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, 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- CHAP. III. MANNER OF FISHING FOR TROUT AND GRAYLING. Preparation of the Rod and Line. Art of Throwing. 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- 43 AN ILLUSTRATED LIST OF INSECTS, AND THEIR IMITATIONS, USED IN FLY FISHING. Introduction. Flies to be used in March. Flies for 55 LIST OF PLATES. Plate Trout, Grayling and Parr III. Fly-making Processes IV. Red Fly. - Blue Dun. Red Spinner - Frontispiece. 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 IX. Iron Blue Dun. - Jenny Spinner - Hawthorn Fly 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 XIX. Red Palmer. - Brown Palmer. - Black and Red Palmer 128 |