Artificial flies, intended as they are to bear something like a resemblance to the actual live flies, are the most important lures used by the angler. The chief materials for dressing flies are cocks' hackles or other feathers, to form wings; the fur of a hare's ear, mouse, water-rat, or some other animal, to form the body; and waxed silk thread to tic the whole, in an artful, neat manner, to the shank of the hook.
The following is a list of trout-flies and spiders, with a supply of which the angler may pursue his "meditative art" in almost any river or stream in Great Britain through out the entire season. Spiders are dressed, as they naturally exist, without wings.
1. Wings formed of feathers from the wing of the chaffinch, with a black hackle, tied with slate-colored silk.
2. Wings composed of woodcock or partridge feathers, and red hackle, tied with yellow silk.
3. Wings formed of the feathers of the corn bunting, with a red hackle wound round close to the head, tied with orange-colored silk.
4. Wings formed from the speckled feather of the teal, with a black hackle wound round close to the head, tied with brown silk. The same wing with a red hackle, tied with yellow silk, also makes a killing fly.
5. Wings from the feathers of the dotterel; body and hackle same as No. 2.
6. Wings from woodcock or corn bunting wing; body of hare's car.
Spielers.-1. From the small feather of the dotterel wing, tied with yellow silk thread.
2. From the small glistening feather taken from the outside of the shoulder of the starling's wing, tied with yellow silk thread.
3. From the neck-feathers of the hill-partridge, tied with yellow silk thread.
4. From the black hen-hackle, tied with small black silk thread.
5. From the blue hen-hackle, tied with yellow silk thread.
6. From a small red cock-hackle, or the small feather of the landrail's wing, tied with yellow silk.
Of salmon flies, the best two we know of are formed from the following materials: "No. 1. Tail—crest-feather from golden pheasant; tip—gold tinsel and orange silk, with two turns of ostrich herl; body composed of claret-colored pigs' wool and mohair mixed, with a little pigs wool at the head, of a light-blue shade; wound with silver tinsel and dark-red hackle, with blue jay's feather for shoulders; wings—from the teal-duek or widgeon, distinctly marked or barred; head—of black ostrich herl.
"No. 2. Tail—crest feather from golden pheasant; body composed of pigs' wool and mohair mixed, of a dark-cinnamon shade; wound with silver twist and dark-red hackle; shoulders composed of breast-feather of the argus pheasant; wings composed of golden pheasant tippet or neck feathers, distinctly marked teal, four fibers of blue and red macaw tail-feathers, with pairs of wings from the brown and black barred feathers of the peacock wing surmounting the whole; a blue feather from the kingfisher or blue chat terer on each side of the wings; feelers—from blue and buff macaw tail-feathers; head— black ostrich herl." Larger and more gaudily dressed hooks are necessary for some of the bigger rivers of Great Britain, such as the 'Shannon in Ireland, and the- Tay in Scotland; but the two here described are the most killing varieties for general use that we know of, and have been found more or less serviceable in every salmon river of any importance. No. 1 may be varied by different shades of wing, to suit various colors and sizes of water. Both are stock•flies with every tackle-maker.
The angler's equipment is completed by the addition of a basket or bag for holding his fish, and a tackle-book; also a flat, round tin box for holding his fly-casts. In fishing for perch, gudgeons, bream, etc., a small float is often used. Floats are made of cork, quill, reed, another light materials; and a choice, according to circumstances, may be added to the tackle-book. Books adapted for the angler's purpose can be had of any tackle-maker.
The angler's dress should be a plain, dull-colored suit; his shoes strong; and if be pre fers wading, his boots or leggings should be waterproof.
The gaff and landing-net are each useful for securing large fish when stranded in very shallow water, or when fishing from a boat; and the drag-kook, which is an instrument with three bent prongs or hooks, with a long strong line attached, is frequently useful for casting into rivers or lochs to clear away any object at the bottom on which the hook has fouled.