xii

PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION.

intend the colouring of each particular impression.

He therefore presumes to hope that he has succeeded in giving a useful collection of the leading flies for every month in the season, and that any one, who may be led by it to a choice of flies from the stock of the manufacturer, or to the construction of his own, will not have cause to repent having consulted the catalogue, chiefly composing the fourth Chapter.

But since in his endeavours to improve the art of fly-making, careful observations were made relative to some of the habits of the Trout and Grayling, and of many insects upon which these fish prey; it is hoped that a few of these observations, intermixed with a little useful information, and some remarks on other points more or less connected with the principal subject, will not be thought inappropriate. These form the subjects of the three preceding Chapters.

Chiswick, June, 1836.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.

OBSERVATIONS ON THE TROUT AND GRAYLING.

OF THE TROUT. His Weight, Colour, Condition, Haunts,
&c. Description of a Fishing-hut or Observatory.
The Trout's sense of Hearing. Sight. Taste and

Smell. Manner of Feeding, &c.

Of the GRAYLING. Size. Colour. Season. Localities.

Habits.

Food, &c.

CHAP. II.

OF ROD, LINE, AND OTHER TACKLE.

The Rod. Line. Reel. End Line. Hooks. Dubbing-
bag. Feather-book. How to make a Winged Fly
and a Palmer. Dyes for Feathers. Fly Books. Creel.
Landing Net. Tackle-makers, &c.

CHAP. III.

MANNER OF FISHING FOR TROUT AND GRAYLING.

Preparation of the Rod and Line. Art of Throwing.
Choice of Weather. State of the Water. Choice of
a Fly. Appearance of Life to be given to the Fly.

Page

1

22

Buzz Flies. Rising short, &c. Sudden cessation of

Rises, &c. Places to be whipped, &c. Throwing to

a Trout just risen. Striking. Killing, Landing.

Difference between Trout and Grayling fishing.

Manner of presenting the Fly to a Grayling. Land-
ing him, &c.

Page

43

CHAP. IV.

AN ILLUSTRATED LIST OF INSECTS, AND THEIR IMITATIONS,

USED IN FLY FISHING.

Introduction. Flies to be used in March. Flies for
April. For May. For June. For July. For August.
For September. Palmers for the Season, &c. -

55

LIST OF PLATES.

Plate

Trout, Grayling and Parr
I. Haunts of the Trout, &c.
II. Optical Diagrams -

III. Fly-making Processes

IV. Red Fly. - Blue Dun. Red Spinner

-

Frontispiece.
Page 4

V. Water Cricket. Great Dark Drone. Cow Dung

Fly

10

32

60

64

VI. Peacock Fly.- March Brown.- Great Red Spinner 68

VII. Golden Dun Midge. — Sand Fly. - Stone Fly
VIII. Gravel Bed. Grannom. - Yellow Dun

IX. Iron Blue Dun. - Jenny Spinner - Hawthorn Fly
X. Little Yellow May Dun.- Black Gnat. — Oak Fly
XI. Turkey Brown. Little Dark Spinner. - Yellow

84

88

92

96

Sally

XII. Sky Blue. — Fern Fly. — Alder Fly

XIV. Marlow Buzz.- Dark Mackerel

XV. Pale Evening Dun.-July Dun. Gold-Eyed

XVI. Wren Tail. - Red Ant. Silver Horns
XVII. August Dun. · - Orange Fly. - Cinnamon Fly
XVIII. Blue Bottle. — Whirling Blue Dun.- Little Pale

XIX. Red Palmer. - Brown Palmer. - Black and Red

Palmer

128