathers by being boiled as above become a fine olive colour. To dye white feathers blue, boil them in Indigo, by mixing the blue and yellow together, and boiling feathers in the mixed liquid, they become green.

Logwood dyes lilac, or pink; to turn red hackles brown, boil them in copperas. To stain hair or gut for a dun colour, boil walnut leaves and a small quant.i.ty of soot in a quart of water for half an hour, steep the gut till it turns the colour you require. To stain gut or hair blue, warm some ink, in which steep for a few minutes, then wash in clean water immediately; by steeping hair or gut in the union dye, it will turn a yellowish green, and in gin and ink it becomes a curious water colour.

TO MAKE STRONG WHITE WAX.

To make strong white wax, take three parts of white rosin and one of mutton suet; let them simmer ten minutes or so over a slow fire, dropping in a small quant.i.ty of essence of lemon, pour the whole into a basin of clear cold water, work the wax through the fingers, rolling it up, and then drawing out until it is tough. It cannot be worked too much. By using this wax the pristine colours of the silk you use in fly making are preserved; common shoemakers wax soils the silk too much.

FISHING PANNIERS OR BASKETS.

The French Baskets are the neatest, lightest and most durable, being closely woven, they very much exclude the air, so that fish look better on being taken out of a pannier of that description; many of the English made fishing baskets, are only of clumsy construction, and have the fault of being too open in the weaving, admitting far too much air, whereby, particularly on windy days, your fish become dry and shrivelled.

LANDING NETS.

Landing nets round or square, are made of strong silk or best water twine cord. Those nets having a joint in the centre of the shank, are most convenient when travelling. It is not advisable to have too deep a net, as your flies become very often entangled in such a one, and cause much trouble and loss of time in extricating them; therefore a net that is sufficiently deep to hold a good fish without admitting a possibility of escape, is the kind of net you require.

WINCHES OR REELS.

Winches may be bought at all tackle shops, and of any size you wish. My remarks on them extend only to this, that they are very useful appendages to any rod, and give you great advantage over a good fish, enabling you to give line and play him as you like; should a breakage of your top or other part of your rod happen, you have it safe, being held by your reel line. A light winch that will hold from 25 to 35 yards of line is sufficient for Trout. A Salmon winch should be capable of holding from 50 to 80 yards of line.

GUT AND HAIR.

In selecting gut for Trout fishing, choose that which is round and fine. What is termed manufactured gut, may be had at most tackle shops, it is exceedingly fine but not durable, the best I ever met with was at Rowel's, at Carlisle, 1d. per length. Hair should be bright, round and strong, chestnut hair suits moss or discoloured waters, if you can procure hair of a light or bluish tint, that is the best of colours; both gut and hair should be wet when knotted.

The Teesdale Angler Part 5

If you are looking for The Teesdale Angler Part 5 you are coming to the right place. The Teesdale Angler is a Webnovel created by R. Lakeland. This lightnovel is currently completed.

OCTOBER.

1. House Fly,--lark's quill feather,--light brown silk,--ribbed with dark Ostrich herl for body,--legs grizzled hackle. 2. Small Olive Blue,--wings Starling's feather stained with onion peelings,--yellow silk for body,--legs olive stained hackle. 3. Dark Grey Midge,--wings dark grey feather of a Partridge,--body brown silk,--legs grey Partridge hackle.

RED PALMER.

Body greenish herl of Peac.o.c.k,--ribbed with gold tinsel,--wrapt with red silk,--red hackle over all.

BLACK PALMER.

Body dark Peac.o.c.k's herl,--ribbed with gold tinsel,--green silk, black, brown or red hackle over all.

MAY FLIES.

THE YELLOW, GREY, AND GREEN DRAKES.

These flies, which are known as May flies, afford great sport. Trout and Greyling are so partial to them that they refuse all others during the time they are on the water, but they are not common to all rivers.

The Driffield, Derwent and other Yorkshire streams, have them in great abundance. The best chance with the artificial May fly, is when there is wind stirring sufficient to cause a pretty considerable curl on the water. The _Yellow Drake_ may be made in this way,--a Mallard's back feather dyed yellow; for wings, c.o.c.k's hackle dyed yellow; underneath the wings to make them stand upright, yellow camlet, ribbed with brown silk for body; tail, two hairs from Squirrel's tail. _Grey Drake_,--wings from Mallard's back feather, black c.o.c.k's hackle underneath; body sky blue camlet ribbed with copper coloured Peac.o.c.k's herl; tail from Squirrel. _Green Drake_,--same as yellow except the wings, which must be from a Mallard's feather dyed a yellowish green.

I have not deemed it requisite to introduce any ill.u.s.trations of flies, because I cannot conceive that any really beneficial results are obtainable by merely showing the difference on paper between natural and artificial flies. Catch the natural fly, imitate it as closely as possible; put your made fly into a tumbler of clear water, then if the size and the prevailing colours as to body and wings resemble your copy, you are all right. This appears to me the best comparative ill.u.s.tration.

I beg to suggest to those who have opportunity and leisure, that they might at the cost of a little trouble, make a collection of all the flies that come on the waters, where they are accustomed to angle. They are easily caught and preserved, and if cla.s.sed according to the months during which they were found, would be useful and interesting to themselves and friends, if only to refer to when manufacturing flies.

HOW TO MAKE A HACKLE FLY.

Take a hook of the required size, between the finger and thumb of your left hand, with the point towards the end of your finger, place the gut along the top of the shank, and with the silk bind them tightly together, beginning half way down the shank, and wrap the end, take two turns back again which will form the head of the fly; lay the feather along the hook, the point towards your left hand, and take three turns over it with the silk, clip off the points of the feather, and bind it neatly round till the fibre is consumed, bring the silk round the root of the feather to bind to the end of the tail of the fly. Cut off all superfluities and fasten off by the drawn knots, then with a needle trim the fibres and your fly is made.

TO MAKE A WINGED FLY.

Have your materials ready, wings silk &c., of the colour you require, then take a hook between the forefinger and thumb of your left hand, with the point towards your forefinger, place the gut at the top of the shank, and with the silk bind them tightly together, bind all tight within two or three turns of the shank of the hook. Take the feather for wings, lay the feather's point the proper length between your finger and thumb along the hook, and take two or three turns over it for the head of the fly, and bind the gut between the second and third fingers of your left hand, and with the scissors clip off the root end of the feather, wrap the silk back again once under the wings, setting them upwards; with the point of the needle divide equally the wings crossing the silk between them. Lay the hackle for legs, root end towards the bend of the hook, wrap your silk over it and so make the body of your fly, then take the fibre end of the hackle, rib the body of the fly neatly with it, till you reach the silk hanging down, wind the silk twice or thrice over the hackle, fasten with the usual knots, and your fly is complete.

MATERIALS REQUIRED FOR MAKING WINGED AND HACKLE FLIES.

In the manufacture of winged flies a great variety of feathers are required. Procure those of a Mallard, Teal, Partridge, especially the tail feathers; also, the wings of a Starling, Jay, Landrail, Waterhen, Blackbird, Fieldfare, Pheasant Hen, Pewitt's Topping, Peac.o.c.k's Herl, green and copper coloured, black Ostrich herl, Snipe, Dottrel, Woodc.o.c.k and golden Plover's wings, the tail feathers of the blue and brown t.i.tmouse, and also Heron's plumes. Dubbing is to be had from old Turkey Carpet, Hare ears, Water Rat's fur, Squirrel, Mohair, old hair cast from young cattle, of a red, blue, brown, black and fawn colour from behind a Spaniel's ears, and from the fur of a Mouse, and note, Martin's fur is the best yellow that can be had. In regard to Silks be careful to suit the colour of the silk (at least as much so as you possibly can,) to the hackle you select for dubbing with. Thus with a Dun hackle, use yellow silk; a black hackle, sky blue; a brown or red hackle, red or dark orange do.

The above selection of silks and dubbing are for Palmers and winged flies generally. It is a good plan however to take and wet your dubbing previous to making use of it, because when dry it may appear the exact colour you need, yet wetted quite the reverse. To acquire an accurate knowledge of any dubbing, hold it between the sun and your eyes.

Mohairs may be had of all colours, black, blue, yellow and tawny, from _feuille morte_ a dead leaf, and Isabella which is a whitish yellow soiled buff.

TO MAKE A PALMER FLY.

Take a length of fine round silk worm gut, half a yard of silk well waxed, (wax if possible of the same colour,) take a No. three or four hook, hold it by the bend between the forefinger and thumb of the left hand, with the shank towards your right hand, and with the point and beard of your hook not under your fingers, but nearly parallel with the tips of them, then take the silk and hold it about the middle of it with your hook, one part laying along the inside of it to your left hand, the other to your right; then take that part of the silk which lies towards your right hand between the forefinger and thumb of that hand, and holding that part towards your left tight along the inside of the hook, whip that to the right three or four times round the shank of the hook towards the right hand, after which take the gut and lay either of its ends along the inside of the shank of the hook, till it comes near the bend of it, then hold the hook, silk and gut tight between the forefinger and thumb of your left hand, and afterwards put that portion of silk into your right, giving three or four more whips over both gut and hook, until it approaches the end of the shank, then make a loop and fasten it tight, then whip it neatly again over both silk, gut, and hook, until it comes near to the end of the hook, make another loop and fasten it again; now wax the longest end of the silk again, then hold your Ostrich strand, dubbing on whatever you have selected, and hook as at first with the silk just waxed anew, whip them three or four times round at the bend of the hook, making them tight by a loop as before, then the strands to your right hand and twisting them and the silk together with the forefinger and thumb of the right hand, wind them round the shank tight, till you come to the place where you fastened, then loop and fasten again, then take your scissors and cut the body of the Palmer into an oval shape, that is, small at the head and the end of the shank, but full in the centre; don't cut too much of the dubbing off. Now both ends of the silk are separated, one at the bend, the other at the end of the shank, wax them afresh, then take the hackle, hold the small end of it between the forefinger and thumb of your left hand, and stroke the fibres of it with those of your right, the contrary way to what they are formed; hold your hook as at the beginning, and place the point of the hackle on its bend with that side growing next to the c.o.c.k's neck upwards, then whip it tight to the hook, but in fastening, avoid if possible, tying the fibres; the hackle now being fast, take it by the large end and keeping that side which lies to the neck of the c.o.c.k to the left hand, begin with your right hand to wind it up the shank upon the dubbing, stopping every second turn, and holding what you have wound tight with the fingers of your left hand, whilst with a needle you pick out the fibres unavoidably left in; proceed in this manner till you come to where you first fastened, and where an end of the silk remains; then clip off the fibres of the hackle which you hold between your finger and thumb close to the stem, and hold the stem close to the hook, afterwards take the silk in your right hand and whip the stem fast to the hook, and make it tight: clip off the remaining silk at both bend and shank of the hook, and also all fibres that start or don't stand well, and then your fly is complete.

GOLDEN PALMER.

Take the hair of a black Spaniel for dubbing, ribbed with gold twist, and a red hackle over all.

SILVER HACKLE PALMER.

The same dubbing as for the Golden Palmer, silver twist over that, and a brown red hackle, and note, when you make Golden or Silver Palmers, and when whipping the end of the hackle to the head of the hook, do the same to the twist whether Gold or Silver, first winding on the dubbing, observing that they lie flat on it, then fasten off and proceed with the hackle, or you may wind the hackle on the dubbing first, and rib the body with either of the twists afterwards. Palmers may be made so as to suit all waters by making them of various colours and sizes, and it is a good plan to fish with a Palmer until you know to a certainty what fly is on the water. Hackles for Palmers should consist of red, dun, yellow, orange and black, they should not by any means exceed half an inch in length. A strong brown red hackle is exceedingly valuable.

Any person who can make a Palmer will make winged flies without difficulty.

TO MAKE HACKLE FLIES.

Select a feather the colour you want, and whose fibres are of the length suitable for the size of the fly you wish to dress. Strip off all superfluous fibres, leaving on the stem of the feather no more than you require for your fly, then having previously waxed about half a yard of fine silk of whatever colour you deem best, take your gut or hair and hook into your left hand, lay the gut inside the shank of the hook nearly down to the bend, then whip the gut and hook, at the end of your hook together, then lay your feather the reverse way from the top of the feather on to the gut and hook, make fast the feather with your silk, then wind your silk on the hook as far as you intend the fibres to extend, holding the hook, gut and silk in your left, with your right wind the fibres down to the silk and make all fast, then wind the remaining part of the gut and hook as far as nearly the bend of the hook with your silk, and fasten; wind your silk back again to the feather, make all fast, cut off the remains of the silk, smooth down the fibres, press them between your finger and thumb, and having arranged them to your mind, the fly is completed. Instead of carrying the silk back again to the feather from the bend of the hook, you may finish there, if you prefer doing so. I prefer the former. Making hackle flies is such an easy matter, that any person with any ingenuity and attention, may soon become a proficient in fabrication of them, and by diligent observation as to the size, colour, and peculiarities of the great variety of natural flies, which make their appearance on the water at particular seasons and hours of the day, he will at all times be enabled to pursue his diversion with the best chance of success.

Nature best followed best secures the sport.

WORM OR BOTTOM FISHING.

You may take Trout in February with the worm if the weather is mild, and continue to do so until the end of October. It is a most alluring and destructive bait, and requires more skill to fish it properly than is generally supposed. After rain, when rivers or brooks are somewhat beyond their usual bounds, a well scoured lob worm will take the best of fish. For worm fishing you must have a yard of good gut attached to your cast line, which line ought to be of the same thickness from the gut to the loop of your reel line, your hooks may be a trifle larger in the Spring than in the Summer, and should be tied on to the gut with good strong red silk; two No. 4 or 5 shot corns, partially split, and then fastened upon the gut about five or six inches from the hooks, and from two to three from each other, are generally sufficient in a strong water to sink your worm to the requisite depth, but in low and fine waters, use two of No. 6, and sometimes one will be sufficient. In worm fishing never attempt to fish down, but always up a stream, and when you are aware that you have a bite, slacken your line a little in order to give time to the fish to gorge, then strike quickly, but not too hard, and land your prize without delay; you need not make more than two or three casts in one place, because if there is a fish he will in those casts either take or refuse your bait. In summer when the water is low and fine, and the thermometer about seventy-five Farenheit, capital sport may be had with well scoured Brandlings, perhaps this sort of fishing is _nulli secundus_, inferior to none in the exercise of skill and ingenuity. The immortal Shakespeare, must surely have fished the worm in clear waters, for he says, "the finest angling 'tis of all to see the fish with his golden fins, cleave the golden flood, and greedily devour the treacherous hook." In the Spring you must give your fish more time before you strike them than in the Summer; because having been sickly and altogether out of order, and not yet having recovered his usual strength and activity, he bites but languidly, and does not gorge so quickly as when in prime condition. When you find Trout pulling or s.n.a.t.c.hing at the worm, which may be termed runaway bites, and when in fact they neither take it nor let it alone, it is a sign they are full, and the best plan to effect a capture under such circ.u.mstance is to strike that moment they touch your bait, for if you do not succeed by a snap, but allow them time, they will only play with it for a few moments, and then finally leave you in the lurch. In concluding my observations on worm fishing, I can with confidence affirm that it is, as a bait for Trout, the most destructive and certain agent the angler (taking the season through) can make use of.

The author of Don Juan certainly did not flatter a worm fisher, one part of his a.s.sertion however is undoubtedly true, the worm was at one end, but it did not necessarily follow, that a fool was at the other.

His poetic and satirical lordship probably never saw Trout taken with the worm in a clear stream, if he had I think he would have been satisfied that there was nothing foolish about it. Osbaldiston in his _British Field Sports_, under the head of _Allurements for Fish_, recommends the gum of ivy, he says, "take gum ivy and put a good deal of it into a box made of oak, and rub the inside of it with this gum; when you angle, put three or four worms into it, but they must not remain long, for if they do, it will kill them, then take them and fish with them, putting more into the worm-bag as you want them. Gum ivy flows from the ivy tree when injured by driving nails into it, wriggling them about and letting them remain for some time; about Michaelmas is the best time to procure it. Gum ivy is of a red colour, of a strong scent, and sharp pungent taste." When fish are disposed to feed, you need not use gum ivy; the attractions of a bright and clear scoured worm are quite sufficient without any such adjunct.

TROLLING WITH THE MINNOW.

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_July._--Light Dottrel and scarlet silk,--Inside of Landrail's wing and yellow silk,--Blackbird and dark red silk,--Feather from neck of a Grouse and scarlet silk,--Plover's breast and bright yellow silk,--Sandpiper and purple silk.--Hooks No. 1 or 2.

_August._--Most of the July hackles for the first fortnight, to which add dark Snipe and green silk,--Snipe's breast feather and purple silk,--Dottrel and black silk,--Landrail and red silk.--Hooks No. 1 and 2.

_September._--Some of the August Flies with Landrail and yellow silk,--pale blue from Sea Swallow's wing and yellow or primrose coloured silk,--pale blue from Sea Swallow and crimson silk.

_October._--Same as March,--with inside of Snipe's wing and yellow silk,--Woodpigeon's feather and yellow silk,--Dottrel and pale yellow silk.--Hooks No. 1 or 2.

I deem _November_ like February, not worth a list.

A LIST OF FLIES THAT WILL, OR AT LEAST ARE LIKELY TO KILL, IN ALL TROUT STREAMS.

FLIES FOR MARCH.

1. Dark Blue,--one of the earliest. 2. Olive Blue,--March and April,--a good Fly in cold weather. 3. Red Clock,--April and March. 4. Little Brown,--March and April, the dark first, then the lighter,--good on warm days. 5. Blue Midge,--early in Spring and late in Autumn. 6. Great Brown, or March Brown,--March, April and first week in May. 7. Yellow Legged Blue,--from the latter end of March to the end of April, on cold days, particularly in April.

FLIES FOR APRIL.

1. Dark Blue,--yellow or Dun Midge from middle of April to middle of May. 2. Spider Legs,--end of April and May,--kills best in a wind. 3.

Land Fly,--end of April till towards the end of May 4. Green Tail or Grannam, from six in the morning till eleven again in the evening, when the Browns are off. 5. Ash Fly,--from April to the end of June,--a good killer on windy days.

FLIES FOR MAY.

1. Grey Midge,--the latter end of April and all Summer. 2. Yellow Sally Fly,--all May. 3. May Brown,--latter end of May till latter end of June. 4. Pale Blue,--from middle of May and all through June,--good in the evenings. 5. Yellow Fly,--the greatest parts of May and June,--kills best on cold windy days. 6. Little Stone Blue,--from the middle of May till the Autumn. 7. May or Stone Fly,--if the weather is genial, the last week in May, and continues through June.

FLIES FOR JUNE.

1. Hawthorn Fly,--all June. 2. Little Dark and Pale Blue,--the dark during the middle of the day, the light in the evening. 3. June Dun,--about the middle of June,--suits showery weather. 4. Twitch Bell,--continues till the middle of July,--best in the evening,--Stone fly.

FLIES FOR JULY.

1. Little Olive Blue,--the greater part of July and August 2. Black and Red Ant Flies,--in July, August and September. 3. Little Blue,--July and August,--best in the middle of the day.

FLIES FOR AUGUST.

1. August Brown,--comes on about the latter end of July, continuing through August and till the middle of September. 2. Light Blue,--August, September and October,--a capital Fly on cold days. 3.

Orange Stinger,--hot days in August. 4. Grey Grannam,--showery days in August and September.

FLIES FOR SEPTEMBER.

1. Light Olive Blue. 2. Small Willow Fly. 3. Large Willow Fly,--September and October.

FLIES FOR OCTOBER.

1. Blue Bottle and House Fly. 2. Small Olive Blue. 3. Dark Grey Midge.

HOW TO DRESS THE ABOVE.

FOR MARCH.

1. Dark Blue,--dark feather inside of Waterhen's wing; body,--dark red brown silk, black hackle for legs--tail two strands of the same. 2.

Olive Blue,--feather of Starling's wing, body light olive silk, and red hackle. 3. Red Clock,--wings and legs red; Peac.o.c.k's brown herl, and bright red silk for body. 4. Little Brown,--feather from inside of Woodc.o.c.k's wing, red copper coloured silk for body, and brown hackle for legs. 5. Blue Midge,--feather of Waterhen's neck,--lead coloured silk for body, grizzled hackle for legs. 6. Great Brown,--feather from the hen Pheasant's wing,--dark orange silk for body, brown red hackle for legs,--tail do. 7. Yellow Legged Blue,--feather from inside of Teal's wing, or lightest part of Starling's wing,--straw coloured silk for body, legs yellow hackle,--tail do.

FOR APRIL.

1. Dark Blue,--same as March. 2. Dun Midge,--lightest part of a Thrush's quill feather,--pale yellow silk, ribbed with light orange,--legs yellow hackle. 3. Spider Legs,--rusty coloured feather from Feldfare's back,--lead coloured silk for body, grizzled hackle for legs. 4. Sand Fly,--ruddy mottled feather of hen Pheasant's wing,--reddish fur from Hare's neck, ribbed with light brown silk,--ginger coloured hackle for legs. 5. Green Tail or Grannam,--wings inside of hen Pheasant's wing,--body lead coloured silk, with Peac.o.c.k's green herl for tail,--legs ginger hackle. 6. Inside of Woodc.o.c.k's wing,--body orange coloured silk neatly ribbed,--hackle from a grouse for legs.

FOR MAY.

1. Grey Midge,--feather from Woodc.o.c.k's breast,--body of pale yellow silk. 2. Yellow Sally,--pale yellow feather,--body yellow silk,--legs yellow hackle. 3. May Brown,--ruddy grey,--feather from Partridge's back,--olive coloured silk ribbed with light brown for body,--legs, hackles of an olive colour, tail do. 4. Pale Blue,--Sea Swallow for wings,--yellow pale silk for body, ribbed with sky blue,--pale yellow hackles for legs,--tail do.,--Little Stone Blue,--feather from Blackbird inside the wing, or Swift,--brown silk for body, brown hackle for legs. Stone Fly,--Mallard's feather from the back,--very large for wings,--two strands of yellow, and one of drab,--Ostrich herl neatly ribbed,--tie with brown silk.--horns and tail, black cat's whiskers.

FLIES FOR JUNE.

1. Little Dark Blue,--inside of Waterhen's wing,--lead coloured silk for body, legs yellowish dun hackle, tail Rabbit's whisker. 2. Pale Blue--light part of Starling's quill feather for wings, pale yellow silk for body, pale yellow dun hackle for legs and tail. 3. June Dun--a feather from Dottrel's back, hackled on a body of blue Rabbit's fur and drab silk, dun hackle for legs. 4. Twitchbell--inside of lightest part of Starling's quill feather for wings, brown hackle for legs, brown Peac.o.c.k's herl for body.

FLIES FOR JULY.

1. Little Olive Blue--Feather of Starling's wing dyed in onion peelings, lead coloured silk for body, ribbed with yellow, dun hackle for legs, stained like the wings, Rabbit's whiskers for tail. 2. Little Black Ant--feather of a Bluecap's tail for wings, black Ostrich herl dressed small in the middle for body, brown hackle for legs. 3. Red Ant--Lark's Quill feather for wings, c.o.c.k Pheasant's herl from tail for body, red hackle for legs. 4. Little Blue--Bullfinch's tail feather for wings, dark blue silk for body, dark blue hackle for legs, tail do.

FLIES FOR AUGUST.

1. August Brown--feather from hen Pheasant's wing,--fern coloured fur from Hare's neck, ribbed with pale yellow silk,--grizzled hackle for legs,--tail do. 2. Light Blue,--inside of Snipe's wing,--body light Drab silk,--tail and legs grizzled hackle. 3. Cinnamon Fly,--feather from Landrail,--orange and straw coloured silk for body,--ginger hackle for legs. 4. Light Blue,--inside of Snipe's wing,--light drab silk for body,--legs and tail grizzled hackle. 5. Dark Blue,--feather from Waterhen inside the wing,--reddish brown silk for body,--legs and tail brown hackle. 6. Orange Stinger,--taken from middle of August to the end of September--feather from Starling's quill,--the head brown--the tail orange silk,--for body and legs, furnace hackle. 7. Grey Grannam,--dark feather from night Hawk or brown Owl,--red Squirrel's fur and fawn coloured silk for body,--ginger hackle for legs.

FLIES FOR SEPTEMBER.

1. Light Olive Blue,--Dottrel's wing,--body pale white French silk,--legs and tail pale blue hackle. 2. Dark Olive Blue,--wings inside of Waterhen's wing,--body lead coloured silk,--black hackle for legs,--tail Hare's whiskers. 3. Small Willow Fly,--wings inside of Woodc.o.c.k's wing feather,--body mole's fur and yellow silk,--brown hackle for legs.

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[6] This fly kills well when the water is low and fine.

_July._--1. Orange Fly--dubbed with brown fur of a badger, warped with red silk, wings from dark grey feather of mallard, with a head made of red silk. 2. The Wasp Fly--dubbed with brown bear or cow's hair, ribbed with yellow silk, and the wings of the inside of starling's wing. 3.

The Black Palmer--dubbed with black copper coloured peac.o.c.k's harl, and a black c.o.c.k's hackle over that, wings, blackbird. 4. The July Dun--dubbed with the down of a watermouse, mixed with bluish seal's fur, or with the fur of a mole, mixed with a little marten's fur, warped with ash coloured silk, wood-pigeon's wing feather for wings.--A good killer.

_August._--The Late Ant Fly--dubbed with the blackish brown hair of a cow, warp some red silk in for the tag of the tail, the wings from a woodc.o.c.k. 2. The Fern Fly--dubbed with the fur from a hare's neck, which is of a fern colour, wings dark grey feather of mallard. 3. The White Palmer--dubbed with white peac.o.c.k's harl, and a black hackle over it. 4. The Pale Blue--dubbed with very light blue fur, mixed with a little yellow marten's fur, and a blue hackle over the whole, the wings from a blue pigeon.--A very killing fly. 5. The Harry Longlegs--dubbed with darkish brown hair, and a brown hackle over it, head rather large.

_September._--The Peac.o.c.k Harl--dubbed with ruddy peac.o.c.k's harl, warped with green silk, and a red c.o.c.k's hackle over that. 2. The Camel Brown--dubbed with old brownish hair, with red silk, wings dark grey feather from mallard. 3. The Late Badger--dubbed with black fur of a badger or spaniel, mixed with the soft yellow down of a sandy coloured pig, wings dark mallard. 4. The September Dun--dubbed with the down of a mouse, warped with ash coloured silk, wings feather of a starling.

_October._--Same as March.

As I never fished for Trout in November, I attempt no list of Flies for that month. From Michaelmas to the middle of February, all anglers should refrain from killing Trout.

_Moths Brown and White for Evening Fishing._--The Brown--from the feathers of a brown Owl, dubbed with light mohair, dark grey c.o.c.k's hackle for legs, and red head. White Moth--strands from an Ostrich, wings from a white Pigeon, a white hackle for legs, and a black head.--Hooks No. 2 or 3. Good killers at dusk on a Summer's evening.

LIST OF HACKLE FLIES FROM FEBRUARY TO NOVEMBER.

_February._--Small black flies, made from Starling's breast or Black bird, with black or purple silk--hook No. 1. Inside and out of Woodc.o.c.k's wing and yellow silk. Plover's breast or Dottrel's wing feather and yellow silk--hooks No. 1 or 2; red c.o.c.k's hackle and yellow silk.

_March._--Inside of Woodc.o.c.k's wing and yellow silk, No. 2 hook. Dark Woodc.o.c.k, and dark orange silk, No. 2 hook. Dottrel and yellow silk, No. 2 hook. Dark Snipe and crimson silk, No. 2 hook. Dark Snipe and purple silk, No. 1 hook.

_April._--Woodc.o.c.k's as for March. Inside of Woodc.o.c.k's wing and yellow silk, No. 2 hook. Freckled Snipe and yellow silk. No. 2 hook. Dark Snipe and crimson silk, No. 2 hook. Dottrel and yellow silk,--inside of Snipe's wing, and pale yellow silk,--hooks No. 2.

_May._--All the above April flies are taken, also, Partridge's breast and yellow or crimson silk, very light Dottrel's or plover's breast and fawn coloured silk, Blackbird and purple silk, Blackbird and dark crimson silk, sea Swallow and primrose silk, inside of Woodc.o.c.k's wing and crimson silk--hooks, 1 or 2 according to water.[7]

[7] When there is much water some of the Spring and Autumn Hackle flies may be dressed on No. 3 Hooks.

_June._--Most of the above, to which add Dottrel and orange silk, Plover and light orange silk, dark Snipe and orange silk, Freckled Snipe and orange silk, freckled Snipe and crimson silk. Hooks No. 1 or two according to size of water. Dottrel's breast and yellow silk,--Hooks No. 1.

_July._--Many of the above, with Sandpiper and yellow or purple silk, Plover's breast and crimson silk Wren's tail and orange silk, Dottrel and bright scarlet silk; Plover's back feather with gold twist and orange silk, Landrail and bright red silk, dark Snipe and sky coloured blue silk.--Hooks No. 1 or 2 at discretion. If the water is very clear, use hooks as small as possible.

_August._--Some of the July flies for the first fortnight, with dark Snipe and green, Snipe's breast and purple silk, Dottrel and black silk, Landrail and red silk, dark Snipe or Starling's breast and red silk, Grouse hackle and bright scarlet silk.--Hooks 1 and 2 according to water.

_September._--Some of the August Flies, with Landrail and yellow silk, pale blue from sea Swallow and primrose silk, pale blue from ditto and crimson silk,--Hooks 1 and 2.

_October._--Inside of Snipe's wing feather and yellow silk, Woodpigeon's feather and pale yellow silk, dark outside feather of Snipe's wing and crimson or orange silk, outside feather of Dottrel's wing and yellow silk--hooks No. 1 or 2.

_November._--Same Flies as February.

The Blue, Black and Dun Gnats are at times on the water from May to August, and when the fish are taking them they generally refuse the larger flies.

The Blue Gnat may be made thus: A blue feather from a t.i.tmouse's tail for wings, body from pale blue floss silk, on a cypher hook, which means the smallest hook made; or the wings may be had from Heron's plumes, with same or primrose silk.

Black Gnat--Starling's breast and black silk, cypher hook; or black Ostrich strand and inside wing feather of Starling for wings.

Dun Gnat--from inside wing feather of a Landrail and fawn coloured silk--cypher hook.

Observe, that you may put more feather on your hackle flies in the Spring than in the Summer; when the water is low and clear, a very small quant.i.ty of hackle is sufficient, and it should by no means descend much, if any, below the bend of the hook.

In low waters, except when the blue, dun and brown drakes are on, the hackle flies will generally be found to kill better than the winged flies.

REMARKS ON THE MARCH BROWN OR DUN DRAKE.

The March Brown is well known to all anglers as a fly to which they are chiefly indebted for the greatest portion of their sport in the Spring, commencing as its name indicates in March, and continuing the whole of April and into May. They appear on the water each succeeding day about eleven in the forenoon, and retire about half-past two p.m. Few rivers or brooks produce March Browns that are exactly alike;--I mean with regard to the same shade of colour, even in the same river there are frequently darker and lighter flies. For the lighter one I recommend the hen pheasant's or brown owl's wing feather, dubbed with hare's ear and yellow silk; for the dark, the tail feather of a partridge, a brown red hackle underneath the wings, and dark orange silk, or a woodc.o.c.k's feather for wings, and a dark red hackle with dark orange silk,--kills exceedingly well. When the water is low and fine, I consider your chance of killing fish far greater with two, than three of the large spring flies. If you put the brown, and blue dun on your stretcher, three quarters of a yard apart, you will find your cast will be much lighter with the two than three; this plan also holds good in reference to hackle flies, provided that you know what the fish are taking.

SELECT LIST OF VERY KILLING FLIES, BOTH PALMERS AND HACKLES.

If these flies do not answer, it is very rare that you will succeed with any other. They are suitable for all the rivers and brooks of Yorkshire, Durham, Westmoreland and c.u.mberland; about thirty years experience has convinced me of their entire excellence, and probably the ingenuity of man cannot devise any to supersede them.

Palmers for March, April, and first week in May,--The March Brown or Dun Drake,--The Blue Dun,--Early Bright Brown.

_May._--The Dun Cut,--The Cow Dung Fly, and also the March Brown and Blue Dun are on the waters in late seasons to the middle of the month.

_June._--Little Black Gnat,--The Brown Palmer,--Little Red Spinner--and Alder Fly.

_July._--The Wasp Fly,--Black Palmer,--July Dun.

_August._--The Late Ant Fly,--The Pale Blue.

_September._--The September Dun,--The Camel Brown and Willow Fly.

_October._--Blue Dun, Pale Blue, and Dun Drake.

NOTE.--If there are no Flies on the water when you begin to angle, try a Palmer till you find what Flies the fish are taking. One Palmer and two small hackle Flies on your stretcher give a tolerable good chance.

LIST OF HACKLES AND SILKS TO SUIT.

(GOOD KILLERS.)

_For March and April._--Dark Snipe and crimson silk,--Dark Snipe and Purple silk.--Hooks No. 1 and 2.--Outside feather of Woodc.o.c.k's wing and dark orange silk.--Inside feather of Woodc.o.c.k's wing and yellow silk.--Dottrel's back or neck feather and yellow silk.--Hooks No. 2 or 3.

_May._--Inside and outside feathers of Woodc.o.c.k's wing, with orange and yellow silk,--Starling or Blackbird's breast and black silk,--Freckled Snipe and yellow silk,--Dark Snipe and crimson silk.--Hooks No. 1 and 2.

_June._--Blackbird and orange silk,--Plover and orange silk.--Dottrel's breast and yellow silk,--Freckled Snipe and crimson silk,--Partridge's breast and crimson or yellow silk,--Dark Snipe and yellow silk,--Freckled Snipe and orange silk,--Sandpiper and purple or yellow silk.--Hooks No. 1 or 2.

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LIST OF PALMER FLIES FROM MARCH TO OCTOBER.

The following list of flies will take fish in all Trouting streams of Yorkshire, Durham, Northumberland, c.u.mberland and Westmoreland.

MARCH.

Dark Brown.

Great Whirling Dun.

Early Bright Brown.

Blue Dun.

Little Black Gnat.

APRIL.

Dark Brown.

Violet Fly.

Little Whirling Dun.

Small Bright Brown.

MAY.

Dun Cut.

Stone Fly.

Camlet Fly.

Cow Dung Fly.

JUNE.

Stone Fly.

Ant Fly.

Little Black Gnat.

Brown Palmer.

Small Red Spinner.

JULY.

Orange Fly.

Wasp Fly.

Black Palmer.

July Dun.

AUGUST.

Late Ant Fly.

Fern Fly.

White Palmer.

Pale Blue.

Harry Long Legs.

SEPTEMBER.

Peac.o.c.k Harl.

Camel Brown.

Late Badger.

September Dun.

OCTOBER.

Same Flies as in March.

It is best to make your Flies in a warm room, or in warm weather out of doors,--your silk will then wax kindly, which is of great consequence in making Flies.

The three best winged Flies for Spring, are the Red Fly, Blue, Dun and Brown.

The three princ.i.p.al Flies for AUTUMN are the little Whirling Blue, Pale Blue, and Willow Fly.

FEBRUARY.--Red Fly.

MARCH.--Red Fly, Dun Fly and Brown Drake.

APRIL.--The same as March with the addition of the Grannam or Green Tail, and the Spider Fly.

MAY.--The Black Caterpillar, the Little Iron Blue, the Yellow Sally Fly, the Oak Fly and the Orl Fly.

JUNE.--Sky Coloured Blue, the Cadiss Fly, the Blue Gnat, Large Red Ant Fly, Black Ant Fly, Little Whirling Blue, Pale Blue.

JULY.--Some of the same Flies as June, with the addition of the Wasp Fly, Black Palmer, July Dun, and Orange Fly.

AUGUST.--Small Red and Black Ant Flies, Willow Flies.

SEPTEMBER.--Pale Blues, and Whirling Blue.

OCTOBER.--Same as March, with the addition of the Dark and Pale Blues.

_March._--1. The Dark Brown--dubbed with the brown hair of a cow, and the grey feather of a Mallard for wings. 2. The Great Whirling Dun--dubbed with squirrels fur, for wings, grey feather of mallard. 3.

Early Bright Brown--dubbed with brown hair from behind the ears of a spaniel dog, wings from a mallard. 4. The Blue Dun--dubbed with down from a black greyhound's neck, mixed with violet coloured blue worsted, wings pale part of a starling's wing. 5. The Black Gnat--dubbed with black mohair, the wings of the lightest part of a starling.

_April._--1. The Dark Brown,--brown spaniel's hair mixed with a little violet camlet, warp with yellow silk, wings, grey feather from mallard.

2. The Violet Fly--dubbed with dark violet stuff, and a little dun bear's hair mixed with it, wings from a mallard. 3. The Little Whirling Dun--dubbed with fox cubs fur, ash coloured, ribbed about with yellow silk, wings a pale grey feather from a mallard. 4. Small Bright Brown--dubbed with camel's hair, and marten's yellow fur mixed, wings pale feather of a starling.

_May._--The Dun Cut--dubbed with brown hair, a little blue and yellow mixed with it, wings, woodc.o.c.k, and two horns at the head from a squirrel's tail. 2. The Stone Fly--dubbed with dun bear's hair, mixed with a little brown and yellow camlet, so placed that the fly may be yellower on the belly and towards the tail than any where else, place two hairs from a black cat's beard, in such a way that they may stand upright, rib the body with yellow silk, and make the wings very large from the dark grey feathers of a mallard. 3. The Camlet Fly--dubbed with dark brown shining camlet, ribbed over with green silk, wings, grey feather of a mallard. 4. Cow Dung Fly--dubbed with light brown and yellow camlet mixed, or dirty lemon coloured mohair with the hackle of a landrail.[5]

[5] A good Fly on cold windy days.

_June._--1. The Ant Fly--dubbed with brown and red camlet mixed, wings, starling's feather, pale. 2. Little Black Gnat--dubbed with black strands from an ostrich, wings, light feather from underneath starling's wing. 3. Brown Palmer--dubbed with light brown seal's hair, warped with ash coloured silk and a red hackle over the whole. 4. The Small Red Spinner--dubbed with yellow hair from behind the ear of a spaniel, ribbed with gold twist, a red hackle over the whole, the wings from a starling.[6]

The Teesdale Angler Part 1

If you are looking for The Teesdale Angler Part 1 you are coming to the right place. The Teesdale Angler is a Webnovel created by R. Lakeland. This lightnovel is currently completed.

The Teesdale Angler.

by R Lakeland.

PREFACE.

I find it requisite to say something by way of preface to the Teesdale Angler, chiefly, because I wish it to be understood that my work, though bearing a local t.i.tle, is intended as a help and guide to Trout fishers generally, especially those of Yorkshire, Durham, Westmoreland, and c.u.mberland.

To the extent of my ability, I have endeavoured to point out, and explain the various methods, means, and devices, natural and artificial, for taking Trout. The Artificial Fly List will I trust be found amply sufficient for most Anglers. I have only to add, that my treatise is the result of a considerable amount of practical Angling experience, extending over a period of upwards of 35 years, and the chief object I have in view will be accomplished, if the hints and instruction contained in it, tend to aid the diversion, and promote the amus.e.m.e.nt of those who wish to be proficient in the art of a pleasing and fascinating recreation.

R. LAKELAND.

THE TEESDALE ANGLER.

_Pisces Fluviales_--RIVER FISH.

_Salmo_--The SALMON.

_Trutta_--The TROUT.

_Thymallus_--The GRAYLING.

_Capito Seu Cephalus_--The CHUB.

_Salmonidae_--SMELTS.

_Anguilla_--The EEL.

_Various seu Phocinus_--The MINNOW.

_Cobitus Fluviatilis Barbatula_--The LOACH.[1]

[1] This fish has only been observed in the Tees during the last few years.

I deem a very brief notice of the above varieties of fish sufficient,--they have been described over and over again by much abler pens than mine, and I advise all those who are desirous of minute details, as to their conformation and habits, to have recourse to one of the published Histories of British Fishes,[2] indeed all the above fish and their varieties have been faithfully and naturally described in (I take it for granted) every angling book that has yet been published. As to Salmon, I need allude no further than observe (as every one knows that they are both ocean and river fish) that they afford, when plentiful, excellent sport to the angler, taking freely the Minnow, Worm and Fly, that they generally select the deepest pools of a river for their chief residence, but yet may be taken anywhere with the fly where there is three feet of water. They generally rise best about eleven o'clock in the forenoon, and three in the afternoon of a day. When there is a little wind stirring, if accompanied by rattling showers of hail or snow in the Spring, or heavy showers of rain in Summer, so much the more likely for sport.

[2] Very many clever men have written diffusely on Ichthyology.

Aristotle was one of the first who divided fishes into different orders, he divided them into three, but Linnaeus separated them into five.

Salmon fishing in every respect is similar in the _modus operandi_, to that of Trout,--requiring not more, if so much skill, but more nerve and patience with, of course, much stronger rod and tackle, and larger flies, and if you try worms, two large lob worms well scoured, should be put on the same hook,--you also require a Gaff for large fish. The best Salmon Flies for the Tees (which is by no means a good Angling river for Salmon) are the Dragon and King's Fisher, to be bought at most tackle shops, and a fly deemed a great killer made with a bright scarlet body, and wings from the black feather of a turkey.

THE TROUT.

The Trout almost every one knows, that the Trout is a delicious fish, beautiful and elegant in form and appearance. Trouts vary, being yellow, red, grey and white, the latter like Salmon, go into salt water. Trout sp.a.w.n in the winter months, after which they become sickly and infested with a species of what may be denominated fresh water lice. In winter he keeps to the deep water; in spring and summer he delights in rapid streams, where, keeping his head up the water, he waits for his expected prey. There is no other fish that affords such good and universal sport, or that exercises the skill and ingenuity of the angler so much. The different modes by which to effect his capture are fully described under the different heads of fly trolling and bottom fishing. This fish (but seldom taken any great weight) abounds in the Tees and its tributary streams.

THE GRAYLING.

The Grayling is a beautifully formed fish, and affords the angler good sport--he is a much better-flavoured fish than the Chub, though not comparable to Trout. He delights in rapid streams, and during the Summer months is rarely found in deep water. The Grayling will take the same flies and bait as Trout--a little black fly is an especial favourite with him, but he will spring a long way out of water to catch a fly of any description which may be sporting above him. The Grayling sp.a.w.ns at the end of April and beginning of May.

CHUB, OR CHEVIN.

The Chub is a very timorous fish, utterly worthless as food except during the winter months. He frequents deep water, and loves shady places, where he can shelter under the roots of trees, &c. The Chub sp.a.w.ns in May and June. He is a leather-mouthed fish, so that once hooked you are sure of him; he struggles fiercely for a moment, then yields without further effort, and allows himself to be dragged unresistingly to land. He will take the same flies as the Trout, also all kinds of gentles, maggots and worms, especially small red worms; is fond of the humble Bee, Salmon Roe, and Creeper; will take a variety of pastes, as old white bread moistened with a little linseed oil and made into small b.a.l.l.s; old Cheshire cheese mixed with a little tumeric, and bullock or sheep's brains, also bullock's blood mixed with wheaten flour, and worked up to a proper consistency, are all good baits for Chub in the winter months. A c.o.c.kchafer with his wings cut off is also a very good bait for large Chub. When rivers are frozen, you may catch Chub by breaking a hole in the ice, the fish will come to the aperture for air, and, perceiving the bait, take it--your line need not extend to the depth of more than a yard. Observe that your paste b.a.l.l.s are of consistency sufficient to adhere firmly to your hook, which should not be larger than a small May-fly hook, or two No. 3 fly hooks tied firmly together are much better.

SALMON SMELTS.

The growth of Salmon, as is well known, is so surprisingly quick, that Smelts from Ova deposited by Salmon during the Autumn and Winter months, will in some instances, by the first week in May, be found to weigh after the rate of five or six to the pound. They rise very freely at the fly, and afford the angler (who is fond of small fry), lots of sport, they are partial to streams, and also to a gaudy fly. Smelts will rise at almost any moderate sized fly, but the three most killing, are a small black fly, with scarlet or crimson silk body, black fly, ribbed with gold, or silver twist, golden plover's speckled feather from the back, and gold twist. They are also rather fond of a fly made from a partridge's breast feather, and body of crimson floss silk. The flies must be fastened upon small hooks not larger than No. 1. Few Smelts are to be seen after the second week in May. There is an old saying,

"That the first flood in May, Takes all the Smelts away."

Salmon Trout, or Herling as they are called in Scotland, are a beautiful and elegantly formed fish, and rise very freely at common Trout Flies, these fish go into salt water.

THE PINK, OR BRANDLING.

The Pink is plentiful in the Tees and many of its tributaries, it is altogether a handsomer fish than the Trout, to which however in some respects it bears a strong resemblance. It is seldom taken above a quarter of a pound in weight. Is very vigorous and strong for its size, delights in rapid streams, takes the same baits and flies as the Trout, but when the water is low and the weather hot, is exceedingly fond of the maggot, or brandling worm. The Cad bait, with a little hackle round the top of the shank of the hook, kills well. The hackle should be Landrail, or a Mallard's feather dyed yellow, the latter for choice.

THE EEL

May be termed amphibious, for about the time oats run, he has been met with at considerable distances from water, and has even been detected in pea fields, gorged with the usual accessories to duck, to which in some respects he is so far a.n.a.logous--that though a foul feeder he is excellent as an edible. He inhabits mud and sand banks, and also conceals himself under tree roots, stones and rocks. You may angle for him with Salmon Roe, a lob-worm or Minnow after a flood and before the water has subsided, but he is usually taken by night-lines, baited with lob-worms or Minnows. As I have before intimated, he is not nice, and will not refuse any kind of garbage. If you angle for him your tackle should be strong and leaded, so as to keep your line at bottom.

THE MINNOW.

The Minnow is in deep water during winter, and the shallowest of streams in summer; he is taken with a small red worm, or with young Cad bait. The Minnow bites freely in fine weather, and you may take almost as many as you please by angling for them. When the water is clear, they may be taken by means of a large transparent gla.s.s bottle, wide at the top of the neck but gradually narrowing, in fact a complete decoy; inside the bottle are red worms, and the bottle, to which is attached a string, thrown round the neck, is cast into the water; in a little time a shoal of Minnows surround the bottle, enter, and feast. When the bottle is tolerably full, a pull at the string brings bottle and Minnows to land.

THE LOACH

Is found underneath stones at the bottom of rivers and brooks, and also amongst gravel; it is a good bait for Trout and Eels. The Loach will bite freely at small red worms. The hook same as for Minnows.

THE BULL-HEAD

Though an ugly looking fish is good to eat; you may catch him with any small worms and small hook, he is found amongst stones and gravel.

ADVICE TO BEGINNERS.

Angling is such a popular recreation that professors of the gentle craft are to be found amongst all cla.s.ses and conditions of the _Genus h.o.m.o_. The disciples of glorious old Izaack--is not their name Legion?

In early youth, fascinated with the capture of the tiny Minnow or glittering Gudgeon, the youthful Tyro is known in after years as the expert Salmon and Trout fisher. To become a really expert angler, requires a good deal of energy, perseverance, and activity, accompanied by a suitable amount of patience and ingenuity. In the fourth chapter of Waverly are the following observations, "that of all diversions which ingenuity ever devised for the relief of idleness, fishing is the worst qualified to amuse a man, who is at once indolent and impatient, such men's Rods are quickly discarded." My advice to those who are desirous of enjoying "the contemplative man's recreation," is that they undergo a probationary course, under the guidance of a competent professor. Three or four days of diligent observation employed in watching the manual operations of an instructor, would go far towards giving them a pretty good idea of how to set about catching a Trout with either fly or bait; indeed much more so than any written or oral instruction could convey. In fact if they are attentive spectators, they may soon acquire a fund of useful practical information, with which they may commence angling with a fair chance of success. Theory may be very good, but practice is much better, and will only make the complete angler. Good Rods, superb Flies, and the best of all kinds of tackle are of little use, if any, in the hands of a person who has not previously acquired some notion as to the proper application of them.

Doubtless many a sanguine aspirant to piscatory fame, has, after an expensive outlay at a tackle shop, been grieviously disappointed when trying his luck in a celebrated Trout stream,--he discovers to his intense disgust and mortification, that the fish will "not come and be killed." Probably, and indeed most likely, he throws down his rod, votes fishing a bore,

"Chews the cud of bitter disappointment o'er, Has fished his first and last, and so will fish no more."