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diff --git a/23870.txt b/23870.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..56adeb5 --- /dev/null +++ b/23870.txt @@ -0,0 +1,3027 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Teesdale Angler, by R Lakeland + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Teesdale Angler + +Author: R Lakeland + +Release Date: December 15, 2007 [EBook #23870] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE TEESDALE ANGLER *** + + + + +Produced by The Online Distributed Proofreading Team at +http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images +generously made available by The Internet Archive/American +Libraries.) + + + + + + + +THE TEESDALE ANGLER. + + + +By + +R. LAKELAND. + + + +BARNARD CASTLE: +PRINTED AT THE OFFICE OF R. BARKER, HORSE MARKET. + +1858. + +R. BARKER, PRINTER, BARNARD CASTLE. + + + + +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 title, is intended as a help and guide to Trout +fishers generally, especially those of Yorkshire, Durham, Westmoreland, +and Cumberland. + +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 +amusement of those who wish to be proficient in the art of a pleasing +and fascinating recreation. + +R. LAKELAND. + + + + +CONTENTS. + + + Page + +Pisces Fluviales, River Fish 1 +Advice to beginners 9 +Various Useful Hints 11 +On Fly Fishing 14 +The Angling Months 17 +Natural Fly Fishing 27 +The Stone Fly 27 +The Flesh Fly 30 +The Cow Dung Fly 31 +List of Palmer Flies 33 +List of Hackle Flies 39 +March Brown or Dun Drake 42 +Select List of very killing Flies, both Palmers and Hackles 43 +List of Hackles and Silks to suit 44 +A List of Flies likely to kill in Trout streams 45 +How to Dress the above 47 +Red Palmer--Black Palmer--May Flies 52 +How to make a Hackle Fly 54 +To make a Winged Fly 54 +Materials required for making Winged and Hackle Flies 55 +To make a Palmer Fly 56 +Golden Palmer--Silver Hackle Palmer 59 +To Make Hackle Flies 60 +Worm Fishing 61 +Trolling with Minnow 64 +Maggots--Gentles--Docken Grub 67 +Cad Bait--Worms, &c. 68 +Salmon Roe 70 +Dyeing Feathers for Fly Making 71 +To make strong White Wax 72 +Fishing Panniers 72 +Landing Nets--Reels--Gut--Hair 73 +Rods 74 +Lines--Hooks--Fishing Garments 75 +Health--Caution 76 +The Eye the only acute faculty in Fish 77 +Transport of Trout and Greyling 78 +The Natural Enemies of Fish 79 +Laws relative to Angling 80 +The Effects of Weather on Fish 81 +What constitutes a Good Fishing Day 82 +On Early Rising in connection with Angling 83 +Over-Preservation, &c. 85 +Angling Impediments 87 +Barnard Castle as an Angling Station 89 +Weather Signs and Changes 90 +Weather Table 93 +Notices of Rare and Curious Angling Books 93 +Addenda 95 + + + + +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 spawn 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 +spawns 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 +spawns 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 balls; 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 Cockchafer 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 balls 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 analogous--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 glass 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 classes and conditions of the _Genus +homo_. 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." + +The manual part of angling is one thing, the commanding success +another, the latter cannot be effected to any extent without the +sacrifice of time, perseverance and attention. It is however quite +probable that a man may be quite happy and satisfied by the capture of +a very small number of Trouts during a day's fishing, and I strongly +advise all beginners to follow so excellent an example, waiting +patiently "the good time coming." Observe, that fishing in a low water, +where an angler has just preceded you, is the _ne plus ultra_ of doing +worse than nothing; by wading in a low water the fish are so scared +that they take to their holds, and probably remain there for some +hours. + + + + +VARIOUS USEFUL HINTS. + + +By keeping your tackle-book neat and tidy, you will always have your +silks, hooks, lines, flies, &c. in their proper places. When the twine +that holds your two-piece Rod together has been thoroughly wet, then +when dry, and before using it again, wax well. If any portion of a Rod +of three or more pieces is so fast at the joints that you cannot draw, +then hold over the flame of a candle or by the fire, and then try, the +result is generally satisfactory. Let your gut soften in the water +before you commence fishing. Examine old stintings of gut and hair to +see there are no flaws by wear and tear, if there are, repair, or +discard altogether, carelessness in such matters always brings +disappointment in the long run. See that the points of your hooks are +sharp, and that the hooks are all right, as broken or crooked hooks are +of course useless. Make it a rule to examine closely any place where +you have had your book out dressing flies, &c., so that you leave +nothing behind. If your flies or hooks are fast to any impediment which +you cannot reach, don't pull like a savage, but go tenderly and +cautiously to work; a release is often effected by a little time and +patience; when the case is utterly hopeless, and a breakage becomes +inevitable, then try to save as much of your tackle as possible. Never +loose your temper because you loose your fish, let hope "whisper a +flattering tale" for the next you hook. When you have hooked a fish, +don't let him run if you can possibly help it, so as to slacken your +line, if you do, you stand a chance of loosing him, as the sudden +cessation of a strain upon the line frequently disengages the hold. If +you want to discover what fish are feeding upon, open the first you +catch, and then you will be able to judge correctly. Never strike a +fish hard with the fly, either on gut or hair, if the latter, a +breakage is almost sure to follow a violent jerk. Stormy, showery days +in summer and sometimes in spring, are days on which you will generally +take the best fish with the fly. After a flood, with a rising +barometer, and not too much wind, expect good sport. If the fish do not +like the worm after you have tried a few likely places, change for the +fly, and if you do not succeed with that, wait twenty minutes or so, +and probably you may then find them disposed to feed. Whenever you find +fish shy in taking the worm, I mean when they will neither take it nor +let it alone, pulling at it but not attempting to gorge it, strike +either very quickly, as soon in fact as you perceive they have touched +it, or what will generally answer much better, exchange for the fly. +Sometimes, however, fish will take worm very well, although they may be +seen rising freely at the fly. Cold dark days are not favourable for +worm fishing, and in low water the worm is entirely useless on such +days. Put your Minnows for trolling in tin cases, with partitions for +each Minnow with a little bran in each, this method keeps them nice and +fresh. Observe, that Loaches, if you can get them are tougher than +Minnows, and quite as good if not better bait. Never buoy yourself up +with the hope of having any diversion, either at top or bottom in an +easterly wind. Also after a frosty night followed by a bright day, fly +fishing need not be attempted with any chance of success. Put your +worms when you are going to use them in a woollen bag in Spring, canvas +in Summer. In May-fly season, if there comes a flood, go at the rising +of the water and secure as many as possible, you will find them scarce +afterwards. If, when fishing up water you meet an angler coming down, +you had better wait twenty minutes before you try the stream recently +fished. Guard against your shadow falling upon the water, at least as +much as possible. If you purpose wading, be careful not to over-heat +yourself during your walk to the water side. If, when the morning has +been cloudy, and the fish have risen tolerably at the fly, should the +sun appear about noon, coming out strong and likely to continue, you +will find the fish cease to rise, and it is very probable that they +will feed no more until evening. After a white hoar frost, either in +the Spring, or further on in the season, fish rarely feed until the +afternoon of that day, and not always then. When a thick mist rises +from the water early on a Summer morning, fish will not feed until the +vapour rising from the water has passed away. On stormy days try mostly +that part of the water where there is the best shelter to be had. + + + + +ON FLY FISHING. + + +In _Thompson's Seasons_ what an admirable description of Fly fishing! +It is indeed inimitable: it charms an angler by its vivid and truthful +deliniation, and after reading it, makes him long "to increase his +tackle, and his rod retie." Of all the devices for taking Trout, fly +fishing is decidedly the most pleasant, ingenious and amusing, and +where fish rise freely, there is nothing comparable to the artificial +fly, as a means to an end, in the shape of filling a pannier. The quick +eyed Trout, is completely deceived by a cunning fabrication, the +inanimated thing of feathers, silk and fur, so closely resembles the +natural fly, that he rises and seizes upon it for a real living +fly--But ah! too late, the little monster (for he is one in his way) +feels the treacherous hook, "indignant at the guile," he springs aloft, +makes for his well known hold, or resting place, exhausts his strength +in the unequal contest, and floats almost lifeless into the landing net +held out for his reception. He has fallen a legitimate prize to the +skill of his captor, who has only to extract the hook from his gills, +before he again makes another light and deadly cast. Thus fish after +fish is deposited in his nicely woven pannier, and on he goes +rejoicing, carefully trying his favourite streams, until the weight +upon his shoulder, unmistakably intimates, that it is time to be +homeward bound. In fly fishing, the best plan is to cast your line +athwart the stream, by pulling it against it; your flies probably show +to more advantage, yet you will not take so many fish, as by throwing +up or across the stream, the reason is obvious, the current somewhat +retards the progress of the fish in the act of rising, and thus it +happens that they so frequently come short of the hook. There is also +another consideration, your fly coming down or athwart the water is +more natural, and fish observe it sooner coming down, than a fly pulled +up stream, because fish when on the feed, invariably lay with their +heads up water. + + "With pliant rod athwart the pebbled brook, + Let me with judgment cast the feather'd hook, + Silent along the grassy margin stray, + And with a fur wrought fly delude the prey."--GAY. + +In log, or still water fishing, make as fine and light casts as you +possibly can. If you see a fish rise, throw your flies about a foot +above him, and then let them gently float over the place where he rose. +In stream fishing, have a quick eye, and ready hand, and strike +immediately you perceive the fish to have risen at your fly; and +observe that if you have the luck to hook two Trouts at the same time, +net the one lowest down your line first, for should a novice +inadvertently attempt to net the one upon the higher fly, he will very +probably loose them both. The heads and tails of streams are favourite +resorts of Trout, and ought to be carefully and diligently fished; but +as a general rule, wherever you see a fish rise, have a try for him. In +the Spring and Autumn, your diversion with the artificial fly is much +more certain than during the Summer months, but even then there are +certain days, (especially if the wind be Easterly), that they will not +take even the natural fly, and I have on such days seen thousands of +flies on the water, yet scarcely a fish on the move. When the fish rise +freely at the natural fly, and also rise, but do not take those you +offer, you may safely conclude your fly is not what suits, so try them +with something different. The best plan is to catch the natural, and +make the artificial fly as close a copy as possible, for the nearer you +approach to nature the greater in all cases is your chance of success. +And here, in concluding this chapter on Fly Fishing, let me advise +every angler to make or learn to make his own flies; by so doing he +will never be at a loss for a fly to suit the fickle Trout. Really, +many of the flies from the tackle shops look neat and gaudy enough, but +like Hodge's razors, are they not made to sell? When a man makes a fly +for himself, he makes, I take it, to kill. + + + + +THE ANGLING MONTHS. + + +MARCH.--During this month the fells and hills of north Yorkshire and +Durham are frequently capped with snow, which, dissolved by the +increasing power of the sun, fills rivers and brooks with what is +usually termed snow broth, which, accompanied with chilling east or +north-east winds, effectually retard angling operations. Trout however +keep gradually improving in condition, and from the middle to the end +of the month will, under the influence of a kindly atmosphere, rise +tolerably well at the fly during the middle of the day. The worm is +also taken in brooks after rain. But as a fly fishing month, March +seldom affords, in the north of England at least, any good or certain +diversion. In the face however of all obstacles, some really keen hands +will wet their lines, and if the weather is at all genial, may succeed +in taking a few fish. + +The advent of our annual visitor, the swallow, indicates, or nearly so, +when fly fishing commences with some certainty of sport;[3] you will +observe but few flies on the water, (and consequently no inducement to +fish to be on the look out), before those great insect killers appear. +The principal flies for the month, are the March Brown, the Blue +Dun,[4] and small Black, or Light coloured flies. + + [3] Under favourable circumstances you may begin to troll with + the Minnow about the middle of the month. + + [4] The Duns are first-class flies all the season, beginning + with the Blue Dun in March and April,--The Yellow Dun, little + Iron Blue Dun on cold windy days,--July Dun Cut, Blue Gnat, and + Willow Fly. + +Some anglers fish with four flies upon a stretcher, I much prefer +three, and never, except for Lake fishing, use more--a stretcher for +three flies should consist of about a yard and a half of either gut or +hair. What are termed water knots are the best for tying your gut or +hair together, the tighter they are drawn the faster they become. Every +angler is no doubt partial to some particular flies, and probably he +will have no great difficulty in selecting his favourites from the +copious lists given in the Teesdale Angler; but for the benefit of +those anglers who have not had much experience, I beg to observe that +they should never have three flies at once on their stretcher, that +closely resemble each other. In the Spring the Blue, Brown and Dun +Drakes are certain killers, and as for hackle flies, if they select the +Brown, Blue and Black, they will do well. During the Summer months +there is such a great variety of feed upon the water that it is +difficult, nay, almost impossible to give any certain rule, because the +set of flies that kill well one day, may be rejected the next. I may +however venture to affirm, that one dark and two light flies are the +most likely, either as regards hackle or winged flies. By catching the +natural fly, you will never be at a loss either in Spring or Summer, as +to the colour of the silk you require for the body of your fly. In +Summer when the midges are on, use the Black, Blue and Dun midges, and +when they disappear, try the larger flies. + +APRIL.--The month of sunshine and showers is generally, and especially +towards the latter end of it, most favourable for angling; in fact if +the water is in order, and the weather temperate for the season, it is +the very best fly month in the year. Trout are now sure to rise well +and freely at the fly. Every day between the hours of eleven and three +o'clock the feed is on the water. The fish, full of life and motion, +are hungry and voracious, and in full pursuit of the Dun or Brown +Drake, which any gleam of sunshine brings on the surface of the water. +The Blue Dun (a better fly than the Brown for cold stormy days), and +the Grannam, or Green Tail, are frequently on at the same time, and it +is a pleasant sight to anglers to see thousands of these flies settling +on the water, and the fish rising at them in all directions. During +these feeds I venture to predict that any person who has suitable +flies, and who can manage to make a tolerable light cast, cannot well +miss taking some fish. With respect to the Grannams, you may on bright +mornings begin to fish with them as early as six o'clock, and again +after the large Browns have disappeared, I mean for that day. If you +commence fishing, say any time between six and eleven a.m., use the +small flies, viz., the Grannam or Green Tail, the small Blue Dun, and +Black Flies, dressed on No. 2. hooks.--During this month (April) it is +frequently so cold that to dress a fly by the water side is almost an +impossibility, or at least a matter of some difficulty, therefore, +always be provided with a supply, ready for use when wanted. I also +strongly recommend fine round Gut in preference to Hair at this season, +on account of the size and weight of the large hooks on which the Brown +Drake requires to be dressed; and which Hair will not retain so safely +as Gut; and also, though you may probably rise more fish with Hair, yet +taking the breakages you are liable to by using it, and the loss and +hinderance you suffer thereby, especially if broken in the midst of a +feed, which perhaps does not last above a quarter of an hour, taking +these matters into consideration, I have long since arrived at the +conclusion that Gut is much better for Spring fishing than Hair. But in +the long Summer day, when your fingers are not benumbed with the cold, +and you can dress flies or repair and arrange your tackle at your +pleasure or convenience, then, when the water is low and fine, there is +nothing comparable to strong, fine round Hair, it falls much lighter +than Gut on the water, and therefore, for log or still water is much +superior. But really good Hair for angling purposes is exceedingly +difficult to meet with, and if you use inferior, many losses and +disappointments are sure to occur. Good Hair has the advantage over Gut +in these respects,--it is sooner wet, falls lighter on the water, and +is free from that glistening and shiny quality which detracts so much +from Gut, and which no staining will entirely obliterate; it wears out +by use in a great measure, but having come to that point, cannot be +depended upon, and if you lay it aside for any length of time when in +that state, you will find, if you attempt to make use of it, that it is +utterly worthless. The shaved Gut is good, but expensive. The best I +ever purchased was at Rowell's, at Carlisle. + +MAY, "charming, charming May," is generally a delightful Angling month, +for if the water is in order, good diversion may be had almost every +day. A great variety of flies now make their appearance at which the +Trout rise very greedily, full of life, vigour and activity, they roam +everywhere after their prey, and scarcely a fly settles upon the water +but falls a victim to the quick eyed and hungry fish. Trolling, and +worm fishing become now very good, and it is advisable to fish with +either one or the other in the early part of the day. When the flies +have not made their appearance, and before fish rise of themselves, it +is of little use trying the fly, it is only labour lost, "_to call +spirits from the vasty deep, who will not come when you do call for +them_." Indeed, on the best of fishing days, there are some half hours +when a man who understands what he is about, will lay down his rod, +because he knows the fish have done feeding for a time, and that +flogging the water to no purpose may be exercise, but not sport. In +this leisure half hour then, let the angler smoke, eat, examine his +Tackle, or lay out and admire his fish, this last way of killing time, +brings to my recollection the lines of Wordsworth,-- + + "He holds a small blue stone, + On whose capacious surface is outspread, + Large store of gleaming crimson spotted trouts, + Ranged side by side in regular ascent, + One after one still lessening by degrees, + Up to the Dwarf that tops the pinnacle, + The silent creatures made a splendid sight together + thus exposed; + Dead, but not sullied or deformed by death, + That seemed to pity what he could not spare." + + WORDSWORTH. + +JUNE, loveliest of the Summer months, introduces to the notice of +anglers a large and daily increasing number of the insect tribe; +"variety may be charming," but the most expert and knowing of anglers +will now occasionally be somewhat puzzled in making a selection of +flies adapted to suit the capricious whims, or fastidious appetite of +the Trout, now in their prime, fat, strong, and somewhat satiated by a +succession of dainty morsels. Now is the time to rise with, or rather +indeed before the lark, and try your luck with the creeper and stone +fly, you may begin to fish with either as soon as you can see to put +them on the hook, and always bear in mind that the early morn is the +best part of the day for these baits, you also have a good chance again +in the evening, but in the middle of the day they are, upon the whole, +but indifferently good; and the small fly will generally be found to +answer better,--and frequently the worm proves destructive when the day +is hot, and the water low. It is a good plan to procure your May-flies +and creepers during the day or evening preceding that on which you +intend using them, searching for them in the morning when you want to +fish is not quite pleasant. You may do a great deal of execution with +the small flies just now. Trout glutted with the May-fly and creeper, +take them well on cloudy and windy days. Should rain fall at this +season, after the water has been low for some time, Trout will take a +minnow exceedingly well. + +JULY.--The scorching suns of Summer are upon us, and the vivid rays of +the great luminary have a powerful effect upon all creatures, and upon +the finny tribe in particular. The water during this month is often so +low and fine, that artificial fly fishing is labour in vain, and +provided it is not, fish have become so shy and cautious in the +selection of their food, that it is a difficult matter to offer for +their acceptance anything artificial which they will take freely. A +well scoured worm, maggot, gentle or natural fly, offered to them in an +artistic way, seldom however fails to attract their notice,--of natural +flies the Flesh Fly is the best. Evening fishing, towards dusk, with +the brown and white Moths, and also with the white Bustard, may be +pursued with success; you may fish with the Bustard (which you will +find performing aerial evolutions over the meadows in a fine evening) +the whole night through, and though perhaps you cannot see the fish +(which is generally a good one) rise, you must always strike quickly, +yet gently, when you feel him--use a May fly hook. If you can find any +May-flies, the fish will now take them again very greedily, during the +last fortnight of this month very few fish can be taken under any +circumstances with either natural or artificial flies, the fish are too +fat and indolent to take the trouble to rise. A well scoured maggot on +a bright hot day tempts them best, they will take that when flies and +all other baits have proved a failure. + +The Spring and Autumn fishing are easy enough, but the Summer tests the +Angler,--and + + "Who then his finest skill and art must ply, + And all devices, natural and artificial try, + For now the Trout becomes an epicure indeed, + And only on the daintiest baits and flies will feed." + +AUGUST.--The same Flies as in July, with the addition of the little Red +and Black Ant Flies, which usually appear about the 10th or 12th of +this month; observe that from the 12th to the end of the month, fish +take the fly much better than they have done--they are on the move +again. + +SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER.--Use the same Flies as in Spring, the willow fly +in September must however be added to the list of Blues, Duns, and +Browns. About the middle of October I deem it high time to lay aside +the Trout Rod, let "the gentle angler" for a brief space bid adieu to +his favourite piscatorial haunts, in doing so perhaps he may call to +mind the farewell of the Tyne fisher to his favourite streams, from a +work printed for Emmerson Charnly, at Newcastle, in 1824. + + Mine own sweet stream! thy rugged shores are stripped of all + their vesture sheen, + And dark December's fury wars where grace and loveliness have + been, + Stream of my heart! I cannot tread thy shores so bleak and + barren now, + They seem as if thy joys were dead, and cloud with care my + anxious brow. + +In reference to the above, I must observe that very few anglers will +think of fishing during the winter months; at the conclusion of the +second week in October, the Trout Rod ought to be carefully stowed +away. The angler should by all means refrain from killing Trout so +close upon the spawning season, besides they are becoming as food quite +worthless. Truly "Othello's occupations gone." + + + + +NATURAL FLY FISHING. + + +THE STONE FLY. + +The Stone Fly is invariably converted into the May-fly, by anglers who +fish the Tees and its tributary streams; but the actual and properly +named May-flies are the Green and Yellow Drakes, which do not appear +upon our Teesdale waters. If the weather has been warm, and the water +low, May-flies (for by so calling them I shall be best understood), may +be found the last week in May, or at all events in the beginning of +June, some indeed, but very few may be seen as early as April, and as +late as September. This fly is easily found, his whereabouts indicated +by his old coat, or husk, which he has discarded, and left on the +outside of his mansion, which is generally a flat stone near the edge +of the water. This fly is generally but an indifferent killer in the +middle of the day, mornings and evenings, (when not glutted and the +weather propitious), Trout take it with avidity, provided there has +been no frost during the night, and the water is free from the steaming +sort of mist prevalent about this season. You may begin to fish with +the May-fly as soon as you can see to put the fly on the hook, the +earlier you commence the better chance of large fish, especially if the +water is clear, and very low, or even moderately so. In fishing with +this fly, have your cast line light and strong, tapering gradually to +the end, to which attach about three-quarters of a yard of fine round +Gut, the best you can procure, on which tie your hook which must be at +least a size larger than the Palmer hook; arm this hook with a strong +pig's bristle, which must lay on the back of the hook, protruding a +short way over the top of the shank. In putting on the fly, insert the +point of the hook under the head of the fly, passing through the body, +bring it out underneath the tail, then take and press the fly upwards +over the head of the bristle on your hook, bringing it so far down that +it may pass through the back, behind the head of the fly, then set to +work by throwing your fly into rapid streams, eddies caused by rocks, +or other impediments; cast your fly always up and let it come down the +stream floating on the surface of the water in a natural and easy way; +if a fish rises and does not swallow it, do not pull your fly away, the +odds are he will follow and take it, his motive I suppose in the first +instance being to disable; however when Trout are fairly glutted with +the May-fly, they may rise, but will not even touch it. When a fish has +seized your fly, do not strike too hard or hastily, numbers of fish are +lost by doing so, let them always turn their heads either in stream or +log water before you strike. On dark cold windy days, during the +May-fly season you will find the small fly a much better killer than +the May-fly. On bright and very hot days a well scoured Brandling Worm +or Creeper may be used to advantage, after your morning's fishing with +the May-fly is done, for on such days the artificial fly is entirely +out of the question. A Bullock's horn with a few small holes bored in +it, is perhaps the best and handiest thing you can put your flies into. + +Observe that the Alder or Orl fly, is a capital killer when the May-fly +is on. Who shall say that the May-fly short as is its life, has not +undergone all the vicissitudes of a long and eventful life, that it has +not felt all the freshness of youth, all the vigour of maturity, all +the weakness of old age, and all the pangs of death itself? + + TO THE MAY-FLY. + + Thou art a frail and curious thing, + Engender'd by the sun, + A moment only on the wing, + And thy career is done. + + Thou sportest in the evening beam, + An hour, an age to thee, + In gaity above the stream, + Which soon thy grave shall be. + + BORTON WILFORD. + + +THE FLESH FLY. + +The Flesh-fly, when the water is low and clear, is one of the most +alluring flies that can be offered to the Trout, but great skill, care, +and judgment are requisite in the use of it; in the hands of an expert +angler, on a close hot day during the month of July, it is a sure and +certain adjunct towards filling a pannier. The fish will take it when +they will not look at an artificial; you will take as large fish with +it as are to be had with any kind of fly, either natural or artificial. +The flies are easily procured in shady places, in woods or fields, +where cattle and horses have left recently made soil. After having +struck them with a bundle of twigs and killed, or stunned, as many as +will answer your purpose, put them into a horn, or anything suitable, +so that they do not escape. Your cast line must be of a length +proportioned to the size of the river or brook where you fish, as a +general rule (if you wade in the water), about a little longer than the +length of your rod,--let your cast line be exceedingly fine, and have +attached to it three-quarters of a yard of the finest round silk-worm +gut,--your hook should be No. 2, put your fly on by inserting the point +of the hook under the head of the fly, and running it through the body, +bringing it out at the tail--you need not make above two or three casts +at a place, and follow the same rule as with the May-fly, viz., to let +the fish turn his head downwards before you strike. Streams are the +likeliest places where they have not time to scan the fly, in that +curiously suspicious and shy manner in which they generally come to it +in smooth water. However when they are in the humour they will take it +anywhere if you can only contrive to keep out of sight, _hie labor +hoc opus est_; this is the trouble and difficulty in a low water; +and note, it is not worth while attempting to fish with the Flesh Fly +on cold windy days, let the water be in ever such fine condition. Trout +take this fly best when the temperature ranges somewhere about seventy +Farenheit. This fly is often taken when the May-fly is refused. + + +THE COW DUNG FLY. + +The Cow Dung Fly is a good and enticing fly, it is easily procurable, +as its name intimates, on foil left by cattle: if the water is low and +clear, with a brisk wind stirring, you may use it advantageously, +because the wind usually carries great quantities of them upon the +water, which induce the fish to rise. These flies are found from May to +October; fish with them in the same way as the Flesh Fly; a No. 2 hook +is quite large enough for them. Wherever you see a fish rise, when +fishing with this or the Flesh Fly, you may count upon him as your own +four times out of six, if you only contrive to make a light and +dexterous cast, over the place where you observe the fish rise. Dapping +or Dibbing, or perhaps more properly Dipping,--this is another method +of using the natural flies, and a very killing way too; your rod for +this fishing must be of a good length, with a stiff top; your line +composed solely of good, fine, strong gut, must be about but not less +than a yard in length,--put your flies on the same sized hooks, and +after the same way as you are directed to adopt in the other method +where a longer line is used. Having stationed yourself out of sight, +behind a bush, tree or rock, let your fly drop gently on the surface of +the water, keep lifting and letting it fall so as just to cause the +slightest perceptible dimple on the water, and if there is a fish at +all hungry in your locality, you are pretty sure to have him. If a good +fish is hooked, let your winch line go, because he will struggle +furiously when he feels the hook, and the hold might give way, provided +you were too hasty and anxious to land him. In dibbing, almost any kind +of fly will answer. The day suitable for this should be warm, and the +water rather low and clear. + + + + +LIST OF PALMER FLIES FROM MARCH TO OCTOBER. + + +The following list of flies will take fish in all Trouting streams of +Yorkshire, Durham, Northumberland, Cumberland 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. + +Peacock 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 principal 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, woodcock, 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] + + [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 peacock's harl, and +a black cock'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 +woodcock. 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 peacock'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 Peacock Harl--dubbed with ruddy peacock's harl, +warped with green silk, and a red cock'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 Cock'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 +Woodcock's wing and yellow silk. Plover's breast or Dottrel's wing +feather and yellow silk--hooks No. 1 or 2; red Cock's hackle and yellow +silk. + +_March._--Inside of Woodcock's wing and yellow silk, No. 2 hook. Dark +Woodcock, 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._--Woodcock's as for March. Inside of Woodcock'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 Woodcock'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 Titmouse'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 quantity 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 woodcock'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 Cumberland; 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 Woodcock's wing +and dark orange silk.--Inside feather of Woodcock'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 Woodcock'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. + +_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; Peacock's brown herl, and +bright red silk for body. 4. Little Brown,--feather from inside of +Woodcock'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 Peacock's green herl for +tail,--legs ginger hackle. 6. Inside of Woodcock's wing,--body orange +coloured silk neatly ribbed,--hackle from a grouse for legs. + + +FOR MAY. + +1. Grey Midge,--feather from Woodcock'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 +Peacock'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, cock 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 +Woodcock's wing feather,--body mole's fur and yellow silk,--brown +hackle for legs. + + +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 Peacock,--ribbed with gold tinsel,--wrapt with +red silk,--red hackle over all. + + +BLACK PALMER. + +Body dark Peacock'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, Cock'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 Cock's hackle underneath; body sky +blue camlet ribbed with copper coloured Peacock'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 illustrations 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 +illustration. + +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 classed 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, Peacock's Herl, +green and copper coloured, black Ostrich herl, Snipe, Dottrel, Woodcock +and golden Plover's wings, the tail feathers of the blue and brown +Titmouse, 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 Cock'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 Cock 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 snatching 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 +circumstance 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 assertion 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. + +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 pass through +the body of the bait, going in at the mouth, and passing out at the +tail; the other, rather larger than a May-fly hook, should go through +the under, and pass 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 grass, 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 spawning 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 quantity 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 quantity 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. + + + + +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 horny 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 balls 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 grass. 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 partition. 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 spawn 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, spawn and young fry; floods also +sweep away and leave on banks, or rocks, a considerable quantity of +spawn, 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 + spawn of various kinds of fish to waters, where such species + had previously been unknown. + + + + +LAWS RELATIVE TO ANGLING. + + +It would occupy too much space 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 trespasser, 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 CONSTITUTES A GOOD FISHING DAY. + + +It is of the greatest consequence to acquire a correct estimate of what +really constitutes 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. + + + + +ON EARLY RISING IN CONNECTION WITH ANGLING PURSUITS. + + +Thousands of the dwellers in "the modern Babylon," and indeed in all +large cities and towns, never saw the splendour of a rising sun. Tens +of thousands never heard the sylvan choristers performing their +morning's concert, filling with their melody, nature's own, the woods +and groves wherein these feathered songsters "sport, live, and have +their being." Whilst millions of men are sunk in the arms of "the +drowsy god." What is the angler about, has he slept soundly, and then +awoke in the very nick of time? Or have his slumbers been somewhat +broken and disturbed by dreams of crafty old Trout? No matter, he is +astir, he has pocketed his tackle, and not neglected something for the +inner man; rod and net in hand, he is off and away frequently before, +but seldom later, than the rising lark proclaims with joyous notes the +coming day; full well, he knows the advantages of an early move during +the Summer months; the morning is all in all, the best part of the day +to him; so, buoyant with hope he progresses at an easy rate towards the +scene of his triumphs, or disappointments, as the case may be. An +angler of early habits during the Summer months sees a great deal of +animated nature, and ought to know as much of the habits of birds, +animals, insects, &c., as any man. At early morn the great volume of +nature lies open for his inspection, if he be intelligent and curious, +he will soon become a naturalist, whether his path leads through the +woods, the lowlands, or over the uplands, he is pretty sure to meet +with something to gratify, instruct and amuse. Independent of the +varied attractions of nature, the early rising angler always has the +best Summer sport. Large fish invariably feed more freely in the +morning than during any other portion of the day, evenings occasionally +excepted; he also avoids the greater heat by getting home a.m., indeed +after twelve o'clock on a Summer's day your shadow falls more or less +upon the water, and scares the fish. Independent of that, they usually +cease to feed by that time. + + + + +OVER PRESERVATION, AND OTHER CAUSES THAT TEND TO MAKE TROUT +SMALL AND SCARCE. + + +In streams where piscatorial rights are cherished, and protected to +their fullest extent, Trout are frequently found to be much smaller, +than might naturally be supposed; the fact is, that in good breeding +waters strictly preserved, Trout soon become so numerous that the +supply of food is inadequate to their wants; a state of things which in +rural parlance is termed, as having more stock than the pasture will +carry; a numerical reduction, to some extent in such streams is +therefore extremely beneficial. Better fish are sometimes met with in +free waters than in preserves, solely because they have had abundance, +and variety of food. In all moor becks, plenty of small Trout are +found; such waters are excellent for breeding, but as very little +nutriment comes from peat or waste lands, they are generally dwarfish +in size, and moderate in flavour. On the contrary, in small streams +running through a fertile soil, fish are frequently killed of a most +satisfactory size and weight. In rapid rivers the beds of which are +formed of limestone rock, Trout are upon an average, not of a size +acceptable to an angler who scouts the idea of a 1/4 lb fish. In such +rivers they get knocked about very much during heavy floods, and the +rapidity with which the streams carry away the feed, either at top or +bottom, is against them. + +In North Yorkshire and Durham, where many Trouting streams are +recipients of the washing of the refuse ore of the lead mines, commonly +called hush, fish are not either so plentiful, or near the average size +they used to be, when the hush was not so prevalent as it is at +present. The hush must certainly be injurious to all kinds of fish, and +I think it very probable that the young fry suffer very much from it, +even to the extent of being in some instances completely destroyed by +it. But there are other causes, independent of hush, &c., why fish are +generally smaller in size and number than they used to be in "the days +of old." An increasing population has visibly increased the number of +anglers, and also of parties making use of most destructive wholesale +methods of taking fish, to which any amount of angling is indeed +comparatively harmless. Angling clubs conducted with energy and +liberality have in some places repressed nefarious practices, and some +rivers are coming round again, that previous to the protective system +were nearly cleaned out. + +The artificial production of Trout and Salmon, has of late years been +tried with success. Those who are curious and interested in +pisciculture may obtain a pamphlet on the artificial production of fish +by Piscarius, published by Reeve & Co., Henrietta Street, Covent +Garden, London. + + + + +ANGLING IMPEDIMENTS. + + +The weather may be propitious, the humour of the fish charming, two +capital items, that can only now and then be inserted in an angler's +diary; but some things may occur to spoil a day's diversion, commenced +even under the most favourable auspices; for instance, let us suppose +that a man (who whilst "realizing the charms of solitude") is +nevertheless carefully and cautiously fishing with success in a clear +low water; how great then must be his vexation, and disappointment, +when he sees looming in the distance a rod, and net, the owner of which +is soon distinctly visible. It does not require a moment's +consideration as to what he must now do; he must either give up fishing +for that day, or seek some fresh ground, because any person coming +fishing down a low water, or even walking close to the banks of it, +scares the fish to such an extent, that making for their holds, they +will probably remain there for some hours. My object in reference to +the above suppositious statement (which many anglers will find too +often a reality) is to demonstrate to the inexperienced, what very +meagre sport any one must have in a clear, low water, previously fished +on the same day. + +Reversing the case, that is to say, a day or two after a flood, and +when of course there is plenty of water, and also, when fish are not so +soon alarmed and disturbed; I hold even then, first come first served, +to be the order of the day; for when fish are inclined to feed, any +person in advance of you has a decided advantage, and particularly so, +should he be either trolling, or worm fishing. In wide rivers however, +you may (owing perhaps to a feed coming on) have excellent diversion +where a person who has preceded you half an hour, or so, has had but +indifferent success. If there is only plenty of water, companionship is +admissable, though I am inclined to suppose that (under all +circumstances) a solitaire has a decided advantage; for this reason, +that two or more persons, get over the ground far too quickly, and do +not fish in that true, steady, and careful way, they perhaps would do +if alone; just whipping the stream here and there, hurrying over the +ground, and so spending probably half their time in walking, instead of +fishing; but in free waters, where anglers are sometimes as thick as +blackberries, and a man cannot do as he likes, the "go ahead" system +often proves the best. Some way or other there is generally some sport +to be had in streams, free from hush, but many rivers are daily subject +to it, causing great interruption, to say nothing of total stoppage to +angling pursuits for many successive days. Slight hushes, when the +water is low, are so far serviceable, that by partially discolouring +the water, fish take the artificial fly, especially the Black Midge, +more boldly than they would do if the water remained clear. Taken +altogether, the hush undoubtedly levies a considerable tax on the +patience of those anglers who fish in its vicinity. + + + + +BARNARD CASTLE AS AN ANGLING STATION. + + +I beg to offer a few observations to strangers in reference to Barnard +Castle as an angling station. The facilities offered by a railway, the +beautiful local scenery, the fishing, and the excellent accommodations +to be had at reasonable charges, are all attractive considerations for +Tourists and Anglers, who will find Barnard Castle a central, pleasant, +and convenient place of abode, during any length of time they may +please to devote to angling or other recreations. Barnard Castle is +particularly well adapted for an angling station; the river Tees is in +close proximity to the town, the river Greta distant only about three +miles, and there are several other good streams within easy distances. + +Gentlemen who obtain leave from W. S. Morritt, Esq., to fish in that +portion of the Greta which is strictly preserved, abounding in Trout, +and encompassed by those woods and banks alluded to in _Scott's +Rokeby_, will find the Inn kept by Mr. Ward, Greta Bridge, very +comfortable and convenient. A good day's sport may be had above Bowes; +when there happens to be too much water for angling purposes, some few +miles lower down. + + + + +WEATHER SIGNS AND CHANGES. + + +_Mists._--A white Mist in the evening over a meadow with a river, will +be drawn up by the sun next morning, and the day will be bright; five +or six Fogs successively drawn up portend rain; when there are lofty +hills, and the mist which hangs over the lower lands draws towards the +hills in the morning, and rolls up to the top, then it will be fair, +but if the mist hangs upon the hills, and drags along the woods, there +will be rain. + +_Clouds._--Against much rain the clouds grow bigger and increase very +fast, especially before thunder. When the clouds are formed like +fleeces, but dense in the middle and bright towards the edges, with a +bright sky, they are signs of frost, with hail, snow or rain. If clouds +breed high in the air, with white trains like locks of wool, they +portend wind, probably rain. When a generally cloudiness covers the +sky, and small black fragments of clouds fly underneath, they are sure +signs of rain, and probably it may last some time. Two currents of air +always portend rain, and in Summer, thunder. + +_Dew._--If the dew lies plentifully upon the grass after a fair day, it +is a sign of another; if not, and there is no wind, rain must follow. A +red evening shews fine weather, but if it spread too far upwards from +the horizon in the evening, and especially in the morning, it fortells +wind or rain, or both. When the sky in rainy weather is tinged with sea +green, the rain will increase; if with blue, it will be showery. + +_Heavenly Bodies._--A haziness in the air which fades the sun light and +makes the orb appear whiteish or ill defined, or at night if the moon +and stars grow dim and a ring encircles the former, rain will follow. +If the Sun's rays appear like Moses' horn, white at setting or shorn of +his rays, or goes down into a bank of clouds in the horizon, bad +weather may be expected. If the moon looks pale and dim, rain may be +expected; if red, wind; and if her natural colour, with a fair clear +sky, fine weather; if the moon is rainy throughout, it will clear at +the change, and perhaps the rain return a few days after. If fair +throughout, and rain at the change, the fair weather will probably +return at the fourth or fifth day. + +_Wind._--If the wind veers much about, rain is certain; in changing, if +it follows the course of the sun, it brings fair weather; the contrary, +foul; whistling of the wind is a sure sign of rain. + +_Meteors._--The Aurora Borealis after warm days is generally succeeded +by cooler air; shooting stars are supposed to indicate rain. + +_Animals._--Before rain, swallows fly low; dogs grow sleepy and eat +grass; waterfowl dive much; fish will not bite; flies are more than +ordinary troublesome; toads crawl about; moles, ants, bees and insects +are very busy; birds fly low for insects; swine, sheep and cattle are +uneasy; and it is not without its effect on the human frame. + +_Weather Table._--The following table, ascribed to Dr. Herschel, and +revised by Dr. Adam Clark, constructed upon philosophical consideration +of the sun and moon, in their several positions respecting the earth, +and confirmed by experience of many years actual observation, furnishes +the observer without further trouble, with the knowledge of what kind +of weather may be expected to succeed, and that so near the truth, that +in a very few instances will it be found to fail. + +_Observation by Dr. Kirwan._--When there has been no particular storm +about the time of the Spring Equinox (March 21st); if a storm arises +from the east on or before that day, or if a storm from any point of +the compass arise near a week after the Equinox, then in either of +these cases the succeeding Summer is generally dry four times in five, +but if the storm arises from the S.W. or W.S.W. on or just before the +Spring Equinox, then the Summer following is generally wet five times +in six. + + + + +WEATHER TABLE. + + ++----------------------------------------------------------+ +| NEW & FULL MOON. | IN SUMMER. | ++----------------------------+-----------------------------+ +| If it be New or Full | | +| Moon, or the Moon entering | | +| into the first or | | +| last quarter at 12 at noon | | +| or between 12 and 2 | Very Rainy | +| 2 and 4 in the Afternoon | Changeable | +| 4 and 6 Evening | Fair | +| 6 and 8 | Fair if wind at N West, | +| | Rainy if S, or S. West | +| 8 and 10 | Ditto | +| 10 and 12 Night | Fair | +| 12 and 2 Morning | Ditto | +| 2 and 4 Morning | Cold with frequent showers | +| 4 and 6 Morning | Rain | +| 6 and 8 Morning | Wind and Rain | +| 8 and 10 Morning | Changeable | +| 10 and 12 Morning | Frequent Showers | ++----------------------------+-----------------------------+ + ++----------------------------------------------------------+ +| NEW & FULL MOON. | IN WINTER. | ++----------------------------+-----------------------------+ +| If it be New or Full | | +| Moon, or the Moon entering | | +| into the first or | | +| last quarter at 12 at noon | | +| or between 12 and 2 | Snow and rain | +| 2 and 4 in the Afternoon | Fair and Mild | +| 4 and 6 Evening | Fair | +| 6 and 8 | Fair and Frosty, if wind | +| | at North or N. East, Rain or| +| | Snow, if South or S. West | +| 8 and 10 | Ditto | +| 10 and 12 Night | Fair and Frosty | +| 12 and 2 Morning | Hard frost unless wind | +| | South or S. West | +| 2 and 4 Morning | Snow and Storm | +| 4 and 6 Morning | Ditto | +| 6 and 8 Morning | Stormy Weather | +| 8 and 10 Morning | Cold Rain, if wind be | +| | West, Snow if East | +| 10 and 12 Morning | Cold with high wind | ++----------------------------+-----------------------------+ + + + + +NOTICES OF RARE AND CURIOUS ANGLING BOOKS. + + +There exists a very rare and remarkable work, "_A Book of Angling or +Fishing, wherein is shewed by conference with Scriptures, the agreement +between the Fisherman, Fishes, and Fishing of both natures, spirituall +and temporall, by Samuel Gardner, Doctor of Divinitie._"--"I will make +you fishers of men."--Matt. IV. 19. London, printed for Thomas Pinfoot, +1606. + +Walton tells the honest angler that the writing of his book was the +recreation of a recreation; his motto on the title page of his book +was, "Simon Peter said let us go a fishing, and they said we also will +go with thee"--John XXI. 3. This passage is not in all the editions of +the _Complete Angler_, but was engraven on the title page of the first +edition, printed in 1653. + +Advertisement of Walton's angler, 1653. There is published a book of +eighteenpence price, called "_The Compleat Angler, or Contemplative +Man's Recreation, being a Discourse of Fish and Fishing, not unworthy +the perusal._" + +These works may now be considered as great bibliomaniacal curiosities. + + + + +ADDENDA. + + +It is altogether a mistake to suppose that large flies are required for +large rivers; on the contrary, with the exception of the Palmers, small +hackle flies will be found to answer best, these, together with the +Black, Blue and Dun Midges, (Spring and Autumn excepted), have a +decided advantage in general over dubbed or hackle winged flies. In +small brooks after a flood, winged flies often kill well, those with +Orange, Black, Crimson, and Yellow bodies are the best. Grass Hoppers, +the Cabbage Caterpillar, the Breccan or Fern Clock, will all take +Trout; but as there are other natural baits to be had at the time these +are in season, which I have noted, and which are more to be depended +upon, I have not given any special instructions as to the use of the +above. The Grass Hopper and Caterpillar are tiresome baits to fish +with, and more a matter of fancy than utility; the Breccan Clock found +amongst fern, fished like the May-fly is the best of the lot, and at +times kills pretty well. Having made no allusion in my work to Lake or +Pond Fishing, I may now observe, that four flies upon a stretcher, one +yard apart from each other, are sufficient for Ponds. On Lakes, fishing +from a boat, you may have six or eight, or even more flies upon a +stretcher. In Lake and Pond fishing, the Palmers and large winged flies +are the best, particularly when there is a good curl upon the water; +but when there is no wind stirring, the small hackle or very small +winged flies will, as regards Ponds, be frequently found to kill much +better than larger flies, particularly in mornings and evenings during +Summer. As fly fishing and trolling are the only reliable angling means +and devices for taking Trout in Lakes and Ponds, I have nothing further +to add, than that a good rod and sound tackle are essential requisites. + + +FINIS. + +R. BARKER, PRINTER, BARNARD CASTLE. + + + + +LIST OF SUBSCRIBERS TO THE TEESDALE ANGLER. + + +W. S. Morritt, Esq., Rokeby Park, (2 copies.) +Hon. Col. Stanley, Lartington Hall. +T. Hutchinson, Esq., Eggleston Hall, (2 copies.) +Captain Davison, Startforth Hall. +S. Swire, Esq., Romaldkirk. +T. S. Edger, Esq., Gainford. +John Helmer, Esq., Romaldkirk, (2 copies.) +George Sowerby, Esq., Wycliffe Hall. +I. C. Cust, Esq., Barnard Castle. +Thos. Helmer, Esq., Romaldkirk. +R. Dent, Esq., Streatlam. +W. F. Wharton, Esq., Barningham. +Geo. Hutchinson, Esq., Gainford. +---- Kipling, Esq., Romaldkirk. +W. Raine, Esq., Romaldkirk. +H. W. Milburn, Esq., Barnard Castle. +John Jefferson, Esq., Barnard Castle. +Mr. Lionel Dent, Bowes. +" Ward, Greta Bridge. +" John Atkinson, Barnard Castle. +" James Phillips, Rokeby. +" G. Cruddas, Streatlam. +" Elliot, Jun., Greystone Hall. +" Tennick, Gainford. +" Thos. Hodgson, Barnard Castle. +" Crosby, Darlington. +" Wetherilt, Barnard Castle. +" James Tinkler, Lartington. +" J. Graham, Darlington. +" John White, Barnard Castle. +" John Atkinson, Printer, Barnard Castle. +" Wm. Heslop, Marwood. +" J. Dawson, Barnard Castle. +" Brotherton, Barnard Castle. +" Wm. Peel, Barnard Castle. +Sergeant Thos. Taylor, Barnard Castle. +Sergeant Major Morris, Barnard Castle. +Sergeant Mayo, Barnard Castle. +Sergeant Heslop, Barnard Castle. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Teesdale Angler, by R Lakeland + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE TEESDALE ANGLER *** + +***** This file should be named 23870.txt or 23870.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/2/3/8/7/23870/ + +Produced by The Online Distributed Proofreading Team at +http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images +generously made available by The Internet Archive/American +Libraries.) + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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