A H I STO RY OF FLY FI SH I NG FOR TRO UT

LO NDO N

MDCCCCXXI

E CONT NTS .

H I P E C APTER . AG SPORTING LITERATU RE IN FRANCE ENGLAND

H II C APTER . THE TREATISE OF FI SHING WI TH ANGLE

CHAPTER II I . FROM TH E TREATI SE TO THE COMPLEAT ANGLER

H I V C APTER . EARLY F LY FI SHING IN FRAN C E

H V C APTER . CHARLES COTTON AN D HI S CONTEM F ORAR I E S

CHAPTER VI FR OM COTTON TO STEW ART

H VI I C APTER .

STEW ART AN D THE UP STREAM SC HOOL

M8447'74 — CONTENTS (Con ti nued)

H VII C APTER I .

THE DRY FLY

CHAPTER I X . TH E EV OLU TION OF THE TROU T F LY

H X C APTER . THE EV OLU TION OF TROU T F LY (C an al )

X CHAPTER I . TH E LITERATU RE OF FLY FISHI NG

B IBLIOGRAPHY

INDEX

‘

C HA PTER I .

S PORTI N G LITERATUR E I N F RAN CE E LAND N G .

The sport is so royal that there i s n either gentle nor villein if it kn ew of it and love it well who , d , would n ot be more hon oured f or th at re ason by all w un rs t ho de tan d i .

oo Sir if all knew it woul it be less G d , , d honoure d than it is n ow%

a rath r it would e more honoure air N e b f y , d , l ri n kn w it wel ent e f e o l . g d ,

La C ha s e dou Serf . Ab out 2 0 1 5 .

n s ati ir nr r en Tra l on by S H e y D yd .

HE history of fly fishing begins at

the close Of the fifteenth century . It is true that there is one isolated record long before this ; f or the curi ous can carry its story ba ck to the second century Of our era and read in a Roman author an o f or are acc unt Of fly fishing a fish , app ntly ‘ o v W i o . the tr ut , in a ri er in Maced nia But , h le

’ C n i i m s l an oo 15 mal l D A u N atu ra C au iu Ae i us , by d , B k , Oup I 2 H FLY FIS ING FOR TROUT .

r is no o to o the e reas n d ubt the truth Of this , the i r or fact is nte esting rather than imp tant , and f or - r o I no this eas n . t had influence on subec o quent devel pment it stands by itself , and was unknown until a modern writer quoted it as a

r o . cu i sity And as such we can leave it . We r o will me ely give it a glance as we g by , this r r of M o no o ive aced n , which d ubt existed and no o ro f or s o d ubt held t ut , we have the be t reas n f r o knowing that there were salmon in it . The true history Of fly fishing starts with the Trea ti se o Fi shin wi th an A n le f g g , attributed to Dame Juliana Berners and printed in 1496 W nk n or o o to by y y de W de , and is c ntinu us the r o p esent day . But we cann t understand the book or realise its measure and importance o r to r with ut rega d the age in which it appea ed , and to the sporting literature out Of which it r a ose . E r o oo ngland , ich th ugh she is in b ks r r l o desc ibing the pu suit Of game , drew a m st r all that she knew f om French origins . The sporting literature Of Europe during the Middle r two Ages was almost exclusively F ench . If r er are easily ememb ed dates taken , the signing Of Magna Charta in 1215 and the battle of o two r Aginc urt exactly centu ies later , that period comprises everything that appeared upon sport before the earliest book on fishing was r NOW r oo w itten . there we e eight b ks Of importance written during those two centuries . Of are r r one o r these five enti ely F ench , the was L 3 SPORTING ITERATURE .

f r w t n La or C . o o ri te in tin ha les II , the B urb n Ki of S onl two o ng icily , and y have any c nnex i n Mor o r of t o W . wo ith England e ve , these , o l one ro o n y springs f m English s il , and that not o r was written in English but N rman F ench , l ast o m W o M er Ga e hi e the ther , the f , is a r f r or r r t anslation o a F ench w k . When the efo e the r oo on o fi st b k fly fishing was written , sh rtly r r o f or afte the end Of the pe i d , its date is certainly not later than 1450 and possibly o or earlier , it came int the w ld against a back r r r I t g ound which was enti ely F ench . arose out of is ' dee l o l o o , and p y m u ded and c nditi ned off s r and by , French writings ; it is their p ing , o o r o could be that Of n ne the . Neither its f rm nor still less its spirit can be understood unless something is known Of the literature Of sport during those two centuries something Of the oo of who ro who b ks , and the men w te them ; ’ r o they we e , the part they played in the w rld s aflairs and above all their attitude towards r I r for o . sp t t is a fascinating enqui y , it leads us among great books and great men ; but apart r e from its charm it is a necessa y on . Without it the earliest English fishing book cannot be r oo e unde stood . But that b k has set its seal d ep on oo and r r a subsequent b ks , the imp ess em ins r clear and sharp to the p esent day . When you read a good modern fishing book such as Lord ’ G Fl Fi shin ou o rey s y g y , all unkn wingly it may o r be , are reading s mething which can t ace a direct descent from the earliest sporting litera 4 H ‘ FLY FIS ING FOR TROUT .

‘ E r ‘ in u o e . so for a r so tOO ture p And , th t ea n , oo o r these Old b ks have a verym de n application . n t And that is o all . As the year revolves your o to o e r ou th ughts will turn th pursuits , and y may possibly take down fromyour shelves the ’ r e r or Thou hts on H untin g eat P te Beckf d s g g, ’ or r P r I nstructi ons to pe haps eter Hawke s ‘ Young Sportsmen : though I admit that it is more probable that what you read will be the of n or newest the new books o either sp t . But r ou are r o Whicheve be the case , y eading s me thing Which is rooted in the past and which would not take the form it does were it not that ' ' Old writers centuries ago had written books now r m o o . SO o at ou a well nigh f rg tten , in rde th y y r o all or one w r neve f rget that sp t is , hateve be its manifestation, and that in particular the fishing book which you may buy to- morrow has r o an Old and eputable ancestry , it is w rth spending a little time even in a period so remote S t o or as the Middl e Ages . O let us look at w r f e th ee o th se ea rly books . The l oo on c or ear iest b k the hase , in France E l e ng and , and an instructive and d lightful oo La C hace d ou S erf ro b k it is , , dates f m the middle Of the thirteenth century . Appearing at a time when French prose had not long r e ed eme ged , it is , as might be xpect , written in verse . It may possibly have influenced a

' o f or e r o later w rk , these a ly writers c pied freely ro o to r nd e f m each ther , and unde sta th m it is r Often ne cessary to go back to thei r predecesso s . SPORTING LITERATURE . 5

wor o Le A rt d e Venerie The k in questi n is , par u ll m T i en ‘ e G a e wic V our le Ro m stre y , y ’E l T i i h d n etere . w c w o o g William , wr te in o o 1327 to N rman French ab ut , was huntsman the Ed . Clo ward II , and we can still read in se Rolls and Exchequer Accounts that he received f ‘ a d . or 9d . 3 L a w ge Of a day , with 5 a day ittel ’ f or o Will and %d . the keep Of each greyh und o i One r o and stagh und . H s book is Of inst ucti n both in p ractice and in a knowledge Of hunting r s f or e te m , written an age which steemed this not o The the least part Of a p lite education . ro to r o p per way hunt the ha t , the buck , the b ar , f ox to to the hare and the , what names apply iff r o to o on them at d e ent ages , what n tes s und the horn in order to signify different incidents h e e o r in the chase Of eac , th s and the matters Of diverse and curious learning are to be read Le A rt d e Veneri e in . It is easily accessible in ’ M r A rt o Huntin iss Alice D yden s invaluable f g, r f r o issued a few yea s ago. It was o l ng a r or r o standa d w k , was early t anslated int o s on English , and f rmed the basis Of the treati e lbans B ook o S t . A Hunting in the f , Of which or r m e late . The next book also hails from France : the Li ure d e la C hasse was written some time 1387 o between , when the auth r tells us he began 1391 o o it , and , when he died Of ap plexy br ught

on by a bear hunt on a hot August day . Its

o G o . C o o auth r was ast n III , mte de F ix and o who oo Vic mte de Bearn , , as well as his b k , is 6 H FLY FIS ING FOR TROUT .

l o G o ho genera ly kn wn as ast n P ebus . He was lord Of t wo p rincipalities on the slopes of the me . m P re s a ou o y He c e Of a fam s h use , which gave to the world both that other Gaston de o n unfortu FOix , the y u g , the gallant , and the who o a nate , c mmanded the French at Ravenn o l when n y three and twenty , and was killed at the moment Of victory : and also C atherine de ’ o o d Albret F ix , the n ble wife Of the feeble Jean , r f r I G on and the ancest ess o Hen i V . ast Phoebus is an amazing figure even for the end m ’ l r Of the Middle Ages , a ti e when a ru e s r oo or bad could o cha acter , g d , devel p exactly as was o to it pleased His life dev ted fighting , o of was hunting , and the administrati n what he to oo r s ecta pleased call J ustice , bl dthi sty and p l r r n o cu a . o so He mu dered his nly , yet Fr issart , who O visited him at his castle Of rthez , picks u r him o t as the model p ince . Accompanied by two o or ro o n bles and f ty lances , he c ssed Eur pe ro r to Ko r two f m the Py enees nigsbe g , with Objects to fight the heathen inhabitants Of East

to r r S . Prussia , and hunt eindee in weden And , be o r it n ted , afte fighting the Prussians , he had to help to put down a Bolshevist rising ; f or thus r does history anticip ate itself . He hur ied back to r to J ac uerie ro o F ance quell the q , the fe ci us

peasant revolt led by Jacques Bonhomme . But r no to r f or the e was end his adventu es , his r r no o r i cha acte had half t nes , but was eve yth ng to r excess . When ang y , which was Often , he I L SPORT NG ITERATURE .

’ was a murderous savage ; and yet his book is without question the greatest sporting book in r s o the world . And it is a di ect ance t r Of English ' fi shing literature ; f or it was rendered to E or who in English by dward , that Duke Of Y k o r fell at Aginc urt , and that endering , the s r m o o M a te o Ga e f , f rmed the m del (as I think ’ I can show) on which Dame Jul iana s Trea tise was founded . This Edward Duke of York was Master Of r f r to I . G o E o . ame Hen y V ngland , his fi st c usin r m Hi oo M aste o Ga e s b k , the f , was dedicated to r o o r Hen y Of M nm uth , P ince Of Wales , after wards Henry V I t were out Of place in a book on fishing to follow the stormy career of Edward or r - o r r -fi hter Duke Of Y k . A ch pl tte and a ch g , l o r editors t as he is ca led by his m de n , he is known to the world as the gallant Duke Of York ’ S in H K enr V. in hakespeare s g y , and as the traitor Duke Of Aumerle in his Ki ng Ri chard I I and it is difficult to say which r r ro cha acte fits him the better . He p bably oo 1405 began the b k in , when he was lying a prisoner in Pevensey C astle for an act Of villainy more atrocious than usual again st his o o r r or o r o r yal c usin , and Of t eache y m e ut age us

or r o - o r or than dina y against his fell w c nspi at s ,

* See A Gasc on Trag ed y (in E xcur sion s in Li braria w I G . H . Po ell for an un atterin ortrait of as ton d e Iy , fl g p G I our.

Th M a st r e e o Game . i e m and ai i e t W . A . ll t f Ed d by . F B Grohman This sumptuous work contains a good accoun t Of Gaston d e Foix and Edward Duk e Of York and 8 I H FLY F S ING FOR TROUT .

o l d o o i r and c mpete it in the f ll w ng yea , when he was most undeservedly restored to favour r s er and c eated Ma t Of Game . But he wrote a boo r oo on o great k , the fi st b k sp rt written in o to s o o English , and , as I h pe h w , the m del and a r our s chetype Of immen e fishing literature . o By the time Of the Duke Of Y rk , sporting books had settled into a form which was never r r T afte wa ds abandoned . hey begin with a p rologue which sets out the merits Of sport co r to o mpa ed ther pursuits , treating its subj ect f romt the o o M l ftiest standp int , and , in the iddle an r not to o out Ages at y ate , failing p int its spiritual as well as its physical advantages . N o o o ext f ll w. detailed acc unts Of the natural history and method Of hunting the difi erent animals ; then a description Of hounds and i ru f or nst ments required the chase , and at the r m end o o co the e may be an epil gue , m destly m oo to or ending the b k the public , perhaps c ontaining rules which all sportsmen should o o or r r re f ll w , pe haps epeating and emphasis

i n the ro o . o g p l gue This , it will be n ticed , is ml l r or of C o eat A n e d the f m the p g , and indee , with the changes that two and a half centuries f t - r oo o o . b ing , Of the fishing b k day Izaak o not o o nor Walt n did riginate that f rm , indeed did the Trea tise it comes from the M aster of

' m r to or o a e SO G . it is necessa y give a sh t acc unt

Of the shape and spirit of that great book . NO one leads a happier Or more virtuous life has ro o . than the huntsman , says the p l gue He SPORTING LITERATURE . 9

of o dl health b dy , and , since he is never i e , The o o too . on o health Of s ul j y Of being a h rse , o o o the gallant fell wship Of h unds , the exultati n Of reporting to his lord the harbouring Of some o r o : n ble stag , and Of hea ing the c mpany say LO r r r r , he e is a g eat ha t and a dee Of high meating or pasturing ; gO we and move him ; are r r of these g eat j oys . Eve y incident the a r o chase is ple su able , fr m the getting up Of the hunter early on a clear and bright morning and hearing the song Of birds and seeing the dew on twigs and grasses ; until he comes home in n ar r a s the eve ing , we y but t iumph nt , sup well on of ar oo or the neck the h t with g d wine ale , and before going to bed takes the cool air Of the f r r evening o the g eat heat that he has . O o a on or o ccupied c ntinu lly w k which he l ves , o o healthy in mind and b dy , always in cl se o r r o c ntact with natu e , the hunte lives a j yful and y irtuous life and goes straight to Paradise i when he d es . r m r u t a Such is the P olog e o the M aste of G e . o r s or It h lds the ve y di tilled essence Of sp t , and i r N ne r in add tion is exquisite p ose . O o can ead it and then tu rn to the Trea ti se of Fi shi ng wi th an A ngle without seeing the similarity between t The Tre i ff r the wo . a t se di e s only because it r r The deals with a new spo t just diffe entiated . M aster of Game p roves that the life Of sport is ’ best of all the Trea ti se that the fi sher s life is

T . best Of all lives devoted to sport . hat is all ’ When we read Dame J uliana s epilogue on the 1 0 H FLY FIS ING FOR TROUT . j oys Of fishing it is difficult to believe that she ’ did not have the Duke Of York s p rologue before h er so do r o r , much they esemble each the . Both r r or ro o a o t eat thei sp t f m the l ftiest st ndp int . B oth aver that its p ractice does not benefit m’ o o o o f or a an s b dy al ne , but his s ul als ; it le ds h imnearer his God by keeping him free from s in r r ro o a o of ; pa ticula ly f m idleness , f und ti n ll o r a evil . B th claim that it b ings man into c ontact with nature at her loveliest It is to r o as are difficult ead b th , cast they in the o r and same m uld , imbued with the same spi it o o ro a o o c mp sed f m the s me standp int , with ut co to o o i ming the c nclusi n that Dame Jul ana , did not o o o r ro if she c nsci usly c py , at any ate w te u r r r nde the influence Of Edwa d Duke Of Yo k . All through the book the resemblance continues rra r in a ngement , in language and in spi it they r r who r a a e identical . And any angle e ds that delightful record Of skilled and gallant sports r m r M aste o Ga e o manship , the f , must ej ice that the earliest record Of his craft is grounded

On so noble a model . r o r But the e is an the piece Of evidence ,

o . which , small in itself , p ints the same way The Trea ti se refers to the M aster of Ga me as r N OW the standard wo k on hunting . the Trea ti se or r i r f med pa t , as w ll be desc ibed , Of k A l ns T o collec o o t ba . o the B o f S . his b k is a o o r r at s o s sa ti n Of f u t e i es , all sten ibly by the me

or one of on . auth , and them is actually hunting OW or to o or on N , if the auth wanted qu te a w k

1 HI 2 FLY FIS NG FOR TROUT .

of r treats Hunting , Hawking and He aldry , r o th ee essentials Of a p lite education . r f or r Appa ently it was successful , ten yea s later Wynkyn de Worde brought out a second o ro editi n , and p bably finding that fishing was o r o o oo a p pula sp rt , he c mpleted the b k by reati s o Fi shin wi th an A n le adding the T e f g g . ’ o G M It thus became a s rt Of entleman s anual , the kind of book which two centuries later ‘ ’ would have been called the C ompleat some

in : - C o e G or th g ,the mpl at entleman the

’ C o S or a to- mpleat p tsm n ; while day , in this age o o Of specialisati n , it w uld have been split up

r - The or into a se ies Of text books . auth ess was a to a J ul ans r or r st ted be D me y Ba nes , Be nes , a mythical lady whose name has now been changed by devout disciples into Dame Juliana r r and ro i o n a o Be ne s , a mant c th ugh me d ci us o r f r er bi g aphy has been compiled o h . But in a fishing book it is not necessary to discuss her i f or o o o ex stence , th ugh s me ne called Dame Julyans Barnes may have been the author Of or o on so f ar or the p ti n Hunting , as the w d ‘ ’ author can be applied to a work which is only a compilation p roduced in an age when literary ro r not r o i p pe ty did exist , the e is n th ng what r to o her Trea ti se o Fi shi n eve c nnect with the f g, which was merely a dded by Wynkyn de Worde * to a a r ra A nd m ke his Manu l mo e att ctive .

% D ame a a s n o T ou u i n ern ers h as een e o e h gh J l B b d p d , succ essor h as een a in te ccor n I s al treat her b ppo d . A di gly h l as author until a b etter cl aimant app ears : for it is awkward to a e to c te an anon mous h v i y book . 13 SPORTING LITERATURE . assuredly the Treati se became the most attrac r oo f or tive element in that att active b k , it went through sixteen editions or rep rints in the r ar o o ar hund ed ye s which f ll wed its appe ance , A lbans or either with the B ook of S t . separately ; an d f or centuries afterwards n i writerS r ro o a gl ng pi ated f m it , with ut r A n acknowledgment it need ha dly be said . d o ro r nO when pen bbe y ceased , its influence was less great and lasting ; f or it gave the colour o to ra r not and t ne fishing lite tu e , and even the C omplea t A ngler itself stamped its mark more n or deeply o the sp t . how r o Seeing what it is , seeing myste i usly ro W r it a se , and seeing , as ill appea , that it is oo n r oo g d fishi g w itten in g d English , it is worth enqui ring whether it is not possible to a o r fix its d te , even th ugh the write must r a n r 14 6 o . 9 em in unk wn It was . p inted in , but r r T r re its date is ea lie . he e a indications which point to a date as early as the first quarter Of r the fifteenth centu y . But in any event it is 45 r as early as 1 0 . Besides the text p inted by W nk n or r r y y de W de , the e is an Olde manu r in o o sc ipt text , included the great c llecti n Of r r r fishing books fo med by the late M . Alf ed i o o o or . Den s n , a c llecti n f tunately still intact This Denison text was edited in 1883 by S % o or B i bli otheca Pi sca atchel , j int auth Of tori a s ro o , as isted by P fess r Skeat , high a or uth ities both . They assign it to a date r 145 f r befo e 0 . It dif e s so much from the 14 H FLY FIS ING FOR TROUT .

r n a o r p i ted text th t it cann t be its a chetype , and yet resembles it SO much that the two c annot be independent transl ations from o r r T r o s as . or an the t ngue , uch F ench he ef e , i r are two o a ra S nce the e c ll te l texts , they must a o o is r i h ve had a c mm n Engl h pa ent , wh ch must r r a 1450 at any ate be Olde th n , and may be r T r or Trea ti se is r a much Olde . he ef e the ce t inly about fifty years Older than the date Of its

ra in 1496 and o si r . appea nce , p s bly Olde still C an any more be said % C an its history be r r r % r t aced still fu the back Only by conjectu e . Some writers have sought to find the original in so r ri r in me F ench manusc pt , a guing that s ce oo s on or r or r n all b k sp t we e b n in F a ce , it is p robable that the first book on fishing came F r r is . ro a so . o o f m the e l It p ssible myself , o r i o r or h weve , an Engl sh s u ce seems the m e

T i s a can s . probable . hat all th t be aid But r o r oo o whateve the s u ce , the b k as we kn w it r A or must have a long p revious histo y . w k so o o c mplete and detailed , sh wing fly fishing in s full wing , with each fish and his habits r and o ro r desc ibed , with flies c pied f m natu e ,

can hardly have arisen all at once . Indeed

Dame Juliana herself disclaims originality . When talking Of the carp she says that certain ‘ are oo a r ersones baits g d , as I h ve he de saye Of p credyble and also f ounde wryten in bokes Of ’ r The oo o or c edence . b ks Of credence are l st to o r i o hidden ; as the pers ns c ed ble , c uld all the information have been collected and recorded L 1 SPORTING ITERATURE . 5

ro or r i o % o so f m al t ad ti n That is p ssible , but unl ikely that the conclusion appears to be that Treati se o o the as we kn w it is, drawn fr m a r f r n o r se ies o manusc ipts ow l st o unknown . T oo r hese b ks Of c edence , if English , will probably never be seen : f or England has been searched p retty closely in the last thi rty or forty r are r yea s . But if they F ench , they may still

o r so r . a lie undisc ve ed in me F ench abbey Bl key , r 1846 Hi stori cal Sketches w iting in , says in his o the A n lin Li tera ture o all N a ti ons f g g f , a r o r o eadable th ugh un eliable w rk , that a few years earlier a paper had been read to a society of antiquaries at Arras on an Old manuscript on ro r 1000 fishing , dating f m the yea , and found among the remains Of the valuable t r t r r r S . S . lib a y Of the abbey Of Be tin at Ome . Since that paper was read much has happened at A rras in Artois . Many have gone there who r r or who neve hea d Of it bef e , and have gone there f or other purposes than to listen to learned disquisitions on a peaceful sport ; who ’ C r have , like haucer s squi e , b en somtyme in chevauchée i r i I n lan dres in Arto s an d in ca e . F , y , P d Many have made that j ourney and have not r r a r etu ned . If such m nusc ipts still exist in r i r to rr o . A as in A t s , they will be ha d find S or are ro uch is the hist y , and such the p bable or Trea ti se o Fi shin wi th an igins , Of the f g l now r t A ng e . It emains o examine the book itself . CHA PTER II .

THE TREATI S E OF FI SHI N G W I TH AN GLE

n l r u in i m Th mst t ce not c mand hi s e A e o g , w r n t hi is w r h milli n s t i s re a d a d tha w ch o t o o h , y

nten mnt n oth r m r r t in h co t e a e a bu fo a oa e t e , y y g ket M ar .

A Di sc ourse o the Genera A r t o Fi shi n f ll f g , B rvase M arkh m 1 614. y Ge a .

HE Treati se begins with an account Of the delights Of fi sh So o ing . lom n says that a good spi rit makes a fair age and a o rr r is s l ng , and a me y spi it be t gained by good disports and honest games in which a man rej oices without

r r . N ow r are o any epentance afte , the e f ur or r r sp ts Of this cha acte , hunting , hawking , o fishing and f wling , and Of these the best is t fishing . It enables a man o eschew all contrarious comp any and all places Of debate where he might have any occasion of a r a s r a o mel ncholy . Pe h p this is the e s n why politicians in all ages have found relaxation r o in fishing . Dame Juliana then enqui es int 17 THE TREATISE . the reasons why fishing should be accounted the r he o . S best sp t takes hunting first , Of which ri o or r the ght n ble and full w thy p ince , the or M r G Duke Of Y k , late called aste Of ame , had k alrea dy described the j oys . Hunting she thin s a r The r too l bo ious . hunte must always run o o his hOunds r and f ll w , t availing and sweating or o or full s e . He bl ws his h n till his lips r and r oft bliste , when he thinks it a ha e full T a o n t it is a hedgehog . hus he ch ses he kn ws o

- . o o r what He c mes h me at even ain beaten , r o or o r p icked , his cl thes t n , wet sh d and mi y , r T r r o o os o oo o . o s me h unds l t , s me f t s e he ef e in r r hunt g I s not the best spo t Of the fou . a too or o ro o s But h wking , , is lab i us and t ubl u , f or a co r oft o the f l ne l ses his hawks , and then r r is his dispo t gone . He c ies and whistles till r he be ight evil athirst . His hawks take on e r own o flights th i acc unt , and when asked to an a I fly sit d b sk . f misfed they get the ro C r o r F unce , the Rye , the ay and the sick r T r r nesses that cause thei downfall . he efo e r hawking is not the best sport Of the fou . o oo or f or o F wling is a f lish sp t , the f wler not r speeds but in winte , and in the hardest and o s r f r c lde t weathe . He cannot visit his gins o r the cold . Many a gin an d many a sna e he

a o . or makes , and m ny he l ses In the m ning he

- o or walks in the dew , and , wet sh d and s e a - o o not r orro c ld , d es get his dinne till the m w , or o to o has f or g es bed bef re he well supped , anything he may get by fowling . Therefore 18 H FLY FIS ING FOR TROUT .

o are so or o hunting , hawking and f wling lab i us and grievous that none Of them induces that r r o me ry spi it which causes a l ng life . The s or o be i p t which d es this must fish ng , rod f or o r and fishing with and line , the r i are or o r o s manne s Of fish ng lab i us and g iev u , o o i s Often making f lks full wet and c ld , which s r i fi rmitie r the cau e Of g eat n s . But the angle ff r r o nor s nor tio su e s neithe c ld di ease vexa n , i T e o n save what he causes h mself . h m st he ca o or a oo ma l se is a line h k , Of which he y have own plenty Of his making , as this simple r The o r o t eatise shall teach him . nly g iev us thing that may happen is that a fish break away r oo or a he afte he has taken the h k , else th t i t r F r o no o . o catch n ught , wh ch is g iev us at least he has his wholesome walk at his case and air o r o o a sweet Of the sav u Of the mead w fl wers , r r that makes him hung y . He hea s the o o r o r mel di us ha m ny Of bi ds ; he sees swans , ro oo n o r r he ns , ducks , c ts and ma y the bi ds with r roo r o thei b ds , which is bette than n ise Of r r r o hounds or blast of ho n o c y Of Wildf wl . r r r And if the angle take fish , su ely then is the e T no man merrier than he is in his spirit . hus is it p roved that the sport Of angling induces rr r r or to are a me y spi it , and the ef e all that r o r o a vi tu us , gentle and f ee b rn Dame Julian Treati se indites her , by which they may have the full craft of angling to disport them at their as r to r ple u e , the intent that thei age may

flourish the more and endure the longer .

20 H FLY FIS ING FOR TROUT .

C o r andlemas , heated in an ven , st aightened to r of oo by being tied a st aight piece w d , and oro r The th ughly d ied in the smoke . butt must ‘% of o or ro o or be hazel will w wan , six feet l ng or o r r m e , as thick as y u arm and evenly tape ed ; the pith must be burnt out sO as to make the o o r o butt h ll w with an even tape inside , a br ad r ro or ra a fe rule Of i n b ss pl ced at each end , and o o to out to at the b tt m a spike made take , ou to o to rr enable y get at y ur p, which was ca ied The t tw inside the hollow butt . op was in o or o o r o p ti ns neatly spliced t gethe , the wh le as long as the butt into which it fitted ; the lower r r r oo pa t Of g een hazel , and the uppe a fair sh t

or r r r or r . Of blackth n , c abt ee , medla junipe Bind a double line Of six hairs thickness on to to c rr o to o the p at the spli e , ca y it d wn the p int and there make a loop on which to fasten your o u ut r line . When y u fish yo take o you top and o to o place it in the h le at the p Of the butt , int which it fits ; when you are not fishing put the to ou rod so p inside the butt , and y will have a well disguised that you may walk with it and u no one will guess that yo are going fishing . ul It will be light and f l nimble to fish with . The to o r line is be Of h rsehai , white and

o o ou . r und , the l ngest y can find Stain it f r o o r f or ff Ofi dif e ent c l u s di erent waters , cut

% r F ssh D enison T ex t . An Old er F ormof the T eaty s e of y I is O i us n w th an n l a % . 1 . on n . tc e 883 t o y g e y A g e . L do S h l bv ly th e ur er text and I a e us e it in se era ac es w ere it p , h v d v l pl h mh mr and r l u i i is e e c t ers o t e r n te tex t. n c l t diff f p i d U k y , i p f , does n ot contain th e section on fli es . 21 THE TREATISE .

o f or the weak ends (m st excellent advice , it p revents the weak ends being accidentally twisted into the line) and twist it on a machine ou Of which a figure is given . When y have o to o r o twisted en ugh links make y u line , j in them together by a water- knot or a duchess o r t Off kn t , whateve hat may be , and cut the ’ a not too or r w ste ends , but sh t , leaving a st aw s r T a . a b e dth his again is excellent dvice , and as useful now f or gut as it was four hundred rs a o f or or r yea g h sehai . Hooks are the most subtle and hardest part r r You o r o r Of you c aft . want a wh le a m u y Of oo r r r t ls , Of which a eally admi able figu e is For oo given . small h ks use the smallest square - headed steel needles that you can get ; ’ f or larger ones embroiderers needles or ’ ’ o or o r are tail rs , sh emake s awls , which a f r r o r speci lly good o la ge fish . Heat y u needle red hot r o fi re oo r in a cha c al , c l it , make the ba b r r T with you knife and sha pen the point . hen heat it again and bend it into the shape Of the very excellent figu re which is given ; test the r o tempe Of the p int , flatten the shank and file oo SO a ou s o r to it sm th th t y can la h y u line it , heat it again and plunge it in water ; thus will r r it be ha d and st ong . TO oo to red fasten the h k the line , take fine f or oo f or r silk , small h ks single , la ge Ones t o no . o r d ubled , but twisted An the excellent piece Of advice : the best modern book On m ’ o H ow to Ti e dressing sal n flies , Hale s 22 H FLY FIS ING FOR TROUT .

lmon Fli s t S a e ou o a out , tells y t ke the twist Of o r o or i T y u d ubled tying silk bef e us ng it . ake a few close turns Of the tying silk round the line ; then lay your line on the inside Of your oo and r end oo h k , sta ting at the Of the h k fasten on the line two thirds Of the way up to the bend ; then turn back the waste end Of your line a nd f or the last thi rd Of the way lash it on o Off ro d uble , and finish und the shank Of the hook with the well - known whip finish and draw t ight . These di rections f or making tackle have been given at length in order to Show their excel ot o are lence . N nly they excellent ; they are o r s r a r m de n . The ca ual e de , misled by the archaic English in which the Treati se is r o so w itten , and ab ve all by me Of the clumsy i plates with which it is embellished , espec ally ro and rod the f ntispiece that Of the , may think r i r that the p actical part Of the book s wo thless . T r : rod his is quite unt ue the , which in the r oo l o r pictu e l ks like an ungain y p le , is eally : o o r light and flexible a h ll w butt , a sp ingy o o middle j int Of hazel , and a light yet t ugh top make up something which would throw a

fly uncommonly well . i s r to are It necessa y understand this , if we The r to form a picture of the time . fishe man cannot practise the refinements Of his craft ro r one unless p pe ly equipped , and , save in

* M arston in This was first p ointed out by M r . R . B . i i i Wa lton and the E a rl er Fi sh n g Wr ters . THE TREATISE . 23

Tr r so . od respect , he was equipped ue , his , which must have been between twelve and

o s r to our n . eighteen feet l ng , seem la ge thi king I not or o o r a t must be f g tten , h weve , th t its hollow butt and hazel middle j oint made it light r wh s s i fo . C o o tOO o its length tt n , , fi hed k lfully o to o r l rod en ugh satisfy the m st c itica , used a to i e o fifteen e ght en feet l ng , a single handed The i or r rod too . fact s that bef e the eel was invented the long limber rod was essential if ou r to o ro y we e kill big fish with ut being b ken , and indeed long rods survived years after the o f or r inventi n Of the reel , as late as the fi st half Of last century Ronalds says that a strong man u one f e The r can se o fift en feet . sho t rods we r now use a e a modern invention . The one exception to the excellence of Dame ’ her Juliana s tackle is line . It must be

t a . confessed that she did no fish fine . In f ct r r r L are to s ve y much the cont a y . ines be u ed Of r e s for diflerent ar va ying thickn s es fish , st ting wi r f or i o th a single hai the m nn w , and running r f r The ro up to fifteen hai s o the salmon . t ut is to e f or r be fish d with a line Of nine hai s , and r the g eat trout with one Of twelve . It must be admitted that these are monstrous thick L r n r . o e lines awson , w iting hund ed and r a r ou to r twenty yea s l te , tells y use a line th ee r : r r r rs a r hai s thick and Ba ke , thi ty yea l te ou r ro still , says that y can kill the g eatest t ut a on a r ou sea th t swims a single h i , if y have roo s r ro m , and that a ingle hai will kill five t ut 24 H FLY FIS ING FOR TROUT . to one taken by a line Of three hairs twisted . C o o o r f or r tt n used d uble hai , except a ve y small f r m o a fl fly , when he used it single , and the y y, r when he used it t eble . With double hair a man who could not kill a trout twenty inches o r n t a r o . a l ng dese ved the name Of ngle Fin lly , r o or r r r C o o F anck , a c ntemp a y Of Ba ke and tt n , speaks with wonder and awe Of a certain Isaac l ham h t Ow d w o o o , used fish salm n with a line r r Of th ee hai s only next the hook . All these ors r r are auth , be it emembe ed , speaking Of no r to o r o fishing with eel , and kill a f u p und ro on o r or t ut a single hair with ut a eel , a * n o al o on r r twe ty p und s m n th ee hai s , is a feat r a r r t O few mode n ngle s would ca e o attempt . S we must remember the disadvantages under which early fly fishers sufi ered when we criticise r S o thei clumsy lines . till , when all all wances are a made , it must be dmitted that the lines in the Treati se are unnecessarily heavy . But there is another point we must r r too o emembe , , and that is the meth d Of fly r fishing which p revailed then and long afte . C asting downstream with the wind behind you and using a hair line which though thick was i o s to r e l ght , it was p s ible keep nea ly all the lin ff r r r r on O the wate . Ea ly w ite s insist this , o r or o r that y u fly must alight bef e y u line , and

* Wh en D un c an Grant killed his bi g fi sh in th e Ab erlour water of th e S e a ter a in it all n t he h ad t i rt p y , f pl y g igh , h y plies Of h ai r n ex t the fly % And this was at the b eginnin g Of th e n in eteenth cen tury % — - n i s o Sa lmon F i shi n . 1843 . r Da s a d N ht Sc op e . y g f g 2 THE TREATISE . 5

o r as little Of it as possible must t uch the wate . And also some Of them give directions enabling you to keep your fly near the top after you have r r to cast , and flies we e specially d essed swim T or on or r r a . o nea the su f ce heref e , th ugh the a ai r line was thick , ne rly all Of it was in the , an d consequently much less visible to the trout r The t a r . oo th n if it we e in the wate line , , o it was t th ugh thick , was made Of whi e and r n or ir o s o t a slucent h seha , and was less c n picu us i than m ght be imagined . oo The h ks , if the plate can be taken as a r r t r o no . guide , and it p bably can , we e la ge Measured across the bend they run from about 2 or 3 to 15 on o r are the m de n scale , but they or r r r sh te in the shank and thicke in the wi e . SO f or rod oo : much the , line and h ks what o % The Trea ti se e ab ut flies giv s a list Of twelve , a o s r M a ro a f m u list , pi ated by asc ll f m the Treati se o ro M a a ro , by Walt n f m sc ll , and f m him by numberless lesser writers f or hundreds r S r re Of yea s . O inte esting a flies that they a two a r to are w nt ch pte s themselves , and r C r desc ibed in hapte s VIII . and I X . It is only necessary here to deal shortly with Dame i ’ . Out her Jul ana s list Of twelve flies , eleven T r r n r . a a o can be identified h t is the w de ful , to n The but I believe it be inco testable . eleven are her rs r ar fi t Dun Fly , which is the Feb u y r ss a r r r f or Red , d e ed with pa t idge feathe wing

ro o as i s r s to- and a b wn b dy , it d es ed day ; her o O sec nd Dun Fly , which is the live Dun ; 26 H FLY FIS ING FOR TROUT .

o the S r her the St ne Fly ; Red pinne , which is a r d i r o e . fly m de Of dyd ( . uddy) wool ; and her e o L o M a Y ll w Fly , which is the ittle Yell w y The ut Dun . Dun C Of Dame Jul iana is the o a haVI n r Yell w Dun , the n me g su vived until * n r T her the ineteenth centu y . hen M aure (mulberry coloured) Fly and Tandy (tan o o r o o o r oo c l u ed) Fly , with a b dy Of tan c l u ed w l i of i s a ar to and w ngs the l ghte t m ll d , tied back o two r s back , can be n thing but d e sings Of the fl ff r M a . The y y in di e ent states Wasp Fly , with o r o a f or a black b dy ibbed with yell w , spe ks The r s . o it elf D ake Fly , with its black b dy and r r o o da k malla d wing , is unc mm nly like the r r n r L o . m de n d essi g Of the Alde astly , the S o Shell Fly is the hell Fly Of R nalds , with a r ss r r of r d e ing ve y simila , in spite th ee and a r T s os t half centu ies . hu it is p sible o identify r The r clea ly eleven out Of the twelve . emaining Lo r r M a fly is the Black upe , appea ing in y, to which seems have been a hackle fly , and corresponds to our Black Palmer or C och - y

B onddhu o . , but cann t be identified exactly The or o r not imp tant thing , h weve , is the exact identification Of these flies more than four r r r r hund ed yea s after they we e desc ibed , r r o r o o ema kable th ugh that is , but the ec gniti n

h e e ow D n Oi on a s n o o b e con use wit the i . e . t u t t Y ll R ld , f d h ot er e ow D un his tt e e ow M a D un . Se e a so h Y ll , Li l Y ll y l

Pra cti ca l F l F i s hin run o o n B eev er 1849 . 18. y g by A d (J h ) , p H e es cr es a h e c a s th e r n D un w c i s th e d ib fly ll Sp i g , hi h mmer ress n f h e D an d es D n ut as on e s u O t e un u C d i g Oliv , giv r D a a Of its syn onyms . Si Humph ry D avy too gi ves un Cut s n mf h e e o D syn o y O t Y ll w un .

28 H FLY FIS ING FOR TROUT .

ou run to o r y let him the end Of y u line , as or one r r o r m e than w ite puts it , that is , get y u rod i one r he r and l ne in st aight line , will b eak ou to r a n N ow ar y a ce t i ty . it is cle that , if a r s r i a a ro ou ou s fish uns t a ght w y f m y , y mu t , if you wish to keep a full curve on your rod and to o rr use its flexibility the utm st , ca y it back over your shoulder more and more the further fi sh so ou are the is away , that finally y in the so o o r r o r attitude c mm nly figu ed in Old p ints , y u rod ro r o r o r o r th wn ight back ve y u sh ulde , and r T the butt pointing towa ds the fish . his ‘ ’ os o p iti n , shewing the fish the butt , as it is r r oo r called , was st angely misunde st d in eel using days . It was thought that the Object Of this ungainly attitude was to put the greatest o r on r r p ssible st ain a fish , and F ancis F ancis is at some pains to show that this is not what

oe . Nor o so it d s has he any difficulty in d ing , for so f ar from putting the greatest you are r on putting the least st ain the fish , and the r r You are rod to g eatest on the od . using the o its utm st pliability , and indeed making a demand on it which no modern stiff rod could r o who o rod answe . R nalds , adv cates a flexible

as o r r . l ng as fifteen feet , puts the matte ight The e who oo o b ginner has h ked a fish sh uld , he rod o o r says , get his up ver his sh ulde , and r to for p esent the butt end the fish , thus he can ’ make best use of the rod s pliability . If the r r out a no eade will think it , he will see th t better rul e can be given than to point the butt 29 THE TREATISE .

r i f or r o ion st a ght at the fish , , whateve p sit he in s be , this make the best use Of the elasticity

Of the rod . The truth is that playing a fish is no longer art wa A fi on fi n e the it s . heavy sh gut is difficult with the best Of modern reels ; imagine

what it must have been without any . In those ou r to o to days y eally had play y ur fish , and r himut r b ti e o with hand and od . N ow e r r la gely plays himself , and yet he Often b eaks

us . The trout is in season from March to M r or a ichaelmas , and wheneve it the gr yling are s e r s to f or e n i ing , they are be fished with

ar to o . an tificial fly , suiting the fly the m nth Elaborate baits are given f or the trout and f or ll are not ur a o o . ther fish , but they business T r r o o hey we e la gely c pied by Walt n , and many r The r r a e used to this day . t out is a ight o r r r dainty fish , and als a ight fe vent bite . He o r l ves clean g avel and streams . f or o n t Fly fishing salm n was o unknown . When a salmon rises he may be taken with a ro or r n or fly as a t ut g ayli g ; but , adds the auth , it i s seldom seen . Directions are given where to fish In a o r o f or r p nd , which is but a p is n fish and Whe e are r r on r r i s nO to fish hung y as p is e s , the e need r r oo o r be pa ticula , but ch se a place Of m de ate

. a r r r depth In ive , the best place is whe e the r o o wate is deep and the b tt m clean , such as

or a o or . gravel cl y , which is free fr m mud weeds H 80 FLY FIS ING FOR TROUT .

oo r r or Especially ch se a whi ling wate , where r oo o r f or o o the e is g d c ve fish , such as a h ll w or r t r r r o bank g ea t ee oots o fl ating weeds . Deep r r ir oo are o wate , wate falls and we p ls als ‘ recommended ; and it is good for to angle where as the water restyth by the bank and where the m r stre e renn th n he y yg the e by , and is deep and ’ r r n r r clea by the g ou d . As a fishe man eads or r o o hi s these w ds , the e must c me int mind many a Vision Of clear and quiet waters flowing r ro r gently unde a bank , with a st ng st eam r n r r o ro r1s1n I n un ing nea the eby , and n ble t ut g r the quiet wate . r A dvice as to time Of day and weathe follow . From M ay till September the early morning o o r ro o r to fr m f u till eight is best , and f m f u r o r eight in the evening next best . A da k l we ing o i or o day with a c ld wh stling wind , with a s ft

are o oo . I wind , b th g d f at any time Of the ro or r f or day the t ut g ayling rise , fish them oo one o r to with a fly , ch sing appr p iate the T no a month . his advice is repeated less th n r a r i r r th ee times . We the wh ch is eithe b ight hot or r a o ra so is and sult y is unf v u ble , and a an wind with any touch Of East in it . West d

or are oo o . N th winds g d , but the best is the S uth s o r or r Heavy wind , sn w , ain , hail , a thunde r re sto m a all bad . T he Trea ti se r o r , which sta ted up n gene al

r a o s on o . r Obse v ti ns , end the same n te It sta ted by describing the perfect sport and ends with r r r a pictu e Of the pe fect fishe man . His duty 31 THE TREATIS E .

o r or o r o r t wa ds the sp t , t wa ds his neighb u , towards the poor and towards his God is ro o i o depicted f m the l ft est standp int , and set out in language rarely equalled f or dignity and ’ mr n r r N O a o a g ace . base cti n must the a gle s r r p ractice and no base motive ente his hea t . s ous r r o rs He mu t studi ly espect the ights Of the , l r r The are to particu a ly Of the poo . fish be ro s o r are p tected in all way p ssible , and ve min The r t o o to be destroyed . spo t is o be f ll wed f or its own sa not ro r r o ke , f m me cena y m tives or for r r to s but mate ial gain , and neve exces ; a o r r o ri ou as n ble ec eati n , which will b ng y N or o o o . o s lace and health Of b dy Of b dy al ne , f or o r or o r one s y u sp t , Of necessity a s lita y , give ou an or r God o y Opp tunity Of se ving dev utly , r r r r r epeating ea nestly your customa y p aye . By so o ou a o a s i d ing y will v id m ny vice , espec ally h dl s o o . w o i enes , f undati n Of all evil All they follow these rules Shall have the blessing Of God and Saint Peter ; which he them grant that with his p recious blood us bought . T Trea ti se r hat concludes the . What imp es o o % H OW r fi sh si n d es it leave did a fishe man , r 1496 o o a in this yea , when B sw rth Field was or r o C a ot mem y but eleven yea s Old , when J hn b n o r o was saili g t wa ds Newf undland , when r o to O or n E asmus was ab ut visit xf d , whe L r oo o and W nk n uthe was still a sch lb y , when y y de Worde had just succeeded to Caxton at r % How his Westminste will his equipment , o r o r o rs kn wledge , and his p actice c mpa e with u 3 2 FLY FISHING FOR TROUT .

% a t the p resent d ay It is a long time truly a ar 1496 and i s since th t ye , many th ng have

a i r or o . ch nged in the nte val , sp t am ng them o are a r o r r G ne the h wke and the f wle , thei r occup ation merged in that Of the shoote .

too. r Fishing has changed Pe haps hunting , e u i r r specially h nt ng the ha t , has alte ed the least f or were Gaston de FOix or Edward Duke of York to be p resent at a meet Of the Devon a nd Somerset staghounds they would find r A nd r o r r e ssentials unalte ed . when the ha b u e t o of r o r ld them the stag he had ha b u ed , what s r o igns Of vene y he had n ted , and what c o o s r as to s nclusi n he d ew its ize and age , why he o and they w uld talk the same language , r though five hundred years did sep a ate them . B ut what about the fly fisher % How did he fish a t r the end Of the fifteenth centu y , when the Wars Of the Roses were over and the Reforma tion yet to come % Success in fishing depends on three factors : ’ r i o the angle s equ pment , his kn wledge Of i a fish life , and his sk ll in m king use Of these to fi h ro in presenting the fly the s . F m the Treati se we know much about the first two or r r f or fact s , but ha dly anything Of the thi d , h r we dO not know ow a fishe man fished . He not was handicapped by his equipment , if thick are o lines excepted , and even this handicap c uld largely be neutralised by keeping the rod point ff r T r high and the line O the wate . he e is o ro o n thing w ng with his flies , th ugh it must 3 THE TREATISE . 3

not be forgotten that we do not know what they a oo nor actu lly l ked like , must it be assumed that because a modern dresser could make excel lent flies Out Of the Old dressings they were made r r with equal care over fou centu ies ago . But r i a o s a to afte mak ng all ll wance , it is s fe assume his i ho or o r r that fl es , t ugh m e c a sely d essed , larger I n the wing and thicker I n the body than

o now r r a . th se used , still we e fai ly service ble The rod ro to o , f m twelve eighteen feet l ng ,

i - f r s ngle handed , was light and stif yet sp ingy , and with a following wind or on a still day would cast a hair line with delicacy and enable the fisherman to put his fly accurately and softly f r o r r SO o . ve a ising fish . much equipment ’ The fi sherman s watercraft also was not wanting . He knew that he must keep out of i an a o ff r s ght d keep his sh d w O the wate . He knew that hi s fly must imitate not only a natural insect but the one which was up at the moment ; and that if he had any doubt all he had ’ to do was to open a fish s stomach and see and it is therefore not too much to say that he was told to use an imitation Of the actual fly which r a r t o f r fish we e t king . He knew whe e o l ok o a r A ising fish . nd he knew that whenever fish were rising they would take the artificial if the right one were found ; and putting all this advice together we come amazingly near the p ractice Of fishing for individual rising fi sh ‘ o r r with a c py Of the fly they we e taking . F om A r % t ll S r e ro le th p il y eptemb e y t ugh py , thenne H 34 FLY FIS ING FOR TROUT .

t m th a ub d cor n e o b w d b oo a d angle y y y h ke , y g ’ The r r to o . o the m neth esemblance , h weve , must r t f r TO do so oul to not be p essed OO a . w d be make the mi stake Of reading modern ideas into n r r A nd a the loose language Of a Old w ite . c ution i s p articularly necessary Owing to the fact that

% the Trea ti se does not say how the fisherman are o o r used his fly . We t ld n thing Of the thi d i ot or r o . C as s n fact , p esentati n ting the fly n io La o ro r me t ned until ws n w te , a centu y and ar r a r The a a qu te l te . fly must h ve been cast , t can but how we know no . It only have been o or f or rod cast d wn wind in a calm , the and n The line used could ot have cast up wind . r r rest is guess work . Whethe the fly was th own or o r a r was o to up d wn st e m , whethe it all wed float with the current or was drawn across or in r r r a aga st it , whethe it was kept nea the su f ce

or o to s are not o . all wed ink , we t ld But it is not a very extravagant guess to assume that the u sual practice was to fish down stream and to ra r to d w the fly , keeping it nea the p Of the r t r r . r oo a o wate It is p etty clea , , that windy , r e o o at least a b e zy , day was ch sen , and a cl udy day was thought best ; a dark day with either a soft wind or with no wind at all is considered o o to the best Of any . These indicati ns p int an art on o in its infancy , but the ther hand it is not too much to say that the advanced know ledge Of fishing lore which the Trea ti se shows must have carried with it an equal degree of skill in the application Of that knowledge to the

C HA PTER III .

FROM THE TREATI S E TO THE M PLEAT AN LER C O G .

An d in min e Opinion I could highly commen d our rchard i f either throu h it or hard b it y O , g , y , there should ru n n e a pleasant River with silver m mi i i ur un n l strea s ou ht s t n o Mo t and a e ; y g y , g

ck r ut r l i h E l r s m a e ed o o s e t e e o o e other p l T g y , dain t i sh y F . A N e w Orc ha rd a n d Garden ,

i liamaws n B W l o 161 8. y L .

LY FISHIN G made no big advance f or a century and a half after the publication Of i T Trea t se . oo the hat b k , the a r or ro st nda d w k , went th ugh sixteen editions or rep rints in r r r the hund ed yea s that followed its appea ance . The f r England o Hen y VI I . had passed into of r M f V . o that Hen y III , Of ary and a : r I Eliz beth Cha les . had lost his head and Lor Pro or or oo the d tect ruled , bef e a sch l Of writers arose who carried the art a long way

or r . o r or not o f wa d H weve , its hist y is wh lly 37 FROM TREATISE TO COMPLEAT ANGLER .

The barren in this century and a half . demand f or the Trea ti se shows that fishing was a o r s or r ul r p pula p t , and fly fishing in pa tic a r or r marked some p rog ess . Its st y cent es in n r r t r L o ar M the ames Of th ee w i e s , e n d ascall , r William Lawson and Gervase Ma kham . A B ooke of fi shing wi th H ooke dc Line by L o ar M a ar 1590 r e n d asc ll appe ed in , the yea saw io of Faeri e ueen which the publicat n the % , ’ and the year before the p roduction Of Love s ’ Labour s Lost r , the fi st play which can with

‘ r s t S a ar ran ce tainty be a signed o h kespe e . It ra r r o pidly th ough fou editi ns . Mascall was a diversified writer and p roduced a well known book on gra fting fruit trees ; he also wrote on r r on oul r e t apping ve min , p t y , hygiene , cattl or e on r o a ro and h s s , and em ving st ins f m silk The o k o Fi shin r and velvet . B o f g i s a mixtu e of Odds and ends Of information about fishing and fish p reservation collected from many r hl n r o . ro t The s u ces It falls ug y i to wo pa ts . or or r m e imp tant deals with fish cultu e , Of i M as a was on r or wh ch c ll a pi ee , and is iginal and and O f M valuable , , itself gives ascall a T r a . he o ar r o r high pl ce the p t , di ectly c nce ned i not ori f or is r with fish ng , is ginal , it la gely o i ro Trea ti se o r o r c p ed f m the and the s u ces , or o r not o o r and , m e ve , nly is it c pied , but the e are ro s s is nume u illy m takes in the copying . f or a to s i in r But , all th t , fi h ng gene al and fly fishing in particular Mascall made a certain

o r o . to on c nt ibuti n Flies , he says , are be used 38 FLY FISHING FOR TROUT . the top Of the water ; the Ruddy Fly in particu lar our R ed S r a oo to , pinne , is g d fly angle a o on r and i are to with l ft the wate , all fl es have o o r o s or the f undati n Of thei b die Of c k , which T r i o o a . s w uld make them bu y nt his is inte e t ng , f or cork bodies are generally thought quite A r i o r . m de n In June , July and ugust the a t fi cial fly fished at the top Of the water is the r and o one os best lu e als the m t used , which Shows that fly fishing was widely practi sed and i h that fish ng knowledge ad advanced . When you fish with the fly for the trout you must r oo or or ro st ike when he is a f t m e f m it , he

o . T r r c mes SO fast he e speaks the fly fishe , r f r On o r fishing pe hap s o small fish . the the Trea ti se a hand the , de ling chiefly with bait s ou not tOO a to nor fi hing , bids y be h sty smite too f or ou a ou o late , y must bide till y supp se that the bait is fair in the mouth Of the fi sh and then a o r The r r n t bide no l nge . t ue ule was o given till C otton said that you should strike a small fish quick but wait till a big one had turned o his head . All these useful bits Of kn wledge r r r M a e so f a I o o . o , as kn w , iginal ascall is als r to r o oo of the fi st desc ibe the d uble h k , which he gives a figu re . Mascall is the earliest English writer on fish r r o r p ese vati n . He inveighs against fishe men who ro r kill all th ugh the yea , including the r o ro b eeding seas n , which he puts at f m mid March to mid M ay ; it is that which makes r o r r r o f esh fish s dea and ive s s badly stocked . 39 FROM TREATISE TO COMPLEAT ANGLER .

M any owners tOO let their waters without i s ar di rcc reserving a close time . He g ve c eful ions o r o r in : ro t ab ut dest ucti n Of ve m the he n , o r r rat r or or tte , wate , kingfishe , c m ant , dab i oo o r are o n and ch ck , c t and sp ey all c ndem ed , very excellent advice is given about p rotecting a A o r oo o fish sp wn . lt gethe , the b k is a c mbina M a r o oo and bad . ti n Of g d scall , in such pa ts a s ra is so ar s o he pi ted , c eles that Often he d es not trouble to see that what he writes makes s r to or ense , but in what appea s be iginal he is r or n : good . He clea ly was a good sp tsma the p reservation Of fish was what chiefly interested r r r r are him , and he ema ks bitte ly that the e many that kill fish but few that save and pre s r e ve them . Mascall was the channel through which the Trea ti se r T i r eached Walton . his s p oved by the names Of the flies . M ascall copied the ’ Trea ti se s o r ro list ; but Of f u flies , either th ugh r or o mis eading intenti n , he gives names dif f erent ro o e Treati se r f m th s in the , and in eve y a o T case W lt n gives the same . hus the fly made ‘ ’ rodd d oo o s Of y w l bec me the Ruddy Fly , and Cut M r T the Dun , au e Fly and andy Fly Of the Trea ti se become respectively the Sad Yellow M or or M oor T Fly , the e ish Fly and the awny M Fly in ascall . In all four cases Walton f ol o M not Tr ti s r ea e . M l ws ascall , the a kham also o M not Trea ti se ff r c pied ascall , the , but di e s ro and r ff r a slightly f m him , whe e he di e s W lton o o M n t o . o r f ll ws ascall , him N ne Of the th ee H 40 FLY FIS ING FOR TROUT . books is mentionmed in the long list Of writers C o lea t A n l r o cited in the p g e . Walt n must have read Mascall ; there is no evidence that r reati se he ead the T . Fly fishing is not mentioned by John Dennys o a oe in his much qu ted but still be utiful p m , li 161 T S ecrets A n n 3 . the of g g, published in his work is some Of the best poetry ever written on sport and is one Of the finest didactic poems not r on any subj ect . Indeed I am su e that it ’ does not even comply with Swinburne s stern o a o but indisputable can n , th t n thing which can possibly be as well said in p rose ought ever

to r . o r be said in ve se H weve that may be , and there will be difference Of opinion both as to r o r no the ule and its applicati n , the e can be doubt that the S ecrets stands out amongst r P r a n t angling ve se . e h ps this is o saying f or it o a fi sh much , must be c nfessed that m ny ing poets are in the same case as the Christian o Pr o was a p et udentius , Of wh m it said th t he o r a r C r o was alt gethe bette h istian than p et . a I a s Ga Dennys st nds n a high cl s , with y, with ’ Sir nr o o o a son He y W tt n , with D ubled y s fine Of S o r r net , with the best t dda t , with And ew

L o r . o too ang and with a few the s His p em , , is oo r io o or r o a g d desc ipt n Of c ntemp a y meth ds , and contains the first mention Of the whole r i r od an and r . cane , the l d ng net , the wicke c eel o r o s not o s H weve , it d e menti n fly fi hing ; but s o o a o 1 620 as the ec nd editi n published b ut , well o r on r as s me late es , we e edited by William 41 FROM TREATISE TO COMPLEAT ANGLER .

L o r awson . Bey nd the fact that he was ce tainly or o ro or r a n th c untryman , p bably a Y kshi e man , o on r r o and wr te ag iculture and ga dening , n th as r ing is known Of Lawson . But he h a ma ked place in the history Of fly fishing ; his notes to Dennys are so enti rely original and written in so attractive and individual a style that it is r not or or exaspe ating that he did write m e , or not o n o o es eci that m e is kn w ab ut him , m re p ally as his N ew Orchard and Gard en shows that he possessed a real eye f or nature and coul d

r . o r write rather cha ming English H weve , we r f r r m must be g ateful o What we have . He eco rod not tO - mends a pliant , p heavy , which is a r r r o great fault , and is ve y pa ticula ab ut his oo ro S h ks , which he made himself f m panish M o oo and ilan needles , th ugh by that time h ks coul d be bought and had no longer to be home —‘ made The best forme f or ready striking and r o r t su e h lding and st eng h , is a strait and o a o s r s mewh t l ng hank and st ait nihed , with o se not ro in w s f or a little c mpas , und any i e , it neither strikes surly nor readily but is weak ’ r as having to g eat a compas . He gives an admirable figure Of three hooks to illustrate s z his view . When Dennys expends a stan a in explaining what wind is best Lawson adds this —‘ laconic note I fi nde no difi erence Of windes too colde or too hot not except , which is the ’ r wind but the season . Altogethe a most sensible r o r man ; eve y n te Of his is vigo ous and terse . His fame as a fly fisher rests on a long note to 42 FLY F ISHING FOR TROUT .

’ r f r T EDenn s o o o . y desc ipti n the t ut his fish , L o o nl says aws n , gives the m st gentlema y and r a or of ou w r e diest sp t all , if y fish ith an a ti ’ fi cial o r ro s of r fly , a line twice y u d length th ee ’ r o r r ro r hai s thickness , in pen wate f ee f m t ees on r i r oo ou a a da k w ndy afte n n , and if y h ve r T a r lea ned the cast of the fly . h t is the fi st o of o r s a menti n fly casting . Y u fly mu t imit te M a fl L o o r of the y y, which aws n th ught was b ed is and a r e a cadd called the W te Fly , and he giv s a r r r of ar pictu e , the fi st eve given an tificial r a on oo r fly . It esembles house fly a h k mo e The o o r of o than anything . c l u the b dy must r o s r r change eve y m nth , ta ting with a da k i and ro to o s o wh te , g wing yell w as the eas n The o s of r of advances . b dy hould be c ewel a o o r o r to o r c l u appr p iate the m nth , ibbed with r of r or black hai , the head black hai silk , and the wings of mallard teal or pickled (speckled) ’ ‘ Y u r r . o o hen s wing must fish in , ha d by , the r a i a and r st e m , and have a qu ck h nd a eady eye n rod r imr u a d a s h o o oo nimble , t ike with y l se i ro ro him . If the w nde be ugh and t uble the r of r a i c ust the wate , hee will t ke it in the pla ne r ml and co on r deeps , and then , the e y the g eatest i r ou hookt w ll a ise . When y have him , give him o r L s r o leave , keeping y u ine t ight , and h ld him r r n i r imelf T a h is f om ootes d he w ll ty e s e . his ’ ef r f i i the chi e pleasu e o Angling . It s d fficult r to beat that desc iption . He evidently knew a ‘ great deal about the habits of fish The Trout s r r lies in the deep , but feeds in the t eame , unde

44 FLY FISHING FOR TROUT .

’ a r o cf o o h sty we e s me Ben J ns n s j udgments , mighty critic though he was ; f or did he not tell Drummond of Hawthornden that Donne de served hanging f or his lack of numbers and that Shakespeare wanted art % And as to ’ h r not or o Mark am s integ ity , let it be f g tten that he lived i n an age not famed f or literary o of o scrupul sity , in which the law c pyright

- was very different from what it is to day . In his time authors sold their books outright to o who r stati ners , p inted and published them , r r and if Ma kham obbed at all he robbed them . ro to o Far be it f m me defend r bbing publishers , but robbing authors of the fruit of their brain as well as of their cash has always been con i er r r r s d ed o . o the m e shameful c ime H weve , the chief thing to be said in his defence is that he - not r r to was , and neve p etended be , a man f r o letters . He has been called the ea liest h r r English ackney w ite , and that is a true r o but r r one o r r desc ipti n , a t ue w uld be a w ite f t r o oo . now o tex b ks We e he alive , he w uld oo on r r oo on give us text b ks ag icultu e , text b ks

or oo on oo . sp t , text b ks c king He started by writing on horsemanship when he was five and r o twenty , and du ing his life he ccupied himself o r o ro in turns with p et y b th sacred and p fane , r r ro ar ag icultu e , medicine , mances , plays , g n r r c racm deni g , hunting , vete ina y scien e , g, cockfi htin r r o fishing , g g, a che y , f wling , hawk r r o o o o r ing , he ald y , h useh ld ec n my and milita y r r drill and tactics . He w ote a poem on Si M 4 FROM TREATISE TO CO PLEAT A NGLER . 5

‘ ’ Richard Grenville and the Revenge which ’ r without doubt se ved as Tennyson s model . He is reputed to have imported the first Arab e f r o e to o on to . o h rs s , and have s ld James I 5 L r I S £ 00 . He knew atin , F ench , talian , pan r u o ro ish and p obably D tch . He p ssessed a p se fl r not style which was uent , accu ate and dis

. I s o o oo . agreeable f he t le , he st le g d matter

He popularised and preserved books ,which but r um for o o o os him w uld be unkn wn l t , and he doubtedly added to the sumof general know for ledge of his day . He had a keen eye the o l r r an d p pu ar taste , ti eless indust y an immense r o o ci culati n , and when the acc unt is cast and the balance stru ck not only his contemporaries r but poste ity also is deeply in his debt . o of r e o My c py Ma kham is a lat editi n , when re it had grown to a fat volume . Its pages a o o n stained and w rn , as th ugh thumbed by ma y a rushlight : and I imagine it the treasured o o of o o o s p ssessi n s me c untry h u e , handed o ro r to son out r d wn f m fathe , taken everently on For o winter evenings . it c ntains everything the country dweller or his wife wants to know . C are of horse and hound ; imp rovement of bar ren soil ; cost in time and labour of every opera tion of husbandry ; treatment of all kinds of cattle in health and sickness and the growing of r of ro how to r eve y kind c p ; bake , b ew and cook ; household surgery and simple medicine ; oo o bow o fishing , sh ting with the l ng , b wling , and co of tennis , the bal ne ; the dieting fighting 46 FLY FISHING FOR TROUT . cocks and the husbandry of bees ; planting of

‘ orchards and management of hawks ; the order of s r r of and ing fea ts , p ese ving wine , the secrets of divers distillations and perfumes : all these and much more can be learnt from r Ge vase Markham . f 161 His treatment o fishing is typical . In 3 s m The E n li sh Hu band an he published g , which N o in thi o no o . w s d es t menti n fishing , same ’ A n li r r S ecrets o n . yea , appea ed Dennys f g g ’ Markham s quick observation was doubtless or f or o o caught by this w k , when in the f ll wing year he produced the S econd B ook of the E ng li sh H us ndmn i a o r of ba a o , it c nta ned Disc u se the Generall A rt of Fishing with the A ngle or otherwise and of all the hidden secrets belong r o oo e of ing the eunt , a g d d al which is the e s r r T o D is S cret pi ated into p ose . h ugh the course was publi shed over and over again as ’ r L o Ma kham s , it has been suggested that aws n r r m r t a con eithe w ote it o helped o do so. I fi dent not r f or r he did w ite it , his style is ve y different from that of the sober text book writer r o Ma kham . But it is quite p ssible that he The t r helped . wo men we e closely associated % ’ r r or L o N ew Orchard in lite a y w k , and aws n s and Gard en was repeatedly issued with Mark ’ r a r Mo ham s t e tises unde a collective title . re over it is obvious that the dressings of flies in the Di scourse have been revised by a master o L o r hand , and we kn w that aws n was a maste , ’ of M r while a kham s skill we know nothing . FROM TRE ATISE TO COMPLEAT ANGLER . 47

it o to r But is imp ssible be ce tain , and we must r is take the Di scou se as we find it . It taken r ro M a ar ro and pa tly f m scall , p tly f m Dennys r r n o it is pa t is o iginal . O the wh le well put

o r or s a oo r r . t gethe , and f m g d gene al t eatise I have no doubt that its compiler was a fi sher ' m an s or a r . o s an d , what i m e fly fishe R d , M r are to o r a a kham tells us , be b ught in g e t ’ variety in nearly every haberdasher s shop . A rtificial flies are to be moved u on the waters — p the first time the a dvice to draw your flies — appears and will then be taken greedily . He ’ repeats M ascall s advice to strike before the r C hiefl o r o . t ut takes the fly y, h weve , in his r r d essing of t out flies does he show an advance . ’ oo M ascall s a s He t k list , but in many c se he r s n and in os changes the d es i g , m t he amplifies

s or r . e ou it and make it m e accu ate Ind ed , if y compare the two li sts it is clear what happened o o r M r a or L on or s me ne , whethe a kh m aws o r who i r an the , was h mself a p actical fly ’ r s r M asc all s i as is d es e , used l st his bas , went through mit fly by fly and rewrote the dressings so to o and a o as ake them c mplete un mbigu us , r of r r r neithe which they o iginally we e . In ce a too r ff r ro tain c ses , , he gives d essings di e ent f m ’ M ascall s o r o , and alt gethe p lishes them up and i i gives the fin sh ng touches . Whether that someone was M arkham himself or Lawson I cannot say . However all this will be treated at r r t r on i g eate length in the chap e flies . He s the first writer definitely to recommend you to ' 48 FLY FISHING FOR TROUT .

o r s s ou to c py natu al in ect , and he tells y have natural flies before you when you dress the r Di scourse os of a tificial . His is included in m t ’ the innumerable republications Markham s r r wo ks went th ough . This however i s the sum of the advance of one r r and r not hund ed and fifty yea s , t uly it is r The r a g eat . implements em ined much the

‘ The r o rod no same . fishe man used a l ng and r r m o o M who eco reel , and,if he f ll wed a kham , mends five hai rs and two threads of silk f or

ro . r r o r t ut , a thick line But unde the su face the r r L f o o . o o f ces we e m ving aws n , in advance o r or his time , sh ws that the e existed in the n th of England a school of p ractice higher than r o o oo anything p evi usly kn wn , a sch l which was to r rs C o o two each its apex fi t in tt n , and cen turi r r r r es S o o o . late in tewa t , n th c unt ymen b th o r But this was bel w the su face , and its time F r r not . o s was yet the est , fishing was immen ely ’

o r . r o o o p pula Every habe dasher s sh p s ld r ds , r oo o r while c eels , landing nets , h ks and the o bo oo tackle c uld readily be ught , and any b k ’ seller could get you a copy of one of Markham s multitudinous works: The world was ready for the big movement which the next half century t r was o b ing . C HAPTER IV .

A EARLY FLY FISHING IN FR NCE .

La Péche est un des plus agreables passe-temps ’ ma n e celu ui u on ui sse ren re a la Ca q p p d p g , y q n rmle lus d e sec rets e le e st diverti ssante re fe e p ; l , ’ u tile ai sée a exerc er our eu u on ait d e , p p q i n ce pat e . Trai tté d c tou te sorte de Chasse

‘

e t d e Péche . 1714.

HI S r o f or chapte is a digressi n , it e s r to o to is n ces a y g back , and collec t what little there is of r early fly fishing in F ance . It is very little I know of no mention of the fly before the eighteenth r r not oo o centu y , and the e are many b ks bef re ot that which even mention the rod . But do n let it be thought that French literature is barren r o of or and uninte esting . It is n thing the s t ; r r r and o r or it is athe cha ming , w uld epay m e r study than it has eceived . But the r od is o much less ften mentioned than with us . On the other hand nets and other engines were more highly developed than in England It is difficult to say why this difference 50 FLY FISHING FOR TROUT .

r1 o r wr r has should have a sen . A m de n ite started the ingenious theory that it i s due to the fa ct that in F rance fresh water fish were treated r oo i her enti ely as f d ; wh le England , with o of extensive c ast and plentiful supply sea fish , could afford to use her rivers and lakes as

r or is . sources of spo t . But this the y untenable Before the days of quick transport and cold or o not rr st age , fish c uld be ca ied far inland ; and our rivers and ponds were important food r r s s or r r o p ese ve , whil t sp ting ights we e w rth S o and r r re little . alm n nets wei s we e ext mely r m i r s a and a e o valuable , ent ned in numbe le s leg l documents ; whilst rod fishing f or salmon could r a r r a o be had f o the asking . Wh teve the e s n i r a . The r oo be , the fact em ins ea l est b k in England on fly fishing was written during the rs of o i o of no r Wa the R ses , wh lst I kn w F ench book which menti ons the artificial fly earlier r f is r than the eign o Queen Anne . It t ue that r one r r r oo the e is ext emely ea ly F ench b k , but unfortunately its connexion with the artificial t r H w fly is oo slende to stand examination . o r r i oo i s one or s . eve , the b k w th de c ib ng During the thirteenth century there appeared ra La n o d e Vetnla in F nce a ti p em called , the ld o ff r O W man . It was fobbed o on the wo ld a or of La o O as w k the tin p et vid , and its mani i o i a ro s absurdi fest nc nsistenc es , an ch ni ms and ties were bolstered up by a rigmarole of a story ’ that it had been recently found in the poet s

o . O o was o r t mb vid , it sh uld be said , a fav u ite

52 FLY FISHING FOR TROUT .

Autres oissons es eanes ouches p d ,

- r u x vers u e mouches . mcea d o d A o l e

I t o ro to is tempting , but w uld be w ng , think The that the last line refers to artificial flies . pieces of fly with which Ovid baited his en gines must I amafraid have been natural i f or o o fl es , besides the fact that this is the bvi us

‘ o on to of meaning , he g es say that a fish trap o r one of l o sie was these engines , whi st the nly equipment mentioned which could possibly be for used fly fishing is a hand line , and this is to or o said be leaded and with a c k fl at , and

’ therefore not precisely adapted f or throwing a

r o a r L e The e is a l ng g p afte Jean ef vre , a gap r f r to f from the eign o Cha les V . that o Louis I X V . not o . , and even then the fly is menti ned I t ' is true that a famous book had appeared in er al for C o the int v , harles Estienne had pr duced his M ai son Rnstique at the middle of the six teenth r r o century , a ema kable w rk which all E o r f or of r out of ur pe ead hundreds yea s , and which William C obbett nearly three centuries later taught his children farming and field r h r o . o n t o t e o sp ts But it d es o menti n d . The r oo o Les Rnses I nnocentes fi st b k which d es is , d 1660 ro o r which , publishe in , went th ugh f u o or f I editi ns bef e the end o the century . ts or rer r o or auth was F e F anc is F tin , Religieux ,

Th e oo h as een rin te : La Vi eill e ou les D ernieres b k b p d , m ’ A ours d vid e O . h r 1 . . oc e is . ar s 1 M Edited by M . C P i 86 ’ C och eris I ntroduction i s a mod el of bibliographi c al and s c o ar n rma h l ly i fo tion . 3 EARLY FLY FISHING IN F RANCE . 5

o le So I . de Gramm nt , dit litaire nventif It is a most p ractical manual on fowling and snaring r ll r r f or gene a y , chiefly ema kable its really s o are o admirable illu trati ns , which . b th well r drawn and well reproduced . And the e is a o on r secti n fishing , which makes it quite ce tain that the Inventive Solitary was a born angler ; for he says that all his elaborate rules are use s nl s ou o how to ou r les , u es y kn w time y r st ike r oo o rightly . It is t ue that his b k sh ws distinct r s of Trea ti se or o of M s t ace the , p ssibly a call , o e o of rod n tably in the d scripti n the , but in r f r spite of that it is a wo k o high o iginality . s or o e It de erves m e attenti n that it has rec ived , an d luckily it is still easy to get . It gives the first illustration I know of an eyed hook and of r now so o o of the triangula landing net , c mm n , i r r f wh ch the autho claims to be the invento . O its i os of no o sixteen fish ng plates , m t them d ubt of s are r f r T o o oo . he net , th ee ds , h ks and lines not T fly is mentioned . he two fish which chiefly interested the Inventive Solitary were the carp and the pike . He made his rod of two o o of o or or pieces , a h ll w butt h lly h nbeam t0 of o r r n and a p whaleb ne , and when ca p a r or r f r la ge he used a f e unner o the eel . He oo of oo o s o t k a slip w d f ur inche l ng , with a o and n tch at each end , passed his line , just o o of rod o one o . bel w the p int his , thr ugh n tch Then he wound some yards of spare line round the slip and passed the line through the lower

o . n tch A big carp .when hooked pulled the line 54 FLY FISHING FOR TROUT . off o o off the n tch , when it unw und itself the T i ven s . n lip , and thus he played himself his io not or f or r t n is iginal , the p inciple was used or o r f or or all the w ld ve a fixed line hand line , and I think I have seen it mentioned in pre- reel as a of o s o r days , means h lding lack line in y u left hand ; but I know of no one who used it as did rer r o or to F e F anc is F tin , fixed the line

i s and or o . t elf , w king aut matically N r r or to ea ly fifty yea s m e had pass , and Lo XI was not f ar ro of uis V . f m the end his l r o or r a r . ng eign , bef e the a tificial fly ppea ed I n England the Trea ti se was two hundred years old L so s C o on , aw n , Venable and tt had e f or o o r quipped fly fishing its l ng j u ney , the reel had been invented and modern times are ear or r an r oo n o n , bef e the e is y F ench b k me ti n i f n n o a r . g fly fishing , which I can find y t ace ’ The earliest I know is the Trai tte d e ton te sorte d e C hasse et d e Péche p rinted at Amsterdam in ’ 1 1 r r f Lo Li r 7 4. It is I believe a ep int o uis ge s m l A nsemn d m 1 s t e e a C a a ne 709 . no p g , I have s on of s o oo een this editi thi well kn wn b k , but I ha s a r o and as ve een l te nes , these , as well the ’ Trai tte to i a r , I believe be ident c l with the fi st e dition . ’ The Trai tte was largely pi rated from the R a ses I nnocentes o ra ra , wh se admi ble illust io r t ns we e stolen wholesale . But it has some t i f or it o a hing qu te new , c ntains detailed s r o of r The r de c ipti n five a tificial flies . d ess i are no as i ngs by means bad and , w ll be seen EARLY FLY FISHING IN FRANCE . 55

r l C r I X . so r in hapte , me can p etty ce tain y be r in attributed to natural insec ts . But mo e teresting still is the question where they came The r r o ori ina from . w ite cann t have g ted f or r r at s o them , he clea ly was w iting ec nd T r not o i ro i l n hand . hey we e c p ed f m the l st the

Trea ti se or ro o r oo o of . , f m any the b k I kn w I suspect they came from some French source i which I have m ssed . N o di rections are given either f or making or casting the fly ; and the method of its use is r stated only in the vaguest gene alities . It is i a Trai tté cla med , s ys the , that with these flies trout can be fished f or successfully with hook and r line ; and that the fish , att acted by these ' difi erent colours according to the diflerent An n o . d o seas ns , is easily beguiled it c cludes ‘ ’ la ro e meri r te o é o s r p y qu n p uve ces ec ets , which shows that the writer had no personal r of expe ience the fly . That concludes all that I know of fly fishing in Fr r o r i ance befo e m de n t mes . It is a long r w. ay behind England ; f o Frere Francois Fortin was a o ora r of a on Li r c ntemp y W lt , while ge c ame half way between Chethamand B owlker ; and r a o o iff r , in eithe c se , we m ve int a d e ent or r w ld when we each England . We must now o r r r to r mar g back and etu n thithe , desc ibe a vell ous age . CHAPTER V .

M A S CHARLE S COTTON AN D HI S CON TE POR RIE .

To fi sh fi ne and far off is the first and principal r r u An lin Rule fo T o t g g . T e C omleat An ler h p g ,

r s n 1676 . By Cha le Cotto .

ERVA SE MARKHAM closes the first epoch in the history of fly o o fishing . The sec nd pens .with Barker in 165 1 and ends at or ’ shortly after C otton s book in

1676 . r o In this pe i d , exactly r of r r o : a quarte a centu y , five w iters wr te

r r o r C o o . Ba ke , Walt n , F anck , Venables and tt n All five resembled each other in being p ractical r o r r ff fishe men , but the wise we e as di erent as o T r r men c uld possibly be . hey app oached thei task from different points of view and with ff r widely di erent tempe aments and equipments . o of who so Indeed this c mpany five , had deep on or of are an influence the hist y fly fishing , the most diversified crew who ever embarked on the same boat : you could hardly imagine a collee tion of such opposites ; had they all met COTTON AND HIS CONTEMPORARIES . 57

o r a k r t gethe , which th n heaven they neve did , there is no subj ect on which they could have r o ag eed except fishing , and there w uld have who been broken heads over that . Let us see they were . r of r C r Fi st all . the e is aptain Richa d ‘ r C ro roo I nd e en F anck , mwellian t per and p r o o o dent , fishe man and religi us mystic , p ssess r of the mos t turgid and pedantic style with er r which mortal was ev afflicted . Si Walter S o who o out o of oo c tt , br ught an editi n his b k , says that his only equal in the rage of fi ne writ

' in Si r T o U r r as I g is h mas quha t , but have r r o ra or of neve ead that fam us t nslat Rabelais , to r who is unsur I give the palm F anck , f passable . The style o the book may be judged ro : orthern M mirs N e o C f m its title , alculated f or M r f r the e idian o Scotland . Whe ein most or of C C S or C e all the ities , itadels , eap ts , astl s , or or e r and e are m co F ts , F tr sses , Rive s Rivul ts endi u l r T p o s y desc ibed . ogether with choice C o o of r o o r s r llecti ns Va i us Disc ve ie , Rema k O r o T o o o o o able bse vati ns , he l gical N ti ns , P liti A o o r Polemi k c I n cal xi ms , Nati nal Int igues , f erences C o o o , ntemplati ns , Speculati ns and ra r o r o o seve l cu i us and indust i us Inspecti ns , a r ro An r o line lly d awn f m tiqua ies , and ther noted and intelligible Persons of Honour and

. To C o Eminency which is added , The ntem plative and Practical Angler by way of Diver

* ’ ranc 3 oo was not ac tua u is e ti 1694 b ut it F k b k lly p bl h d ll , was wri tten i n 1658 to w c a e i e hi h d t t b longs . R 58 FLY FISHING F O TROUT .

rr of o sion . With a Na ative that dextr us and r o A rt r myste i us expe imented in England , and perfected in more remote and solitary Parts of i of o . r n Scotland . By way Dial gue W it the r 165 8 not now yea , but till made publick , by

—~Plnres nec i r ra Philanthro us . at R cha d F nck, p nl u l di ns G a g amG a . After this remarkable title the book starts % m me v Pr o Reco n with ele en efaces , Dedicati ns ,

' d atory Poems and What not ; before you reach the p reface proper you must wade through ad r s to or o o r r d e ses my W thy and H n u ed F iend , r r a Lo : to Vi r M . J . W . Me ch nt in ndon the

‘ ’ tuosos of Rod in Gr a r s M ro o the , e t B itain et p lis the famous C ity of London to the A cademicks C amrid f b o to in g, the place my Nativity and the Gentlemen Piscatorians inhabiting in or r o of o or nea the sweet Situati ns N ttingham , N th of Tr A r r ou r or ent . fte the P eface y must ead o ro ri to o or skip six p ems , f m f ends the auth r ro o to r s or ou f m the auth r f iend , bef e y finally r oo s r ou each the b k it elf When the e , y will oo ou not have a g d laugh , but y will , I think , r f r ea d a . of o r But in spite his ab minable style , F anck f r r N t o . was a ight good fishe . o a doubt it Through all the obscurities and irritations of r his w iting , this fact shines like the sun

% I t may b e mention ed th at The Fa eri e % u een h ad n o f ewer t an our and w s a B as s e en een of h f t enty uch D edic tions . ut v t th ese were son n ets by Sp ens er hims elf an d six more p oems his r en s of w m a w h e w r h as o e as on e t o not by f i d , h R l igh , ld oun occ as on r m to e a ran c s n s in f d i g u bl t th ei r n umb er . F k i u a t ra er a q li y th th n qu antity .

60 F LY FISHING FOR T ROUT .

oor to G - o s Westmin gifts , next d the ate h u e in C too r of . o ster A r mwellian is Ba ker , but a diflerent oo not o r stamp , a c k and a s ldie , em ’ o Lo ro o oc pl yed , at the rd P tect r s charge , in c k ing for foreign ambassadors who come to Lon n our o f or not r n do . He asks pard n w iti g ’ o r e o Sch lle lik , but he can readily be f rgiven , f or ro c o oo o e he p du ed a wh lly excellent b k , c pi d o f or fl by Walt n fly fishing and ydressing , the for ro first which advises fishing fine t ut , and the

first which mentions the reel . The book is full of r s o amusing tu ns and phra es , and as he g es along Barker pauses from time to time and sums up his subj ect in verse verse Which never fails to dwell on the sup reme importance of r cooke y . But he is also full of good fishing

o . He ou too kn wledge , as we shall see tells y , , that you can buy the best tackle from Oliver ’ r S Fletche at the West en d of t . Paul s at the of the T r ro o ro sign h ee T uts , the best ho ks f m Charles Kirby (first mention of a famous house) S o L r r in h e ane , Ha p Alley , Mill Ya d , and the best rods from John Hobs at the sign of the G or M r r e ge behind the ews by Cha ing C oss . r r o r r Eve y fishe man sh uld ead Ba ker . The o C ro next is an ther mwellian , and a dis tin ui he e g s d on too . C olonel Robert Venables o o o r r r r had a l ng and h n u able milita y ca ee , and rose to a high position in the Parliamentary

r . o r I a a my He c mmanded a egiment in rel nd , r o n to t whe e he f u d time fish as well as o fight . But C romwell took him away from his fishing COTTON AN D HIS CONTEMPORARIES . 61 and gave him command of the expedition S r s against . the pania ds in the West Indie , which though unsuccessful resulted in the add r ing of Jamaica to our growing empi e . A so was ob r quarrel me man R e t Venables , and it was his quarrels with Admi ral Penn which r C r s o to . o cau ed the expediti n miscar y mwell , who or a not r o r l f g ve failu e , clapped b th gene a r o To r and admi al int the we , but Venables .was ’ r o o r of r pa d ned , th ugh dep ived his gene al s A t or o o commiss ion . the Rest ation he f ll wed

Mo who o r or of C e r . nck , made him g ve n h ste

C r . s o r ro But ha les II pa sed him ve , and it is p b ably to this fact that the world owes a fi rst- rate r to oo . o o fishing b k Walt n , th ugh a st anger ro ro o r to l Venables , w te an int duct ry lette it , fu l of delicate flattery . So f ar three of the five are C romwellians the o r two are ro t ou l ob the yalis s , and they , y wil r m r to not se ve , keep slightly the selves , ve y sure of the company into which chance has thrown them . It is superfluous to say much about o C oml a A l r e t n e Izaak Walt n and the p g . Possibly no single volume except the Bible is so o are or well kn wn by name , and few m e widely

e . Tr o o o esteem d ue , it c ntains n thing riginal on not r r on fly fishing , but it is as a w ite fly fi shing or even on fishing generally that Walton is re f or is s or ob ad , he an idylli t , a m alist , an server of nature and a master of a prose style which lives because it is individual . The book of or or of is immense imp tance in a hist y fishing , 62 FLY FISHING FOR TROUT .

A both for its qualities and f or its influence . historian must always regard a work of t his r r mt o of f or r f wo cha acte o p ints view , he must assess the value of the book itself and also the f on r r e fect it had subsequent w ite s , and it may be that he will reach different conclusions in the C omlea t o . two cases . So it is with Walt n His p A ngler itself it is difficult to p raise too highly ; but a critical j udgment of its influence is a r o much more complex matte . Walt n stands high r t r os o as a w i e , and p sibly w uld stand higher

.were it not f or the laudation to which he has - e ff r been subjected . H has su e ed sadly at the hands of his admirers and of his disciples his admirers have indulged in unbalanced and i r r has indeed ntempe ate panegy ic , which de tracted from his real merit whilst his disciples r s o o his have eithe a sidu usly c pied weaknesses , or his , if they have attempted excellencies , have r r r only succeeded in p oducing a ca icatu e . His book has been an obsession to subsequent r rs i has to r s d a w ite , wh ch lasted the p e ent y, and has been an influence by no means entirely f r For i t o good . this he s not o blame but no one who has waded through the many books in dia logue form which strew the two hundred years o o — oo a o f ll wing him b ks in which the di l gue , r a ml C o eat A n ler measu ed by th t in the p g , is as a dull and lifeless canal running between straight banks compared with the winding — reaches of some shining river but must have wished irreverently that the master had chosen 63 COTTON AND HIS CONTEMPORARIES .

m r o to cast his thoughts in so e othe m uld than For r dl i o o the di alogue . assu e y d al gue is at nce o fi of r r or a so the m st dif cult all lite a y f ms , and l os ro f or r the m t dange us , its appa ent simplicity r lures the unski lled to his i rretrievable disaste . C r L was r ha les amb . ight , as he usually is in ’ r s o litera y judgments , when he aid that Walt n s book is the only treatise written in dialogue i s or a a f or in r which w th h lfpenny , him eve y i r o interlocu thing is al ve , whe eas in thers the r i tors are merely abstract arguments pe son fied . And no one who has sighed over the manner in ’ which countless writers have used Walton s name as a meaningless tag or as a peg on which to hang dull disquisitions or borrowed reflec o or a r to r e r ti ns , h ve felt it necessa y p es nt thei expe riences in a shape which though suitable to Walton in the seventeenth century is utterly in ro r to o r r r % o r app p iate an the w ite in an the age , but must have impiously wished that he had possessed a style less individual and a point of r T i o to o . at view less dange us c py h s much , r r a r r on fi sh any ate , is ce tain , that m ny w ite s ing would have p roduced bette r books if they not r to o r had t ied c py him , but had w itten in ir own e r tmhe ve yday style . Indeed it is not too to o so s a uch say , th ugh it und bl sphemy , that or oo r r to a o or the m e a b k efe s W lt n , the w se

book it is . Walton is thereby most unjustly r o disc edited , and his name gets ass ciated with s a r r o r r h m a chaism , ti es me pe iph asis , and rr i elevant sentiment . If there are any who 64 FLY FISHIN G FOR TROUT .

o r o h feel this , and I kn w the e are s me , will t ey take a word of advice from one who has % travelled the same road Let . them go back to mleat A n ler or to one of C o the p g itself , the Li nes a of Sir r o o f or o , th t Hen y W tt n ch ice , and they will find that they read it with delight and r r o not one of re ef eshment . Walt n is the g at ro r r one of o English p se w ite s , but he is the m st a i r f ple s ng . The cha m o his style lies in the revelation which it gives of the man . Behind the p rinted page there always stands Walton r r o o r himself , sh ewd and c itical , but als t le ant r to and kindly . As we ead he seems be watch wi to o ing us th wise and steady eyes , fath m our e or o o r wish s bef e we kn w them u selves , and to instil into our minds a harmony f or which r No one we have been sea ching unconsciously . r to r or has bette adapted style matte , has known better how to show what is best and e deepest in his subject , even wh n dealing with r r r r r F r what appea s t ansito y o t ivial . o him love of fishing was woven inextricably with love f r o books and love of English country life . Eve y r f or r are fishe man is deeply in his debt , the e certain aspects of fishing difficult to exp ress no one o r which has sh wn bette than he . He s o to Trea ti se him elf wes a debt , it is true , the , from which or from a source common to both he took both his presentation of the subject and r his mental attitude towa ds it . But to admit this is no disparagement he assimilated its r r oul b e on or spi it and em ded it , handed m e 6 COTTON AN D HIS CONTEMPORARIES . 5

r than he had eceived , and he tended and kept alive a flame which otherwise might have

flickered out . C r C o o o too o r ha les tt n , a R yalist , dev ted f iend r son of a to ro an d spi itual Izaak W l n , w te what is perhaps all round the best book on fly fishing ri The aflectionate be ever w tten . friendship tween these two men has always surp ri sed those who do not know the binding force of a common or : o r r r sp t Walt n , the eti ed t adesman , the ri o r r of oo o f end and bi g aphe g d and pi us men , and Co o sso r oc r tt n , the di lute a ist at , the spend

r o r r r r of o e o r . th ift c u tie , w ite bsc ne p et y But f e there .was an af ectionate intimacy b tween to C o o and them , and Wal n visited tt n fished his o r of beautiful Dove . C tton w ites like a man r ro the world and a man of lette s . His p se is r o a no pleasant and clea , and th ugh he c n t handle dialogue as Walton and there are trace s of that incipient woodenness of which later r r to s o so yea s we e h w many examples , still the book can be read f or itself f or the pleasure of

oo . C o o ar r its g d English tt n , B ke and Ven a s C o o or a ble between them , tt n m e especi lly , place fly fishing on a much higher level than r T r o . o anything bef e them hey all c nt ibuted , and none of them can be spared and it is worth s o i on pending s me t me seeing what they did , and where the sport stood when they had done with it . T r o r r r he e are f u g eat landma ks in fly fishing . The r o o of o our fi st is imitati n , the c pying the c l 66 FLY FISHING FOR TROUT .

r The o and shape of the natu al insect . sec nd r o a o as o o r is p esentati n , when cti n well as c l u co and and shape is pied , the fly is cast in such a manner as to come over the fish in the T e r r o . h same way as the natu al insect d es thi d , the p ra ctice of casting over individual rising

r s a o so to . fish , is p e ent ti n al , a higher degree And the fourth is both imitation and presenta tion in thei r highest forms ; the copying of

‘ o o r o of o o shape and c l u , the c pying m ti n , and o of individual fishing , all c mbined in the use the floating fly . The first landmark occurs at the beginning Al l r Treati se of things . flies desc ibed in the

are o ro r . o r c pied f m natu e The sec nd and thi d , r and f or upst eam fishing fishing individual fish , ’ r r r appea among C otton s contempo a ies . The d r not to o f or r two last , the y fly , was c me nea ly r centu ies . Venables is the first writer to mention up r r f st eam fishing . He discusses the me its o up or down in words which might have been writ r ‘ T e r r ten yeste day . h upst eam fishe maintains

' not ou that he is seen by the fish , and that if y fish down stream you and your rod and line are all visible . But the downstream man retorts ou o Let that y bviate this by using a long line . it be noted that at this early date the two schools are diflerentiated as they are differen tiated today : those who use a long line down r t o e who r st eam and h s use a sho t line up . r r in Furthe , says Venables , upst eam fishing

68 FLY FISHING FOR TROUT .

of or made six , eight , ten twelve pieces spliced o r r t gethe , tape ing like a switch and playing l with a true bent down to the hand . Haze o r o r r o was h weve the fav u ite mate ial , th ugh some used cane With a hazel top ; whalebone ‘ was g enerally used f or the actual point fi ’ o r to o r of Venables fav u ite p was f u feet hazel , two e of or or r ofl fe t blackth n crabt ee , finished The r d r ro with whalebone . o tape ed evenly f m The o o r to r butt to point . c mm n ph ase exp ess ‘ ’ s r ou one r ro thi is the cu i s ush g wn , that is ‘ r r or tape ed like a ush , as Dennys says , In shape ’ l k r r and beautie like . the B e gic e eed ; nea ly ’ every author of C otton s date uses the expres

- ro r out . sion . Home made ds had la gely gone The of or r or of r line , twisted h sehai hai and i e r ro s lk mixed , was tap ed f m as many as twelve or even twenty hairs down to a casting line one tw r at r r was o o o . which , m st th ee hai s thick L r f or ines we e made specially heavy fly fishing , r t a r r a s they we e easy o cast . Pl in ho sehai was o o r f or 1 a r c mm ne the l ne than h i and silk mixed . Venables dislikes the mixture and subsequent r ro r r expe ience p ves him ight . Hai and silk mix r f o ff ff r badly , wetting a ects them di e ently , and the strain comes all on one or all on the r r othe . Fo the M ayfly Cotton used a casting l of r r f or or r ine th ee hai s twisted , dina y fishing d o r r f or r uble hai twisted , and single hai , ve y small flies . Double hai r untwisted he thinks ro r disadvan st nge than twisted , but it has the

* s m S e a on ro s are s i ma w t e it a ti f w a e n p y l d ll d h p o h l bo e . 69 COTTON AN D HIS CONTEMPORARIES .

tage that unless the lengths are evenly matched on one r o o all the play is hai , and als the pen re to o r oo hairs a apt entangle y u h k , especially r S r r too in rough wate . ingle hai is gene ally or o e f or who fine , but never use m e than d ubl , he cannot kill a trout twenty inches long with it

s not of r . r r on de erves the name angle Ba ke , o r ou r the the hand , says that y can kill the g eat ro h on r ou est t ut t at swims single hai , if y have - roo and r f or sea m , that single hai will kill five one killed by three hai rs twisted . Venables a of L or o r liked a c sting line ute Vi l st ing , but r it must be changed often as it quickly ots . Perhaps it was he who taught this secret to a

n 1 8 M r 1667 M r . S great man . O a ch amuel ‘ r : T r Pepys writes in his dia y his day M . C aesar told me a pretty experiment of his ang

a - r s ling with a minikin , gutt st ing varni hed o r s ro is ve , which keep it f m swelling , and o f r r n bey nd any hai r o st ength a d smallness . ’ ’ r P s The sec et I like mightily . epy enthusi asm i Opens vis on . What a fishing book he might r di d r o or have w itten ; he eve fish with Walt n , ’ ro r r r S buy flies f m Ba ke , at Hen y the eventh s gifts next door to the Gatehouse at Westmin ster % Did he ever spend a rollicking night C o o r i a with tt n , d inking and sing ng and t lking of o % o r ro fishing and w men W nde ful man , w te ro of o how oul to r By n Sc tt , I sh d like get d unk with him % A night with Pepys and C otton oul or w d have been well w th a headache . About this time a substitute called Indian 70 FLY FISHING FOR TROUT .

Grass or Indian Weed began to be used instead r r of hair f or the casting line p ope . The first mention I know is in an advertisement at the beginning of the second edition of Chetham A t the Sign of the Fish l n B lack H orse A lley near Fleet B rid ge liveth Will B rown who maketh all sorts of Fishing- Rods and selleth all sorts of Fishing Tackle : also C harles ’ Ki rb s oo or G t Fl s z y H ks , with W ms en les and y a o E ast I ndi a e and ls the We d , which is the r only thing f or Trout C a p and Bottom Fi shing . o r f or It must then have been c mpa atively new , the adverti sement goes on to say that it i s brittle and must be soaked in water f or half an hour before use ; it then p roves strong and r fi ne and more invisible than hai or silk . It is frequently mentioned through the eighteenth r century until superseded by gut . I have neve been able to find out what it One fly only a The r n t ro fi w s used . eel was o used in t ut sh i r r r 1 ing . It s fi st mentioned by Ba ke in 651 f r r n i 1 55 f r o o a d o n 6 o o . t lling , by Walt n salm n r r i s a r of o e Ba ke g ve figu e it , inc mpr hensible a s r except th t it fa tened with a sp ing clip , but ’ luckily there is a picture of it in Venables r a r t r f ontispiece . It ppea s o have been an o din ar r r o r r y ba rel winde , with ut check . Ba ke used to have twenty- six yards of line on his reel f or salmon fishing and he carried a gaff and he had ’ a r The r fi her pa chment fly book also . t out s s a wa r b sket s exactly like ou s . The greatest attention imaginable was paid 71 COTTON AN D HIS CONTEMPORARIES . to c co e o the fly , whi h was invariably pi d fr m r M r to natu e . a kham tells the fisherman have r e ro of to o h natu al fli s in f nt him , and c py t eir f h o o r . o o s ape and c l u In fact , actual imitati n the living insect was just as much a common place in the seventeenth century as it is now in f or r o not o the twentieth , it is ec mmended nly

r oo r . in the g eat b ks , but even in t ivial treatises ’ Pea cham s C omplea t Gentleman f or ex w o ai a s of r ample , hich c nt ns a few p ge unente ris r on has : p ing gene alities fishing , yet this ‘ For the making of these flyes the best way is to naturall fl e one so take the y , and make like it that you may have sport : f or you must observe what flyes haunt the water f or seasons of ea re to C ot the y , and make their like with o Woole or r to r t ns , Silke , feathe s esemble the

i C o r f - v . o n s o fi e l ke tt gives the d e sings sixty , all ori i r r g nal d essings , and Ba ker and Ven o s r r l a ables , th ugh they de c ibe gene a flies , b se r n et m o o . Ch ha s thei case imitati n give twenty , r all The on r nea ly mod ern names . fly the wate s s r was alway used when it could be a ce tained . You are r o to oo on or ec mmended l k the bushes , ’ to n r he exami e a t out s stomach . C thamtells you to use a microscope to examine the flies ou i is o r i o a y find in it , wh ch w nde fully l ke t d y . Particular flies were recogni sed as suitable f or r ar r pa ticul di stricts . South count y flies then as now were larger and fatter than those of the or w r r s n th , which e e d es ed slim , with little hackle and the body not carried f ar down the 72 FLY FISHING FOR TROUT ;

oo r r o n as e s out h k , and each we e ec g ised us les r r C o o - o d side thei own a ea . tt n hung a fat b die Lo o in r o o to u nd n fly his pa l ur wind w la gh at , and on the other hand admits that his slender north country flies p roved little use to a Lon r ff r r too for don f iend . Di e ent flies we e used r r or night and day . Ba ke tells a matchless st y of fishing fromsundown till six in the morning to ro o f or r ro Ad p vide tr ut a dinne his pat n , r r ho Lo Mo . w mi al d ntague , was giving , and on r he caught a mighty dish th ee flies , helped , o or it must be admitted , by l bw ms , a white fly , ‘ red one fl e f or a fly and a black , the white y fl e o darkness , the red y in medi and the black ’

fl e for s . r r s y lightnes Ba ke , by the way , call r s them palme s , but they had wings , as the dres

o s . o r ing sh w When t ld that the fish we e wanted , ‘ Barker went to the door to see how the wanes ’ of r r % to ro r ur the ai e we e like p ve , and et ned r o not God answe that he d ubted , willing , but to rov f H avin be p ided at the time appointed . g ro o how caught his t ut , he tells with gust he oo : ro ro o r o f c ked them t uts in b th , f u dishes calvored ro r r o t uts , whateve they may be , ma i n

ro ro r . ro s ated t uts , b iled f ied stewed and a t

’ ro o hot o so on o r t uts , tr ut pies and c ld and , ve e k a dozen dishes . On would li e to have been r one o to at that dinne , and w uld like have seen the packed basket which Barker brought home r r that summe mo ning . Venables says that flies

' dressed on double hooks set at an angle of a quarter of a circle were used ' f or tender 73 COTTON AND HIS CONTEMPORARIES .

T mouthed fi sh such as grilse or grayling . here is o or f or o oo n thing new in the w ld , d uble h ked

flies are usually supposed to have come in . at r the end of the nineteenth centu y . Venables exp ressly says that he means hooks with points ° 90 an d not o o e o r suc as at pp sit each the , h had r o h oo recently come in fo trolling . This d uble k r old f or r M c is ve y , it is figu ed in as all . The two or r r oo of r , athe three , sch ls p actice which have always divided fly dresse rs were r u alrea dy distinguished . G anted that yo o l o r ou o sh u d c py natu e , y can c py her in vary r Y u artifi al . o e ci s ing deg ees may have sp cial , as Gr o Al r he ro such the ann m , the de , t I n Blue , M a fl o r wh1ch one the y y and many the s , imitate r species onl y and nothing else . O you may r mi r i itat n a o of have gene al flies , g g up species , G r such as the inge Quill , which imitates a L r r ight Olive o a Pale Watery ; . o such as the r E ar S is r co of Ha es edge , which a fai py several sorts of sedges ; or the Partridge and Oran i o r r ge , which im tates b th the Feb ua y Red and of the nymph the Blue Winged Olive . L r are s not astly , the e fancy flie , which imitate s i nor nor a ro a pec es a genus g up , but fly life n ra as Ta ge e lly ; such the Wickham , the Red g, ’ or S ar r r tew t s th ee Spide s . It is rather r ar a on o em k ble that specific imitati , the m st i hl o o r in r ll o . A h g y devel ped , c mes fi st hist y i Treati se s to a Co fl es in the eem be ex ct pies , and ’ it i s not till C otton s time that general and

a r . C o o o r fancy flies ppea tt n himself , h weve , 74 FLY FISHING FOR TROUT .

believed chiefly in exact imitation . His flies are o ro re o not c pied f m natu , th ugh he did reach the pomt of fashioning the wings of are ff r o o duns , which upright , di e ent fr m th se fl re of or stone a . sedges the y, which flat But r too he had gene al flies , , such as the hackle and v h ot on sil er twist , w ich he g up early the iefl v o o to r . Ch o sec nd m rning d ess y, h we er , he relied on exact imitation : he dressed them or or r or larger smaller , lighter da ker , acc ding to r re re weathe and water , but always they p

a . o or r sent natural insect His c ntemp a ies , o or o h wever , used general fancy flies m re than f r l r did . o o r o he A light c l u ed fly a c ea day , a red or o f or e range fly a thick wat r , a dark fly f or r or o for da k weather , a black br wn fly a

. r o whitish water , says Venables Ba ker g es r v r f or all fu ther , and gi es five gene al flies use e the year , b sides individual flies , such as the M a fl or S o . o y y and Hawth n fly , which he c pied l r for r r o he e the fi st time appea s the real divisi n , between those who copy the fly and those who to a attune themselves we ther and water . ’ C o o -fi ve All tt n s sixty flies have names , o of r o s me which have su vived , but the m st interesting list is that given by Chethamin an f appendix . In the body o his work he merely r s C o o a pi ate tt n , but in the ppendix he gives ff to oo a quite di erent list , stated be used by a g d

a r . r are o o r ngle The d essings w nderfully m de n , and so are the names also ; starling wing a r f or r ppea s the fi st time . Cotton gives the

: 76 FLY FISHING FOR TROUT .

r r o ot o r De byshi e tr ut , was g ve by keeping the line off the water . Every writer treats this as rr l B r the one essential to co ect cast ng . e su e that your fly fall first on the water, if the line rs scareth therefore draw fall fi t it the fish , it. A ll and a a . back cast g in , says Venables say N ow to do the same . this a light wind behind ou r in os y was necessa y a calm it is p sible , but harder : in a head wind the line hits the water r or o : fi st it is bl wn back with a gale behind , the line must be drowned or it is blown off the r wate . now r r an We can figu e thei fishing , d in r ff expe t hands it was skilful and e ective . In upstreamfishing where p ractised the fisherman r o s or cast st aight ab ve him with a h t line . But o r was or o o oo d wnst eam fishing m e c mm n , a g d of no o of r deal it , d ubt , . the c ude type which s r o till su vives , a meth dical and unimaginative searching of the water such as still obtains in Pro salmon fishing . bably this would have r filled a basket on most wate s . But on shy rivers or in skilled hands the system permitted of a more delicate and deadly p ractice the cast was rod o made with the p int well up , the fly with a link or two of the finest part of the cast o on r a al ne fell the wate , then the h nd w. as lowered and the fly was floated lightly and with little drag over the fish ; with a long slender

‘ rod a and , delicate hand and a line light at the same time with a bulk on which the wind could r s r act , the fishe man , tanding ight back in the A 77 COTTON AND HI S CONTEMPOR RIES .

and a ro and o o meadow fishing c ss d wn , c uld dr ift his fly over a rising trout in a way that formed the nearest approach to the floating fly r T i before the nineteenth centu y . his s the way two r r S r in which , centu ies late , tewa t says that T Tweedside adepts killed heavy baskets . hey cast frequently and allowed their flies to float onl a ar or y few y ds , and then cast again bef e r T do r r they began to d ag . hus the g eat maste s

r r e ' e ur O talk to each othe ac oss th c nt ies . ther o s o r or r r meth d , h weve , m e c ude and p imitive r T r . he o or o we e in use fly was cast ac ss d wn , r Y u and d awn over the fi sh as in loch fishing . o are t r told o keep the fly in pe petual motion . A s r u on to a gene al r le , the fly was fished the p f r r r o the wate . Ba ker specially d essed his so o r to flies that they fl ated nea the p , as he tells us in one of his engaging rhymes

n mr c e m o r o e od b other I le s eak in th O , y g , p y c are ,

o s red Cows B ears wooll to float best H g , , , a e ar pp , An d so doth our fur if ri htl it fall y , g y , u m B t alwa s r mr k e e e b e e tw n mk ma a a y , o d e ll a .

The meaning of the cryptic last line is that Barker considered that if you knew how to r s two s ou all d e s flie y knew , what he calls a P r o s alme (th ugh it had wing ) and a M ayfly. Venables tells the fisherman to try the trout rs on to and not a r fi t the p , if they will t ke the e , to try below the surface : there is no certain 78 FLY FISHING FOR TROUT . rule to guide you but when fishing slow water to a ro it ra o c st ac ss , let sink , and d w it sl wly

ro n do not r on a r . u d , but make ci cles the w te But the general p ractice was to keep the fly on r the top of the wate . i The s r a a o r . fi he m n w ded , but nly spa ngly He did not o s r oo of S ro p s ess the ha dih d c pe , who tells you never to go into water deeper than the o of o r s o fifth butt n y u wai tc at , and even thi s is inadvisable f or tender constitutions in r r o who are f osty weathe . He advises th se delicate and wade in February when it freezes r ar to o i r o ve y h d , pull d wn the st ckings and r S or examine thei legs . hould they be black even purple i t might perhaps be as well to get on d r a if o r ou y l nd , but they are nly ubicund y n orr The r was need ot w y . seventeenth centu y not r t so a a . a no st lw t W ding , deep , must have ra r ri r f or T or been p ctised in la ge ve s , in weed Eden or Wye you would not get many trout in low a r rar w te unless you waded . But it is ely o i nor r menti ned at th s time , can I ecall any r r t p int that depicts it . Wading boots we e no ra r ro r in gene l use till late , and wading t use s or stockings not till later still . There were two schools of striking as there are or r t r always , acc ding as the w i e is talking f r o la ge fish or small . Large fish should not be r or r f or o ou st uck bef e they tu n , small nes y an o to c n t be o quick . The fish when hooked was rod of played with the , as in the time the Trea ti se of , and if any size was landed in a net , 79 COTTON AND HIS CONTEMPORARIES .

L are usually by an attendant . anding nets r o 1613 r fi st menti ned by Dennys in , and we e in ’ general use in Walton s time The triangular net now so common is first shewn in a French oo Ruses I nnocentes of rer r o b k , the F e F anc is ort o r o I r F in , c nce ning wh m have al eady r ou written in Chapte IV . Venables tells y that the screw handle of your landing net should be to a afl as as able take g well a net , and that you are to carry two other hooks to fit the same o one to o r to s cket , cut weeds and the the pull out sn ags . C r not s so : atches we e big , but exce sively r e r a now r no bigge p haps th n , but ce tainly r n n bigge than in the ni eteenth ce tury . Cotton mentions thi rty- fi ve to forty trout as an excep tional a and er ro t ke , indeed this numb f m the o r u o r o not D ve , whe e I s pp se the ave age w uld r i a o s oo . be much unde p und , a g d day It to a o a for seems h ve been excepti n l , when his s ro r r pupil catche six t ut and th ee g ayling , ’ C o o r oo r r tt n calls it a p etty g d mo ning s wo k . Barker does not give the number of his mighty

r . C o o or of r d aught tt n , invent the clear wate or a ou w fi sh w m , says th t if y will ade and the worm upstream you can catch as many fish as r you like . Reco ds are scarce ; but altogether the impression left on the mind is not one of big bags . Walton and his pupil in the only ’ day s fly fishing recorded caught no more than his ro r P r r ten , and b the ete and C o idon five

between them . C ompare these with more 80 FLY FISHING FOR TROUT .

r r r S r o i r a mode n eco ds . tewa t c ns de ed th t a good fisherman should average fifteen pounds a day and a fi rst- class one twenty pounds all r T o a at th ough the season . wenty p unds me ns or the r r least f ty fish in wate s Stewa t fished , and as everyone has many blank and bad days an average of that number means formidable S o r baskets on the good ones . t dda t says that a good rod could take from twelve to thi rty dozen in a day and that a friend of his caught two hundred and eighty fish in six or seven r r o wa hou s . He adds that thi ty p unds weight s a good day on Twee d and few anglers attained r o r it . I can quite believe it . Hende s n elates how three rods on C oquet at Easter killed five

r - fi e r x hund ed and seventy v t out in s1 days . ’ Younger s grandfather was reputed to have killed thirty- six dozen in Kail water in one day ’ or of o r with the w m , and a nephew Y unge s killed eighteen dozen in the same water with T t r r e . o o o o o fly c me m e ecent tim s , Hamilt n writing in 1884 says that he and another rod took with the fly in one July day before two ’ o clock in the Ramsbury water of the Kennet or o r one o o f ty fish , n ne unde p und , s me between two r o r r and three and th ee ve th ee pounds . Within my own day one hundred fish have been taken with the dry fly on the Gade at Cassio r bu y . When I started fishing the Cumberland a o o o Eden thirty years g , a st ne weight , say f rty oo f or oo rod not fish , was a g d day a g d , but at T all uncommon . he doings of the redoubtable 81 COTTON AN D HIS CONTEMPORARIES .

Dickie Routledge had perhaps by that time acquired some of the glamour that belongs to r r to the legenda y , but he was eputed have been able regularly to take one hundred trout on an T r . s ave age day , and I quite believe it he e r or f ar o o a r ec ds , as as they g , sh w th t bags we e ’ not exceptionally heavy in C otton s time . Possibly poaching accounts f or this : he makes f bitter complaint o it . Before the time of Stewart fly fishing was not much practised in summer or calm hot r r C o weather and in low clea wate . nsequently ’ in C o o r o or a tt n s day , eithe a cl udy day water r r r i r rr clea ing afte a n was p efe ed at any time , and in clear water in summer either wind or

o . s on a ro cl ud was essential In the pring , ugh : or day , fish the still deeps in a calm light r r T e r a b eeze the fast st eams . h a tificial myfly i r s little use except on a ough windy day . M r r M a e are o a ch , Ap il , y and Jun the ch sen o of o r A m nths , and c u se July and ugust always or o bad f r The have been not i usly o the sunk fly . oa in our r or fl t g fly has changed all weathe l e , for it succeeds best on days when the sunk is ' hopeless and will kill in a wider range of r o r r r or weathe than any the lu e , natu al ar T e r tificial . h di ections as to weather and wate r in the seventeenth century are the same or r as in the nineteenth bef e Stewa t wrote .

( a e 70 Si r D a i Prain th e istin u s e Di rec or of p g ) v d , d g i h d t th e o a otan c ar en s at Kew h as t rown ims e w o e R y l B i G d , h h lf h l earte nto th e u es t i n w c all th e resou rces of Kew h dly i q , hi h , e e the In a c e a e e n e en a e . B ut he c ann o h lp d by di Offi , h v b g g d t et s a w t c erta nt w at th e su s an c e w y y i h i y h b t as . A T CH P ER VI .

T A T FROM COTTON TO S EW R .

The quiet pastime of their choi ce On B eau rocks i n Derwent la es ly , g d , ’ i m m n s i t see s to ove to Walto vo ce S ll , Sin gin g of dace an d d airymaids i s w r m ws stil r w t H ate eado a e e l , Hi bra in rout stre ams l a n lan s w t e a d ce l g p g , An d on their sun lit r ipples yet

i s i s is i l s an The fl e of h d c p e d ce .

o r C ll e c ted Ve ses . l r d chran A f e Co e . 1903 .

HE one hundred and eighty years which separate Stewart from C otton are years of advance o o e which , th ugh great , pr c eded

by hardly perceptible stages . At the beginning men fished with no r i r o o eel , tw sted hai lines , l ng r ds , and a single

. o o o fly At the end they used sh rt r ds , s me of re and r w times split cane , els , silk lines , d a n o o who gut , and , except th se b ld adventurers d r or on r two or used the y fly ve y shy waters , T r three flies . hese g eat changes were evolved so slowly that the period cannot be divided

84 FLY FISHING FOR TROUT .

The classical style is a bad medium f or field ’ sports : Gay s merit i s that his love of the country and knowledge of its pursuits triumphs f e r over the conventions o his ag . At fi st sight it i s not a little surp rising that the eighteenth n r i r r and r i s ce tu y , with its amaz ng lite a y a t tic r i ro no r ros fe t lity , p duced g eat angling p e r r o r of a w ite . It cann t have been a matte ch nce , f or neither did it contain many great works on r o hunting ; indeed , I can ecall n ne , save that f r r r o the admi able Pete Beckfo d . On the o r a of the hand , the first h lf the nineteenth r r r r centu y is wonde fully rich . Si Humph y a itz ibbon r o D vy and F g , Bainb idge and R nalds , P S o r C o o Pulman and enn , t dda t and lquh un were all fishing and writing : Christopher North was living as well as describing his Ambrosial Nights : whilst one greater than them all was content to subscribe himself as

N o Fisher B u t a well-wi sher T th am o e g e . and to do so in the words of a seventeenth r r t centu y w iter . It is difficult o imagine Scott o o one qu ting an eighteenth century p et , even so oo Ga o to g d as y, and it is imp ssible imagine o o o r on him qu ting P pe , th ugh he did w ite

fishing .

The patient fi sher takes hi s silent stan d nt nt i an m e h s e tre blin in hi s han d I , gl g .

We have got a very long way indeed from the W 85 FROM COTTON TO STE ART .

ri r o n o ve , and the pe sky , and the wind bl wing The e r over the reeds . eight enth centu y was barren of fishing writers : in the nineteenth The they sp rang into being on all sides . oo oflered r o classical sch l an unf uitful s il , and it was the romantic revival which brought them S o no fi r for o . int lusty life c tt was she , yet but him Stoddart and C olquhoun might not have ri r c or w tten . Wave ley influen ed m e than the

novel an d Marmion more than the epic . r r or In the eighteenth centu y , the ef e , we have

no r ro r . g eat p se w iters We have manuals , so o oo one me bad , s me g d , at least excellent , and we have many rather un imaginative compila or or r er is tions . But m e imp tant than the w it s the advance in mechanical appliances . T r A f he od comes first . t the end o the r o r r S r o r pe i d unde eview , tewa t c nside ed a ten oo rod ff bi o f or r f t , if sti , g en ugh any wate , and adds that he generally used one from eight to ’ T a r r nine feet long . his is big d op f om C otton s fi n or i r The ro rr ftee e ghteen foote . d p occu ed r r a o r use afte the eel c me int gene al , which o io i rod n f or rev lut n sed maki g , it enabled men to a o r d o i r o o . fish fine with sh rt , imp ss ble bef e S ro r in o f or rs a r till , ds ema ed l ng yea fte the r ar S ar o exce eel appe ed , and tew t is s mewhat p i l t ona . r is ri r Indeed , F anc , w ting ten yea s r S ar i of o r afte tew t , g ves the lengths f u typical in - ro r ro s gle handed fly ds , and they va y f m eleven feet seven inches to twelve feet eight

inches . As late as 1886 Halford says that a 86 FLY FISHING FOR TROUT . strong man can use a twelve foot rod for d ry o hi s i r fly fishing , th ugh he changed v ews in late r r a oo s yea s . I sta ted by using twelve f t plit an on I K do c e the Test , tchen and ennet , and I not think I broke oftener than I do nowwith a r r r nine o ten foote . Du ing the eighteenth r a r r to o r centu y , fte the eel , twelve f u teen feet o rod r was not uncommon . The j inted is fi st o L o 1620 not menti ned by aws n in , but was much ’ r L o used till the eighteenth centu y . aws n s rod and r rod , the eighteenth centu y ; was ‘ I rod of two to spliced . He says use a parts o n o to j y e in the middle when I c me the river , two with pins , and a little hempe waxed , thus ’

o r . the pins j yne it , the hempe fastens it fi mly ’ A s S r o late as tewa t s time many pe ple , himself r rr r l o to u . included , p efe ed spliced ds ferr ed ro r r Indeed , spliced ds su vived much late , and n r have by o means di sappea ed to day . They disappeared in proportion as the workmanship of rr r r r the fe ule imp oved . In the olde ods it had many weaknesses the j omt either worked loose or j ammed the rod was amazingly apt to r r o or o b eak eithe in the s cket , just bel w the o r o to r ai : j ints , disaste s imp ssible ep r and the heavy metal work then necessary hindered the

- . o r rod to play M de n making , which intense e a r a technical skill has be n pplied , g adu lly remedied all these defects ; but it was not till the eighties that the balance swung definitely ’ o r to rr r l ve the fe ule . Wells A me i can S a mon ’ Fi sherman in 1 886 and Halford s Dry- Fly 87 FROM COTTON TO STEWART .

The Fi shing in 1889 gave the splice its quietus . great evil of the splice (beyond its troublesome ness to adjust) is that nothing ever invented prevents it working slightly loose after a long o of : o i peri d fishing n th ng , that is , except the o of a d glueing t gether the t pered en s , when the rod becomes one of a single piece . To o All this IS anticipating slightly . g back m r to I a the time desc ibing , the ferrules then r of to r used we e the simple kind , and p event them slipping round every well - made rod had a flat wire loop fixed imme diately above and o rr r of r bel w each fe ule , unde which a bit st ing was easily run for two or three turns of a r - - r T fi gu e of eight afte the rod was put up . his T e prevented the j oint slipping round . h lock fast and suction j oints now so common came r late . It is a curious fact that ferruled rods are l o for rod actua ly lder than spliced , the described in the Trea ti se is a j ointed rod in two rr o or : pieces , fe uled with ir n tin but the o rod not o r rod j inted did l ng su vive , and the in one piece was the usual thing in the sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries ; next rod a rr came the spliced and l stly the fe uled . ’ Smilk lines are first mentioned in N obbes C o lea t Troller 1682 r p , and came g adually

o . r o f or int use But hai lines l ng survived , I can recollect thei r still being used by the old o of r and no fashi ned at the end last centu y , o o o o n T e i d ubt s me c uld be f und even ow. h s lk 88 FLY FISHING FOR TROUT .

i s r o of o oo i l ne used we e like th se my b yh d , l ght i to a o r to and thin , mighty d fficult c st c mpa ed

v r r now . the hea y tape ed a ticle . in use r r a ra N ow as to eels . He e gain the p ctice r r his r va ied greatly . David Webste in ente r oo The A n ler an d the taining and p actical b k , g Loo - Rod no r p , was still using , eel as late as 1 885 bit of an r in a s but he is a eccent ic , that i r r was r in his n othe matte s . He a centu y beh d

' f or r s f or o s r in time , eel salm n fi hing we e general use by the beginning of the eighteenth

% r and f or ro i r centu y , t ut fish ng du ing its last f r T r a rr r o as . half . hey we e pl in ba el winde s b s e i r r The r Th mult plying eel also appea ed . fi st mention I know is an advertisement of the r O U stonson tackle make . nesimus , which is at ’ the end of my copy of Smith s True A rt Of n li 1 C on i s A n 770 o . s c e g g, editi n Be t in his Trea ti se 1787 r o ec mmends its use in fly fishing , and two o o r it putting these n tices t gethe , must a not T o o o . w h ve been unc mm n at that time , re or o r s are r o n o r th e , f u flie ec mme ded by R be t ’ o in A n lers S ure Guid e 1706 H wlett the g , and this number was common throughout the p eriod ; but in this matter also Webster was an

% r f or r s a eccent ic , he neve used le s th n the err r of n o o the t ific numbe ni e , th ugh he all ws no i t The v ce o begin with six . single fly was by no means discarded ; many skilful fishers recom it and of o r f or d r s mend , c u se the y fly , ju t e inni to r wa i s a . b g ng eme ge , it essent l ’ Modern fly dressing starts with B owlker s A 9 FROM COTTON TO STEW RT . 8

A rt of A ngli ng When he wrote he o o ors o oo hl f und m st auth , mverl king the hig y or i or of Chetha ig nal w k , engaged in slavishly r B lker copying either the Trea ti se o C otton . ow of - gives a list twenty nine flies , all easily recognisable ; and what is more important he ‘ ‘ definitely rej ects many other Flyes taken ’ o of Tr a s of A o N tice in e ti es ngling , am ng them most of our old friends which date from Dame A nd Juliana . it was high time they went ; f or thei r original derivation had long been or o i r r r orr f g tten , the ve y names we e c upted and o a s o r r to had bec me me ningle s c unte s , un elated the natural insects from which they were i B owlker r o . o c p ed pill ies them by name , and o i o fr m his t me the Ruddy Fly , the Sandy Yell w Moor T Fly , the ish Fly and the wine Fly a r ro r r C o o dis ppea f m fishing lite atu e . tt n , it r had r B owlker r c is t ue , p eceded in ej e ting o ha heth m s d C a C o o not them , and ; but tt n did r o o en unce them by name , and indeed c uld not a s of f or o bec u e filial piety , Walt n had ’

o o . C o o swall wed them wh le Besides , tt n s list i s too long and the attribution of his names to natural flies is often impossible ; added to wh ich the list of the Trea ti se was repeate d by many ri r o r w te s l ng afte C otton . A fter B owlker it r disappea s , and instead his list survives with to- little change till day .

‘ T e rst e t on of B owlk e r is a b r T ll un te ut M . urre in h fi di i d d , An ci en t An gli n g Authors s a 8 th at it is d ated 1747 in the c ata o u e of the o e an ib rar B i bl h n l g B dl i y . iot eca Pi scato a 1 ves 1758 wi t a uer . g , h q y 90 FLY FISHING FOR TROUT .

Perhaps this is the place to say something ’ B owlker A rt n lin r re about s of A g g. The e we two B owlkers R r C r r , icha d and ha les , fathe and f r r son o L o o . o , udl w in Sh pshire The fi st editi n in 1747 is by Richard ; but in the third edition of 1780 (the second edition of 1774 I have never seen) and all subsequent ones Charles B owlker 17 o . 79 is given as auth r He died in , and was f accounted the best fly fisher o his day . After hi s death the book continued to be issued under 185 4 o o or his name till , s me sixteen editi ns or r or no oo m e , a ec d surpassed by fishing b k r i mle n ler except the T ea t se and the C o p a t A g . It is the best book by f ar of the period and an r excellent manual . Its excellence lies in th ee r : r o f or s featu es the di ecti ns fly fi hing , including one of the early recommendations of r a r o f or r upst e m fishing , the di ecti ns fly d ess o of of ing , and the kn wledge shewn the life r of the natu al fly , which is much in advance r anything that had appea ed before . Woods used for rod making underwent a r o o for o to r ev luti n ; , wing the inc easing facilities for importing the superior trans ro oo r atlantic p ducts , native w ds la gely dis r N r r of z . o o appea ed m e is hea d ha el , the r o r of r r unive sal fav u ite ea ly fishe s , and still l of r t r r ess eccent ic ma erials such as c ab t ee , r A h n l or . s a d junipe , medlar , b ackth n and yew ’ a o r r o deal l ne su vived , and they we e nly used f or r r butts . Fou imported mate ials took their o oo oo r place , hick ry , lancew d , bamb and g een

92 FLY FISHING FOR TROUT .

Ten r r r o r r yea s late still F ancis , th ugh he efe s to the noble qualities of greenheart f or salmon rods and had his four salmon rods made almost r of not o of enti ely it , yet had a single j int greenheart in the four single - handed trout rods he portrays : one was a hollow cane with an

‘ ash two of or one of butt , all hick y , and r C triangula glued cane . He thought the astle C onnell salmon rod all of greenheart then coming into fashion so topheavy and small in the butt as to be entirely detestable . Like most fishing inventions the split cane rod o o of o , c mp sed secti ns split lengthways and o r f ar o r glued t gethe , is lde than generally r r to imagined . But he e it is necessa y s i rod o o of two di tingu sh between the c mp sed , r or o r s o old th ee , f u ecti ns , which is , and the rod o o of i r o c mp sed six s mila secti ns , which is

r r The r- r r mo e mode n . fou sectioned od is fi st rt 1 r r o Sna 180 . oo menti ned by in Bamb , b ia , and elder were divided lengthways into four

o to or o . oo pieces , thick en ugh f m the j int Bamb r rr for o r r was p efe ed fine t ps , but b ia was r r or o cheape and little infe i , and c uld be o l f und plentifully in o d hedges . It must be oro o or or th ughly seas ned bef e it is split , the o r r r r secti ns will wa p in d ying , Elde is ather r r or r r b ittle , and was neve used when cane b ia r r T r could be p ocu ed . he split cane od came o o o steadily int fashi n , and is menti ned by r r r o 1 4 r T r e nea ly all w ite s fr m 8 0 onwa ds . h e Lo o r r r r nd n tackle make s , Ald ed , Be na d and 93 FROM COTTON TO STEWART .

r o i ro of i r o Fa l w , exh bited ds th s desc ipti n in o i io of 1 85 1 L the R yal Exhib t n , and ittle was at the same time making salmon rods whose middle and top j oints were of three - sectioned two or oo . S r o o bamb tewa t , als , menti ns the r — io ro rod r too th ee sect ned t ut , but ejects it as i o a to expens ve , th ugh he likes split cane p with r a whole cane butt and middle j oint . F ancis a r ul r rod A r had t iang a split cane made by ld ed , l of or to a beautifu piece w kmanship , but p heavy and tiring to the armand lacking in free r sp ing .

The re or o r- o th e f u secti n split cane was ,

nl - o one inven u ike the six secti n , an English r or al o tion . I think its o iginat was m st r nl o who r ce tai y Higginb tham , in the ea ly nineteenth century carried on business at 9 1 r L Two c f o S o o . o t and , nd n pie es evidence p int s r io o r of in thi di ect n and , th ugh neithe them

o r ro . is conclusive , t gethe they make a st ng case Snart r to o articu , the fi st menti n split cane , p larl r s or of Lo o ro y p ai es the w kmanship nd n ds , and on or o , the page bef e he menti ns split cane , r A nd specially ecommends Higginbotham . r or of Fi shes and Fi shin W ight , auth g, pub lished 1858 r a o in , gives a ci cumstantial cc unt ‘ of getting Clark the unrivalled maker of

’ ‘ glued - up cane fly- rods to make him one i n ’ r 1 the yea 805 . Clark was Higginbotham s successor at 9 1 Strand : and these two facts o r ffor r r taken t gethe a d fai ly conclusive p oof . A t r o of no r r r Gr any ate I kn w ea lie make . een 94 FLY FISHING FOR TROUT .

ar r r or he t , when it came in , supe seded the th ee

o r- s o s f or f u ecti ned plit cane , it was much asi r to o r f or r e e w rk , cheape , and all p actical r n r r purposes as good . G ee hea t in tu n was o - o i usted by the six secti ned split cane , wh ch has now s r o r or p ead all ve the w ld , and is used r by everyone who can affo d it . It was invented A r or a in me ica , but the actual invent and ex ct r r or r date a e still unde dispute . The iginato ro a S r of was p b bly amuel Phillipe , a gunmake ,

a o P . E st n , ennsylvania He was experimenting with three and four- sectioned rods in the

or of . to f ties last century , but failed make a c of n - o su cess them , and i vented the six secti n

r r t . od . He taught the sec et o Charles F M r who in s u phy , the sixtie was making them f r r r f r o A C Co a o o . nd ew le k and mp ny , New Y k Therefore p robably Phillipe invented it in o r 1 850 M r ab ut the yea , and u phy made it a commermal possibility in 1860 or

Silkworm gut is first ment1oned by James . r 1 2 ml Fi sh rm S 4 C o eat e n aunde s in 7 in the p a . After saying that the Swiss and North Italians are ro r or o the best t ut fishe s in the w ld , wing to r o the many fine st eams they p ssess , he says that they make a fine and exceedingly strong ra ro o s of or line , d wn f m the b wel silk w ms ; like a ro o r are c tgut f m which vi l st ings made , it is so strong that nothing of so small a size can

‘* m I a in e r R . te to M . . onta u of ro i e a d b d L M g , O v ll . C li f rn i a fo m o r uc of t s n orma ion a o h s t ut t e stor of t , h hi i f b hi y pli a e H e h a c n . m as e a s tu of the su ect and h as een d dy bj , b good enough to allow me to mak e use of his kn owledge

96 FLY FISHING FOR TROUT . modern upright rings than are those which s r r r so upe seded them , which we e ings lashed on to rod not as lie flat when the was in use , o i f or i not r a great c nven ence pack ng , but nea ly so free running as the up right or snake rings r a which have taken thei pl ce . are o These details dull , I kn w , but it is l necessary to understand them in order to appre- ciate the technical advance which fly fishing made during the eighteenth century At its s beginning , men fi hed much as they did in the o r fifteenth at its cl se , eve ything that we have now was in use except the American split cane

rod . : Reels , lines , gut , flies , net , basket all r we e there . r of r In the fi st half the nineteenth centu y , o o fishing , which had fallen s mewhat int r r r o lite a y eclipse , bu st suddenly int light o or r again . Fam us men once m e w ote about o of or r o it , m st the w ld p actised it , and th se r T who did not ead about it . his was due in great measure to the immense popularity of everything Scotch which the Waverley novels a nd r of induced , unde this influence a band writers arose who were read not only on their own r a o me its , which in any c se w uld have ro to or a so b ught them the f e , but l because they r - o r r S o r desc ibed a newly disc ve ed count y . t dda t C o uh o ro ro or o and lq un , Sc pe and P fess J hn o r i r r Wils n as well as lesse l ghts , we e w iting o o r o o c pi usly , and thei utput sh ws that the ’ world s power of absorbing fishing literatu re A 97 FROM COTTON TO STEW RT .

r o A t n a was eno m us . the same time in E gl nd Sir r ro r Humph y Davy , as a bye p duct du ing ill- a or oo os r health , g ve the w ld a b k wh e me its are o n i r r r a fte d s ega ded , la gely I believe bec use ri o r r or it is w tten in dial gue , a lite a y f m which that great man was lamentably incompetent to

’ r S r 1n l . o o hand e He w te it , c tt eviewed it the i r r E dinbur h Rev ew o . g , and the w ld ead it P too ro oo oo a f or enn , , w te a g d b k , invalu ble its description of contemporary fishing on the Test ; Charles Kingsley made fishing an element s ul r C r P a i in mu c a h istianity while ulm n , w th drawn from view in the West C ountry and musing on p roblems of fishing where the clear A xe ro o winds th ugh level mead ws , suddenly , o o r ro and all unn ticed till l ng afte , p duced the theory and practice of the dry fly full grown r r a r f om the brain of its pa ent . It was g eat o of r o age , the uni n fishing and lette s , l ng The di vorced . Fishing was fashionable . names of writers on the sport were household words ; for who had not heard of Thomas Tod S o r a o as r r r t dda t , equally f m us fishe man , w ite and poet % We are still living under the of os r r own influence th e g eat angle s , and my generation certainly was deeply moulded by r r them . I suppose that f o those now sta ting to fish Halford and Lord Grey take their re r t s a o o . place , and they w thy fill them But I for one would not exchange my p rivilege of ro r r r having been b ught up unde an ea lie age . Stewart was the first fishing book I owned ; and 98 FLY FISHING FOR TROUT .

S o ar C o o S ro to a t dd t , lquh un and c pe led me th t land of enchantment whose magic does not fade r r r as I g ow olde . I have neve fished the Tweed do not o it ar to and kn w , but I h dly feel I need , r r so clearly is it pictured in thei w itings . They r o r o r ro and thei fell ws th ew a glam u und it , and made it to the fisherman what Leicestershire is to the f ox- hunter or Hampshi re to the d ry fly

man . This age of literary achievement was barren f ro o technical advance . It was as though p r r The g ess p oceeded by alternate paths . eighteenth century saw the perfecting of n was o wa impleme ts when this d ne , the y was ar f or o of e cle the m vement the ninete nth , which

was in the mind of man . When both had taken a a pl ce , when ment l and technical equipment r o r o was r we e equal , then s me g eat m vement su e t i r r o o come . And come it d d . Du ing the pe i d r r S r i unde eview tewa t was fishing and think ng , and it was not long before he took the world in o t his confidence .

100 FLY FISHING FOR TROUT .

a new field f or observation and experiment : Upstream fishing i s much older than is ra in rs on b gene lly imag ed . It is fi t menti ed y a E x eri enced A n ler is Ven bles , in the p g , publ hed in 1662 r r ir io of m , a yea afte the th d edit n the le n l The a i f o i C o p a t A g er . qu l ty o the bo k s p roved by the fact that it ran rapidly through i io and o who ro five ed t ns , that Walt n , w te a r o it or of or r p eface , th ught w. thy f ming the thi d ar of Uni versal A n ler p t the g , published in 1676 of r o r , which the fi st and sec nd pa ts ’ r hi and o o o we e s C tt n s books . Venables is s important that he must be quoted ‘ And here I meet with two different opinions ra o r flie and p ctices , s me always cast thei and r so o bait up the wate , and they say n thing occurreth to the Fishes sight but the Line o r o r and so u o the the s fish d wn the Rive , s pp se ( Rod and Line being long) the quantity of water or lesseneth takes away , at least the Fishes o r Rod Li sight ; but the thers affi m , that and ne ,

r o r are a o. s and pe haps y u self , seen ls In thi f r of o o o sa dif e ence pini ns I shall nly y, in small roo ou r or s r B ks y may angle upwa ds , el e in g eat r ou s a no so Rive s y mu t wade , as I h ve k wn me , who r ot S ci ati ca o not i the eby g , and I w uld w sh you to purchase pleasure at so dear a rate ; besides casting up the River you cannot keep o r L out of r o f or y u ine the wate , which we n ted a fault before ; and they that use this way o o r flie c nfess that if in casting y u , the line fall o r or flie r r int the wate bef e it , the we e bette AM 101 STEWART AN D THE UPSTRE SCHOOL .

n as a it ri s fi sh u c t , bec use f ght the ; then r it s do i r ce tainly mu t it th s way , whethe the flie a rs or not s fi r o to f ll fi t , the line mu t st c me the fish or fall on him which undoubtedly will ri r r m i i T o o o s a ou f ght him he ef e y pin n , th t y o i r f or o r ou angle d wn the R ve , the the way y r r m t a so no so t ve se twice uch , and beat much

' r r g ound as downwa ds . r Several p oints call f or p a ticular notice . Fi rst of all Venables meets with two different i o r and r or n Op ni ns and p actices , the ef e eve in the seventeenth century the two systems existed i i T r s de by s de . hen he gives the a gument . Th r m t e upst eam an claims to keep ou of sight . But the downstream fisher effects the same r i i T s object by th ow ng a long l ne . hat he mu t r n n r th ow a lo g li e is t ue then and always . T r are i s a two he e st ll , and alway h ve been , oo o who a o i o r sch ls , th se use l ng l ne d wn st eam and those who use a shorter line up . And Venables also is emphatic on the danger of i o r o o o r oo lin ng y u fish , a p int ften ve l ked , but ne f r r i n r o o a i o a . s s g e t mp t nce It i t uctive , by wa to see as to the y, that it was fatal line a fish two hundred and fifty years ago as it is to- And r . o day he says , which is als t ue and for r a r said the fi st time , th t in fishing st aight his r ur r up hai and o gut must go ove the fish . o a o so o s He als m kes the p int ften made ince , that upstream fishing means laborious wading o r r r and c ve s less wate than downst eam . It is interesting to find the argument put so com 102 FLY FISHING FOR TROUT . pletely at this early stage it shows surely that the question was no new one it must have been discussed by anglers and argued long and often at he r r n r t wate side when fish we e ot 1 s1ng . Venables sums up in favour of downstream fi sh in s a roo oi to g, except in m ll b ks , but the p nt notice is not the actual decision he comes to but the evidence he affords that upstream fishing a r r w s unde stood and p actised . So profound is the influence of upstream fishing that it is worth while spending time in tracing its continuous history from Venables ’ who starts it in 1662 to Stewart s Practi cal A n ler 1 857 r was r g in , afte which it neve ri T r se ously questioned . his is all the mo e r t r mu r s as i s s o is nde nece sa y , hi t y has been oo f or or r r who st d , the dina y fishe man if asked started upstream fishing would p robably answer r r a r of Stewa t , whe eas as matte fact it was both developed and described two centuries r r or r t r o r ro ea lie . In de o t ace its c u se I p pose to select eighteen of the best writers on fly fishing between 1662 and 185 7 and to see what o wh r o . o o they said , ch sing six w te in the seven teenth r centu y , six in the eighteenth , and six r r of i e or r r du ing the fi st half the n net enth , athe or 1 5 r r t T are 8 7 o . bef e , when Stewa t w e hey o r o not ch sen impa tially , as the best auth rities , a o r one oo r o bec use they fav u sch l o the ther . Who shall be chosen % For the seventeenth r t fi r o no . centu y the ch ice is dif cult F anck ,

104 FLY FISHING FOR TROUT .

Si r r o o r Humph y Davy , and p ssibly Y unge . So much f or the names : now to collect the o r u t r v tes . F anck tells yo o sta t at the head of s the stream , at least I think he mean that , o r r th ugh F anck neve talks plain English . But r r r he shall be counted downst eam . Ba ke is the

. a as is r same Ven bles , has been seen , neut al , t o of C o o % i inclining o d wn . What tt n He s n ra r m a o an ge e lly classed as d wnst eam , and ‘ ’ certainly his phrase fine and f ar ofl seems to im r T r h o . o put in that categ y his , h weve , is n t r hi t o the whole t uth . He tells s pupil o have a to or the wind always at his b ck , and fish up r r down the iver as the wind serves . He the e or not o ns r a o f e fished d w t e m , but d wn wind , and o do i as indeed he c uld l ttle else , using he did a whippy single - handed rod fifteen to eighteen feet long . But he knew the advantage of r r T on fishing still wate upst eam . hus the ‘ o of o sec nd day the Dial gue , when the wind ’ curles the wate r and blows the right way ‘ ’ C o o s to tt n set his pupil angle up the still deep , and therefore chooses a day of upstream wind r A nd in which to fish still wate . let it be noted that C otton is the inventor of r r r upst eam wo m fishing . C otton is the e fore not the downstream man he is gener o to o ally supp sed be , and he als must be r m heth 1681 on classed as neut al . C a ( ) is the o o r f or o o wh le a d wnst eam man , b th he and als the True A rt of A ngling (1696) tell you to fish r ar r a r upst eam in cle wate with the n tu al fly , 1 5 STEWART AN D THE UPSTREAM SCHOOL . 0 but downstream in a thick water or with the T r o r o r artificial . he ef re the ve dict is f u in o r of o a r a r r fav u d wnstre m , F anck , B ke , m an tw Chetha S o C o o and mith ; d , tt n and a r l i r r to o Ven bles neut al , inc in ng athe d wn than to o i r oo up , but sh w ng that an upst eam sch l existed . In the eighteenth century B owlker (1747) ‘ says that when you see a Fi sh rise at the a ra to ro r n tu l Fly , the best way is th w a Ya d a o r r h r c o r b ve him , athe t an di e tly ve his Head , an d o r o o ards let y u Fly m ve gently t w him , by which means you will show it to himmore ’ r r mn % and a natu ally . Wise admi able It is

not r r . ou to or clea whethe he means y fish up , c ro or ro o to r a ss , ac ss and up but the p int bea in mind is that you are to cast above and let the o o o to r fly fl at d wn , and he bel ngs the upst eam A rt o n lin 1 8 i s oo . A 7 7 s ch l Best , in the f g g ( ) not r but i s ro o r clea , he p bably a d wnst eam ’ ’ r Howlett s A n ler s Sure uid e 17 fishe . g G ( 06) ’ and B rookes A r t of A ngling (1740) both recom ’ n r S r i n l r me d downst eam . hi ley n the A g e s M useum lker r 1784 o s B ow or ( ) c pie , and is the ef e s r S r . o up t eam c tche , in his quite excellent manual (I wish it were not so scarce) the Fly ’ Fi sher s Legacy (about bids you some times to throw up a stream and sometimes o ou s r d wn , as y can be t be hidden , t eating o a c nce lment as the more important factor . r or r e o t The ef e the ve dict is three , B st , H wlet roo o r of o one and B kes in fav u d wnstream ; , 1 06 ' ‘ R ‘ FISHING FOR T OUT .

S o r two B owlker o c tcher , neut al , and , , m st

o % of % uwhose a ro c de fam us all , s les p bably ex ee d o r S r who 0 0 the rest put t gethe , and hi ley pied f o r o . him , in fav u up C o to i t h c r Sir ming the n ne eent entu y , % Humphry Davy put his mayfly a foot above a o r o r s ov to rising f u p unde , and advi es the n ice r r r T throw half a ya d above anothe monste . his ' a o be either or ro We ls might up ac ss , but can r ir r o S . eck n Humphry an upst eam man Penn , whose amusing M axims (1833) are taken from the C ommon Place Book of the Houghton Fish C b ou a ou wi r or ing lu , tells y th t y ll ise m e fish o oo or n by fishing d wn but h k m e by fishi g up , and that you will not disturb unfi shed water by h to r killing t em . S ddart appa ently began s o ou not angling life by fi hing d wn , but tells y to o r oo r o r r lead y u h ks %d aw y u flies%, a necessa y rel n o r s 18 one featu d wnst eam fi hing , and as he of the first writers to mention the dry fly he

o o not so . must have fished up , th ugh he d es say ’ Ronalds in that glorious book the Flyfi sher s E ntomology (1836) advises throwing across and o r one of fi sher down. Y unge the best r ou to ro men that eve lived , tells y th w aslant upwards or straight across ratherthan down r to o to o o the wa ds , and all w the fly fl at d wn f r e r r rr o own o . On cu ent its acc d w ite , by the wa % o or y, Blakey , quite a c mpetent auth ity , in his Hints on A ngling (1846) inveighs against

ublished in 1828 but the c a ter in ues , h p q tion is head ed ay

10 F I G R 8 FLY ISHING O TROUT .

The f r recommend it . advantages o upst eam % are ou are ro fishing that y unseen by . the t ut , whom you approach from behind you are more to oo o f or w ou r ou likely h k y ur fish , hen y st ike y pull the hook into him instead of out Of his mouth you do not spoil unfi shed water in play ing a heavy fish and you imitate the motion of a r ou the n tu al insect . With these advantages y

‘ can kill trout in the lowest and clearest water: not ffi to ro o His case is di cult p ve , but he d es it r t r clea ly and finally . He was no the discove er Of upstream fishing any more than Darwin was the discoverer of natural selection b ut he was the first f or nearly two hundred y ears to take the trouble to make the case and the first of n t r a y age o do it completely . He p obably ra o re f or exagge tes the n velty Of his c ed , it is difficult to believe that in 185 7 only one in a r a o hund ed fished up , and the st tement that m st books recommended d ownstream is only true umr f r o b n e ically,if at all , as has een shewn the S r best books did not . till all c edit be given to r f or o r or r Stewa t , he c nve ted the w ld as Da win a v a did . His case w s so con incing th t no one ' ld en u h to One or two has felt bo o g dispute it . r to ross or s C o o t ied c sw d with him , as h lm ndeley o fewto o o Pennell did , but he f und f ll w him , ’ and speaking generally from Stewart s time to now the argument has been all one way and the written word has been unanimous in favour of r f o upstream . Why the p actice o mankind d es not universally follow so Obvious a theory and 109 STEWART AND THE UPSTREAM SCHOOL .

m who to why many fisher en , want catch fish and are not oo o to fi sh o o t f ls , c ntinue d wn , is w r h understanding It is not for want Of being r p eached at . m o a o r All l gic f v u s upstrea fishing , at least in r r o s I or clea wate , and n thing el e S w th talking not two to r about . There are sides the a gu An d o of hi ment . the immense maj rity fis ng or of books say the same . But a hist y fly fishing woul d not be complete if it left the matter r r s s r r the e . Futu e tudent , eading the p inted or oul e o S to now w d , w d imagin that fr m tewart everyone fished upstream except some Obscure r individuals fishing untried wate s . But that

o a r . Goo r on is hist ric lly unt ue d fishe men , the r fi s of r o s h . shye t wate s , fish d wnst eam and kill T r r f r ro or o hei p actice dif e s f m the y , as it ften

o . ow s r now d es D n t eam fishing , here and , in n r r for r this twentieth ce tu y , is bette ce tain r r You pe sons and ce tain occasions . avoid many if u e . d fic lti s Wading is easier , and casting less r u incessant . You line is always taut and yo

o to oo o . o are m re likely h k y ur fish Als , as it is always taut you know where your fly is and o to oo f r kn w where l k o rises . This is a great f of r di ficulty upst eam fishing , especially in

' u or ro r Y q ick b ken wate . ou lose touch with o r Lor Gr i e o ou y u flies , as d ey says ; a r s c mes , y too r see it late and miss the fish . O else you see o do not o n thing and even kn w a fish has risen . It is a f ar greater difliculty than the inexperi enced imagine : the power of knowing when a 1 10 ' FLY FISHING FOR TROUT .

has r isen of r fish is the hall mark p oficiency . Many never attain it : and I fancy none do ‘ nl r r t u ess they a e b ed o it . And nothing is so fatal to its acquisition as a training on a chalk

r . ou not ot ou s st eam If y have g it , y inu t r n o r replace it at any p ice , and fishi g d wnst eam t t r is no oohigh a p ice to pay . Watch a good man at work and you will see I L . o what mean et us supp se that it , is a day f r I in the first half o Ap il . t has been a dry M r r r r one low a ch and the ive , a la ge , is and l r The ro stain essly clea . t ut are in the fast r not r : st eams , but in the thin wate they will r f r let not be the e o a fortnight yet . Finally us ’ imagine that it is 1 1 O clock in the morning that the M arch B rown is on but not up ; that the sky is blue with fleecy clouds and the wind ou I are on light , and that y and seated the bank watching a famous fisherman fishing up r r a famous ive . T o not r s h ugh a fish b eak the water , he at

r o . once begins catching t out . He m ves quickly He seems to fish with no regularity a cast' here r no or f or r st aight up , then m e several y a ds , though the stream lOOks to you just the same r or o r s s ros then th ee f u ca t ac s , slightly up and t one o s o to o ou hen right acr s , all wed c me r nd below' him: USO he goes on and soon Wades out ' at the head of the stream you have counted up N w ho has c . o w and he aught eight , ask him he ‘ managed to knowthat a fi sh h ad risen when

1 1 2 FLY FISHING FOR TROUT . happens frequently in north country streams ve o o r K n we and I ha kn wn it ccu On the en et , h n ’ o u fishing a sunk fly . I n a l ng day s fishing yo r s are ou may get seve al uch , and these fish that y i r A n r cannot catch fish ng upst eam . d the e is no doubt too that occasionally you can get big fish in the clearest and shyest streams by fishing r S i downst eam with a long line . omet mes too when the fish are sunning themselves ma sharp run you can kill fish by working downstream r ri whe e you will not get a se fishing up . In as d s too r r f t gli e , where the wate runs at a g eat t s r c ou o do pace wi h a u fa e like glass , y ften better by fishing straight across or acrOss and r so down than by fishing up . What the ea n is t A i r a do no ow. I kn ga n , in a st e m which , s a o on one a e h ll w side , deepens and ste di s o s o r o to r t ward the the , until cl se the deepe bank r k r or e ou the e is slac wate an ddy , y will find , ou are ro the if y fishing f m deep side , that it pays to cast across and let your flies swing round O c an r . d o o . On s o int the eddy these c a i ns , the s , r you do best by fishing downst eam . The truth i s that a sunk fly is Often taken not f or fl out for a y that has hatched , but a nymph or even f or a shrimp or other aquatic n as i oro a imal , and these sw m vig usly a fly that mv against the stream imitates them r ot h r t co rectly. We do n know always w yt ou our o to do so take fly , when they c ndescend ; in All fact there 18 a good deal still to belearnt . do to s r to do I can is sugge t , as I have t ied , N A M 1 13 STEWART A D THE UPSTRE SCHOOL .

s e o to tr am pays best , with ut attempting give

T s r di o r hi is eally a gressi n , unde taken in the r i r r r inte est Of h sto ical t uth . U pst eam fishing ml r n is fir y enth oned and will ot be unseated . But the downstream method is used to day to a much greater extent than books or newspaper r i The a ticles m ght lead you to suppose . wheel rn and r s two r has tu ed , whe ea in the centu ies before Stewart men fished upstream but did not o so ra r r talk ab ut it , they p ctise a simila eticence o r to day ab ut downst eam fishing . C A PT H ER VIII .

TH E DRY FLY .

A n d lightly on the dimplin g eddy flin g ’ The hypocritic fly s u nruffi ed win g ;

The A n lers : Ei ht Dia lo u e i g g mg s n Verse . ho as cott . 175 T S 8.

OMEWHERE during the first of half the nineteenth century , r in the fulness Of time , he alded by many precursors who just to r o failed each c mpleteness , the dry fly was first cast upon the r or wate s . It f ms the last and most notable of o r r or the f u landma ks in the hist y Of fishing , f or o o r r o of with ut it the the th ee , imitati n the r r a f or natu al insect , upst e m fishing and fishing re r individual fish a impe fect and incomplete . What is the d ry fly and what is the secret of its hold over the imagination % The explana o of i s r no ti n what it p esents difficulty , but its r imaginative appeal is a diffe ent matter . C r s ma flies r e tain flie , such as y , duns , alde s , stoneflies and at r r ods sedges , smuts ce tain pe i of their lives sit on the surface and are carried

1 16 FL R Y FISHING FO TROUT .

r r the n c d y ove trout . O hanging flies they gave the r o o a new fly a simila chance , and ccasi n lly an r r T would ch ge flies me ely to get a d y one . hat i o a r is plain . They d sc vered that d y fly is more attractive than a wet one : but what is the d ry fly and what are we to call its invention % The test I suggest i s the intentional drying of the f or o i io i s not fly , until that is d ne nvent n o e r mi h . U s t o c mplete sing that te t , fi st ent n of the superiority of a fly that floats over one a o r i n r 1800 rs th t sinks ccu s the yea , and the fi t f r 1 ro mention o d ying the fly m85 1 . F m this r o o or latte date the dry fly has a c ntinu us hist y , use not o o o 1 860 nor but its did bec me c mm n till , ’ ’ was it till after the publication Of Halford s books in the eighties that it spread to morethan

T r r r - r r . a e o a in a few ive s he e , h weve , pass ges

‘ ' % writers much earlier than 1800 which at first

‘ to o -I sight seem hint at it , th ugh think it can

‘ ‘ be shewn that they refer to something quite f r r out of dif e ent . These must be clea ed the r r r way before dealing with the d y fly p ope . Old r r o s too f or w ite s , and new ne that a r o o m tter , Often discuss whethe y ur fly sh uld r Y u sink deep or swim near the su face . o are told that on occasions you will get better sport s o r f or oo by inking y u fly , as instance in still p ls , on a hot or r o in lakes a c lm day , gene ally in c ld r o o o ou o weathe . On ther ccasi ns y r fly sh uld

or to . r r r be at near the p Ea ly w ite s especially , fishing downstream with long rod and thick to r on to of line , liked keep thei flies the p the 1 17 THE DRY FLY . water and liked flies which kept there and did t ou mr no sink . And they advise y what ate ials ou o for how ou o y sh uld use flies , and y sh uld

ou to r r . N ow cast if y wish fish nea the su face , in giving this advice they use words which in the light of our after knowledge make them T are appear to describe the d ry fly . hey really T are o r doing nothing of the kind . hey c nt asting not o one a fl ating with a wet fly , but which swims at or near the surface with one which S are advo sinks deep below it . till less they s dr t cating what is the e sence Of the y fly , tha it should float over the fish like the natural S r s are r insect . till pe haps the p assage inte est o ing enough to be worth qu ting . The first goes right back to the beginning of L o M 1590 things . e nard ascall in gives a list T re a r Of twelve trout flies . hey a t ken f om the Trea ti se o o e l , with ut ackn wledgment it is n ed ess to r are two r o o . say. But the e imp tant additi ns I s r n de cribing the Ruddy Fly , which is clea ly our r Trea ti se Red Spinne , he says , what the ‘ o s not oo to d e , that it is a g d Fly angle with ’ r And I o o aloft on the wate . zaak Walt n f llows A nd M f Mascall . ascall again at the end o the a o not Treati se f or he list dds s mething in the , of has says , speaking all the flies that he ‘ r are o oo desc ibed , thus they made up n the h ke , o or o lapt ab ut with c ke , like each fly af re ’ A r r r o . o menti ned ppa ently , the ef e , he intended ’ c fl s o to o o o ea h y b dy have a c rk f undati n , o to o one fl which w uld tend make it fl at , and y 118 FLY F I SHI N G F OR TROUT .

in p articular is to be used aloft on the water : The passage looks uncommonlylike prevision of

‘ r S i t the d y fly . t ll I do no think this is the right j r r M as ll inte p etation . ca wanted a fly that floated aloft ; S uccess in fishing in these early days of thick lines depended largely on keeping ’ your line Ofl the water and out of the trout s sight You wanted therefore a fly that kept

on to or r . 1s not dr the p, nea it But this the y ’ B arker s D eli ht 165 fly . g ( 7) has a not dis ’

r . s s o oo red simila passage He ay that h g s w l ,

’ ‘ heifer s wool and various furs make good ‘ ’ o s now or o wooll b die and I w k much Of h g s , f or I fi nde it floateth best and procureth the ’ r best spo t . In this case it is certain that a o not f or ou to fl ating fly is intended , he tells y fish downstream and to let your fly fall on the r or direc wate bef e the line , which are clearly a t o o o . ti ns which pply nly the sunk fly Barker , of o in talking a fly that fl ats well , means as s a ne M a call me ns o that keeps on the top . It would be straining language to read anything o s ro M r else int the pa sages f m ascall and Ba ker . But they are Of great importance in en to r us unde stand their method . r r o e r r The next efe ence , nly a few y a s late , o nl s f or is much the same , and the y excu e quoting it is the remarkable character Of the

o o o . r o o r auth r , R bert B yle Natu al phil s phe , and oo o r of o chemist the l gian , a F unde the R yal So corr o Of o Lo ciety , the esp ndent Newt n , cke v he not o one of and E elyn , was nly the best

120 FLY FISHING FOR TROUT . tion is that the Reflection entitled Upon the E ating of Oysters is said to have suggested to ’ S r t de of G l wift the fi s i a u liver s Travels . The Discourses on fishing are similar to the

r D r . est . In iscou se IV Eugenius o l o t As he f und the fish inc ined t bi e , r on one of disca ded his natural flies , and put ‘ o o r e th se c unte feit fli s , which being made Of r Of o are not sut to the Feathe s Wild f wl , ’ r r o o 1 1rds be d ench d by the wate , where n th se ’ o r are wont to swim . He has such g od spo t o o te r that his c mpani n , af the inevitable ‘

or r too . r m alising , sta ts fishing A la ge Fish , i oo espy ng the Fly that kept my H k swimming , ’ ro r o r se swiftly at it , whe eup n the angle strikes

oo o to o o o . and h ks him , nly be br ken ign mini usly It has been suggested that these passages refer ‘ to o u o to a fl ating fly , and the all si n a fly which ’ ‘ not c kept my Hook swimming and was . subj e t ’ ’ to be d rench d by the water 1s relied on in t or . T s a supp t his seem plausible . first sight ; but such a construction would be reading into r r the wo ds mo e than they mean . As in the s s o ro l B r r I pa sage qu ted f m Masca l and a ke , have no doubt that Boyle is describing a man o r off fishing d wnst eam , keeping his line the r water and his fly on the top . But pe haps he ‘ do o be ond B arker f or not es g a step y , his fly is r r r drenched and the efo e was actually d y. It ar r o not is ne e , but the c mplete attainment was to come f or a century and three quarters . I o l ho v o t sh u d , we er , be said that R bert 121 THE DRY FLY .

o o not dr oo B yle , th ugh a y fly man , was a g d s r r fisherman . He de c ibes himself as a g eat o r of o r l ve angling , and says that his disc u ses are based on actual experience It is to be regretted that so learned and so observant a f r man did not write on fishing o its own sake . The desi rability of keeping your fly on the r top runs through angling histo y . As late 1 847 r as , when the dry fly was appea ing , or M od ern A n ler n r Wallw k in the g , an i te esting r e oo a r r and sca c b k , says th t in unning wate o r a sw on to r y u fly must alw ys im the p , unde f r the continual inspection o you eye . But this

so is not o . al , the fl ating fly The a o e fly th t fl ats , and kills fish becaus it oa r o e oo fl ts , is fi st menti n d in a little b k , ’ ’ Scotcher s Fl - Fi sher s Le ac y g y, published o at C o 1800 now l cally hepst w in , and excessively r r o r t a e . It is kn wn chiefly as the fi st o give r r r r colou ed pictu es Of natu al flies . Scotche says that when trout are rising at black gn ats in r on hot n ou still wate eve ings , y can catch

’ ou o rod them if y have a l ng , light line , fine o n s oo and Off p i t , mall h k neat fly , and keep the wa ter and throw with nicety into the ripple ’ s r o r caused by the fish ising , placing y u fly in r o w the di ecti n in hich he is swimming . He

say on ro - o o r tied his fly , he s , fine und glass c l u ed r and r hai , used a casting line Of single hai , on which falls lightly and lies the water , and is r so a the fly f equently t ken . Unless you are r o r ou o off ca eful , h weve , y will snap y ur fly in 122 FLY FISHING FOR TROUT .

. T r no o o for casting he e is d ubt ab ut that , it o is the taking Of fish with a fly that fl ats , which a a takes them bec use it flo ts . But it still lacks the drying of the fly The s o d next pas ages must be qu te at length .

’ ' They are from Pulman s Vad e M ecumof Fly Fi shin or rout T r re r g f T . he e a th ee editions of 1841 1 4 85 T 8 6 1 1 . ro it , , and his is what he w te 1841 o c r in . He n ti es that the epheme idae sit o r ro o up n the wate , and that the t ut stati n s o themselve just bel w the surface , and gently r o o N ow lift thei n ses as the flies sail ver . a o r a s s aked a tifici l fly inks , and thus escapes the notice of the fi sh who are looking upwards ; but ‘ if the wet and heavy fly be exchanged f or a d ry and one s r s - light , and pa sed in a ti t like style o r ar ro ve the feeding fish , it will , p tly f m the s r s a of o a a imple ci cum t nce its bu y ncy , be t ken , in n out of r ni e cases ten , as g eedily as the living ’ n s To s r o i sect it elf . in u e this , h wever , it must oo o o to o o r and be a g d imitati n b th as c l u size , f r r r r r r o othe wise it will sta tle athe than att act . The whole passage is an admirable piece of r o iginal Observation . But it still lacks the o not finishing t uch , which was supplied until r 1 5 1 the appea ance Of the third edition in 8 . The o of 1846 onl o of 1841 editi n y c pies that . T 85 1 r r r hat Of 1 takes the matte much fu the . The It is not enough to have a good imitation . fisherman must learn that something more than a good copy of the fly is necessary and that under certain circumstances not the form only

124 FLY FISHING FOR TROUT .

Itchen . And yet Pulman must either have ro ro I or h int duced it f m the tchen , ave dis o r or on The c ve ed , invented , it the Axe . last o o f or c ntingency is p ssible , but unlikely , it would mean its invention at approximately the same time on two rivers widely separated in r r distance and cha acte . And it is also unlikely f or the reason that it does not appear to have on r o r survived the Axe , whe e , h weve , it has

r ro . On o been eint duced the wh le , while or to admitting that it is guess w k , I incline think it more probable that his knowledge came

ro r r or r . f m Hampshi e , di ectly indi ectly He o not to or nor o d es claim be the invent , d es he write as such . There appeared in 1879 a book entitled d en on Fl in r Og y Ty g. It att acted less notice than it deserved and is now somewhat hard to I or O r get . ts auth , James gden , was a membe Of the famous house Of fly dressers at Chelten

o are r now r . ham , wh se flies as admi able as eve He says that his book is the result of seventy ’ r r o yea s expe ience , and that he intr duced o o o r r o fl ating flies s me f rty yea s p evi usly , which ’ f ul m r to 1839 or o o P an s b ings us , ab ut the date

r to r or or . fi st edition . He claims be thei iginat He gives a clear account of the first use of floating mayflies on the Derbyshire Wye at 5 r ma fl on 5 186 Bakewell June , , whe e y y fishing was then done entirely with the live fly; ’ Ogden s success caused the owner Of the water to or of r r o f bid the use the natu al , whe eup n the R 12 THE D Y FLY . 5 other fishermen were so angry that he was mobbed and had to leave . The book bears every mark of truth and n f m ie r The o o o n a fl s on accu acy . acc u t fl ati g y o for the Wye can be accepted c nfidently , by 1 865 the d ry fly was in full swing on south r r ° s not so ro count y st eams . But the ca e is st ng with regard to the statement which he makes or a o n ro c o m e th n nce , that he i t du ed fl ating flies r N ot forty yea s previously . that there is any ro a i i s of r imp b b l ty in it , but becau e the gene al p rinciple that statements in round numbers made long after the event shoul d be accepted a S to with c ution . till I believe it be sub i ll r to one stant a y t ue . I believe him have been Of the first dealers to put floating flies on the ar r are re o m ket , his patte ns f quently menti ned o or r r r r by c ntemp a y w ite s , and he is the fi st writer to give definite directions f or dressing n r r to floating du s . If the eade wishes see what ’ O M a flies r i so gden s y we e l ke he can , if he is lucky as to own that book which the hackneyed ‘ ’ ’ r l m uaint or n a o i A da s w d u ique l ne desc bes , % l mki Trea ti se On Fli es and F a n y g, find at the

of two or i M a flies . end it ig nal y , tied by him These I believe to be the oldest representations o now o Of fl ating flies extant , and l vely flies they

are .

Fi eld f or 17 r 185 3 In the Decembe , , an article signed The Hampshire Fly Fisher says that fi sh ‘ ing upstream is very awkward unless you are trying the C arshalton dodge and fishing with a 126 FLY FISHING FOR TROUT .

C rs o on r dry fly . a halt n is the Wandle , whe e o r the fl ating fly was practised ea ly . f A M r . . o r o o . W H F ste shb urne tells me that his fi rmmade duns f or d ry fly fishing with 1 54 upright split wings in 8 . Hitherto all information has come from the o f or o of d r S uth , but the next menti n the y fly we must go to one of t he most famous of Scots r T a To r o fishe men . hom s d Stoddart w ote a bo k ’ called The A ngler s C ompani on to the Ri vers and Looks o S cotland of o f , which the sec nd A r a edition appeared in 1853 . fte saying th t fishermen often find the first cast the most i s dr successful , because the fly y, he says that where the fisher has to deal with subtle trout r r not r to in clea st eams , it is an unusual p actice describe a figure of eight twice or thrice in the i r r a or r t r r a o o d o . bef e c sting , in de y y u flies T s r or o s hi p actice , d dge , is much u ed by the r of r s r a o E fishe s clea , gla sy st e ms b th in ngland Who o a t to and Wales . w uld h ve expec ed find an account of the d ry fly in a writer so typical of Scotland % Yet he is one of the first to r r he r the desc ibe it . Whethe himself eve used r o n t One o to d y fly I d o know . w uld like think n r r r he did . I can find o efe ence to it in his othe books ; but the really interesting thing is that as early as 1853 the knowledge of it should have r r f T e r t avelled no th o the w ed . And the e is another point worth noticing the first edition ’ f n l r C omani ut 1847 o A e s on o the g p came in .

* See the F i shin Gazette 1 M arc 1919 . g , h ,

1 28 FLY FISHING FOR TROUT .

on r too o f or dwell the wate l ng , many a fish will o ou do not take it the sec nd time , if y give him ’ r A u too long to look at it the fi st time . nd yo r must float it right ove his head . r r or dr o Du ing the fifties , the ef e , the y fly sl wly won its way : but by 1 860 it had extended its r ro o range only over a limited a ea . Th ugh ut the voluminous letters and writings of Charles K who T o r a ingsley , fished the est and the ch lk t o r no so . st eams , it is much as menti ned When he wrote C halk S treamS tudi es in 1 858 he c r r r of f or not lea ly had neve hea d it , he insists

o on two on too . nly flies , but sunk flies He tells his pupil that a trout is more likely to take r an under water than on the top . His eage d enqui ring mind was interested in the deeper p roblems of fishing : his letters are full of references : he fished until near his death in 1 875 so o r r , and knew the uth c unt y rive s well ; his knowledge of natural insects was f ar in of his r r a advance time , and he is the fi st fishe m n to mention the work of the famous Swiss f o o o P . o o ent m l gist ictet Yet , th ugh all men he would appear to be the one most open to the r r I o d . I S new idea , he neve menti ns the y fly t diffi cult to avoid the conclusi on that he never r r saw it . No is this int insically u nlikely . Froude writing as late - as 1 879 evidently knew little of or odd Sir it , and what is even m e , Herbert Maxwell states that the Chronicles of the Houghton Fishing Club on , the Test from 1 822 to 19 08 make no mention of it . Which is RY 129 THE D FLY .

Tr it r t r . o eally amazing ue , appea s have r T o r eached the est s me time afte the Itchen , but of course it was the only method from the r rs eighties onwa ds . When I fi t fished it in 1890 no one r of a d eamed using nything else ,

except on still wate r in a wind . s of s o o In pite the e is lated excepti ns , by the middle of the sixties the d ry fly had established r r its long reign on south count y st eams . Halford found it in full swing on the Wandle 1 r r 1867 A B ook o in 868. F ancis w iting in ( f A ngling) ten years after the article in The Fi eld is able to say that by then it had become a art r on o r systematic , and was g eatly used s uthe n You o r two or streams . should dry y u fly with

three false casts . In calm , bright and still a r s d r we the , when a wet fly was u eless , the y fly nfi i l ro was taken most oo d ng y . In ugh windy

r o r r . weathe , h weve , the wet fly was prefe able r o onl d r He neve c ntemplated using y the y fly , on T or I even the est tchen , and he writes a o has o sentence which , ften as it been qu ted , ‘ o o r shall be qu ted again , the judici us and pe fect o of dr a r fi sh applicati n y, wet and mid w te fly ing stamps the finished fly fisher with the hall mark of effi ciencyfl But already there were o who o o r e f or rs th se th ught the wis , angle pinned their faith to the entire practice of either the one or o r r versus the the plan , and a gued dry h T e r n . wet . battle had al eady begu r r Halfo d is the historian of the d y fly . He did f or it what Stewart did for upstream fi sh 130 FLY FISHING FOR TROUT .

f . r o or o h r ing Neither we e pi neers , b t desc ibed not o r what they did invent ; but b th , by p actice r f or and writing , made an unanswe able case the system they advocated . With Halford was associated a band of enthusiasts who devoted themselves to perfecting the art and sp reading r o s the c eed . Am ng them they sy tematise d the p ractice ; they dealt with and solved technical o rod oo s difficulties ; they devel ped , line , h k and flies to their present excellence ; and all that they acquired or invented was told to the world r nv1n m s r in sobe and co c g Engli h . Neve was a reform worked out with greater ability or r r r p esented with g eate lucidity . ’ or s r oo Floa tin Fli es and H ow Half d fimst b k , g To D ress The 1886 o o , was published in f ll wed three years later by D ry- Fly Fi shing i n Theory d P ti ro o r a an rac ce . He w te five the s , the l st in r Two of 1913 or b o . , sh tly ef e his death the r seven deal with special subj ects , fishe y manage o o o of ment and ent m l gy , and the five that deal generally with fishing and fly dressing the first r r r oo two a e by f a the best . His late b ks are less good . ’ Halford s place in the history of fishing is r or of f ar well ma ked . He is the hist ian a r ro a eaching change , and as such it is p b ble that r - fi tte f r he will always be ead . He was well d o o the task . He p ssessed a balanced tempera r oo o ment and a easonable mind . He t k n thing for r oc o r o g anted , and pr eeded by bse vati n and r too of experiment . He is the maste a style

FLY FISHING FOR TROUT .

r The r appa ent . floating fly has spread f a o it or rr r r bey nd s iginal te ito y . When he fi st wrote it was the common but not yet the universal p ractice in a limited area ; the chalk r of r r r ir st eams Hampshi e , Be kshi e , Wiltsh e and K r or s r ent , the Wandle , the He tf d hi e and r r o Buckinghamshi e st eams , and the limest ne f r r r s r o . S t eams De byshi e peaking gene ally , and without reckoning outlying areas such as D riffi eld r r or r Beck , De byshi e was its n the ly and r r r Do setshire its weste ly bounda y . At his r o r o death , it had sp ead ve all England , ver S o r r of r c tland , I eland , and pa ts F ance , G r a a a A r and e many , Sc ndin vi , me ica New % r o ealand ; in fact , it was p actised by s me fishermen in most places where trout are to be not r r found . It must be imagined that whe eve o r f or s f ar ro it went it c nque ed , uch was f m the won on r r case . But it its way ive s in which o so run r or tr ut metimes la ge , such as Tweed Don and r i r r r of , pa t cula ly in I ish ivers , which r one I o o to the Sui is . t has als c me be used mr r o o o n o e and m e lakes which h ld big fish , r such as Blagdon or Lough A r ow . And the new sport of fishing it f or sea trout has been o r or invented . Alt gethe Half d in the time between his first book and his death saw its empi re sp read over a large part of the earth . T one n to o r hat is te dency be n ted , and ve y r r o r a ma ked it is . But the e is an the , and th t r of s on ro is the evival the unk fly , even g und from which it was believed to have been 1 THE DRY FLY . 33

f r T r r banished or eve . his evival is due la gely k r f r . M . S ue o G . s to o M . the w itings E , wh se M inor Tac ti cs of the C halk S treamwas i 1 1 oo ro publ shed in 9 0 . In this b k he p ves conclusively that the sunk fly has its use on the r shyest chalk st eam , that it will kill when the ' d r o a or of y fly will n t , nd that it is a f m fishing r as diffi cult and as entrancing as the othe . It an or i oo no is ig nal b k , and it is disparagement to its originality to say that it i s founded on f r r r e M . ku the wisdom o ou ancesto s . S s is indebted to Stewart both f or his method of fi sh of a ing and tying flies , debt which he amply is re r acknowledges . H g at me it is that he has revived and brought up to date f or use on chalk streams what was a lost art He has rediscovered and restated it in terms suited to a r tod ay . His book gives fishing new sta ting

o o s a r or . p int , and pen a new ch pte in its hist y S M inor Tac ti cs r r has ince appea ed , the e been a o r o a o of i n the n tice ble m vement , the use mita n T e r of tion ymphs . h unde water life flies is r o a to much bette kn wn th n it used be , thanks r to or of o i la gely Half d , and the nymphs the l ve o ro dun , the blue winged live , the i n blue and the pale watery dun have been identified and are A n r t being copied . d these copies a e no taking or ra ona to the f m t diti l sunk flies , with head and are n and tail , wing hackle , but bei g built n on s o or o or . new li e , c pying m e cl sely the iginal These are now being used extensively and with on r success the shyest chalk st eams . Whether 1 4 3 FLY FISHING FOR TROUT . ultimately they will p rove more successful than the old and familiar sunk patterns is a point n t r M r re o yet clea ed up . any fishe men a con

‘ v e : r kue inc d M . S s os that they will , a m t o o not weighty pini n , thinks that they will . O o r can o nly a l ng t ial decide , and p ssibly the patterns of the future may be something different from either . I do not want it to be supposed that these ’ reactions detract from the d ry fly s pre T f do o o . eminence . hey n thing the kind In all the long history of fly fishing there has been r r no change so g eat as its int oduction . Until it came we fished much as our ancestors did n r in the seventeenth ce tu y . Rods had been ro r l r r imp ved , ce tain y , but we e in p inciple unaltered ; the use of gut instead of hair had added a convenience the invention of the reel modified the method of playing a fish ; but the r r d y fly was more than all put togethe . It altered both the practice and the temperament f r I ff r a o o the angle . t called di e ent qu lities int r an r request . It has a cha m and allu ement which the older sport did not possess . In what does its charm lie % Partly in the re fact that all the moves in the game a visible . Just as a stalk is much more interesting when you can see your stag and watch his slightest

o so . I ou o m vement , with a fish f y see him y ur not ou for eyes never leave him if , y watch his I n t o rise . f it does o occur with its accust med l ou o ou regu arity , y have put him d wn . If y can

1 6 3 FLY FISHING FOR TROUT .

o r o o not ab ve the fish , and su e en ugh it d es , an i r r N o t : nch mo e o less . thing is oo difficult r no rrors a r not d ag has te he d wind is a f iend , f or o not ou to an enemy , d es it enable y put a on o r ut r o r o r curve y u g , which b ings y u fly ve r % You o to do the fish fi st kn w exactly what , and you do it Wherever the fi sh may be ri o r o r r o sing , y u fly sails ve him , ha dly t uching a r o or o o the w te , wings up , fl ating like a c k , f ll w r r f rr You ing eve y c inkle o the slow cu ent . gain r r r n f r o r ro and an ext ao dina y se se o powe . Y u d r o to are r of o r line , ight d wn the fly , pa t y u self , moved by your nerves and answering ' to your r b ain . So much has been written about the scenery rro of s a o r and su undings fi hing , that late c me in the field is reluctant to embark on it so much oo r to o o to a g d the e is which he cann t h pe ttain ,

so o a . much bad int which he may easily f ll But , r all r rro r afte , scene y and su undings can ha dly be o i f or o r o m tted , I d ubt whethe any ne thinks . of his great days without at the same time r not o r ecalling nly the weathe , which must always be a permanent p art of the picture in a ’ Y rm r . ou fi she an s a o mind , but ls the scene y r r oo of r r r of emembe the l k the ive , the g een the r o o r of eeds , the wind bl wing ve the thick bed

s o of r o r . edges , the l ng line ustling p pla s And o r r are to while m st ive s beautiful , especially who o o r r not ro him f ll ws the ive and the ad , there is a quite particular charm about those r to of Hampshire and Wiltshi re . It is ha d THE DRY FLY .

r we o our e . d sc ibe , but all feel it , deep d wn in m to or n s . a o o bei g We y bel ng the n th , and w uld not belong elsewhere if we could ; but when M ay and June come we are caught and swept by a o f or os r o o l nging th e g aci us and l vely valleys , r which is not satisfied till we go the e . In these happy valleys each season has a ou are t be charm of its own . If y so lucky as o there in early April you have the added attrae tion that sp ring and summer are in f ront of i f ou so o o . y , five l d m nths fishing What matter if there be no rise % There will come days in

M ay when the olives will sail down in fleets . What matter that you know that your total days r % N r ou in the yea will be few eve mind , y will have some : the glories of the summer are still to o ou e e inflowin c me , and y f el the same d ep g happiness which you experience when you are on the river early on a June morning and know r that the whole long day is befo e you . The valley early in Ap ril i s quite different r The re l f om its aspect in June . willows a on y r k r r oa and o a . just g een , the the p pla still b e The r s e a dead ushe and sedg s , w shed by the r r i r winte ains , give the landscape a pecul a a oo and r o r oo s ble ched l k , the wate by c nt ast l k r ra r r N ot r da k and the fo bidding . many flowe s are out r r , but the kingcup is eve ywhe e in waste ’ places where last year s reeds lie thick and yellow it glows beneath them like flame beneath

The r t - firewood . g ass oo in the water meadows is r o s r of r r nl the da k gl s y g ass ea ly sp ing , u ike 13 8 FLY FISHING FOR TROUT . any other colour in the world and quite different r r f r r r f om the g ass o summe . Eve since Janua y the water has been let in to trickle among the roo of r and now or i r ts the he bage , when d na y fields have not begun growing the water The meadows have a thick cr0 p . sheep will soon be penned on it and their busy teeth will r r o to roo eat eve y sc ap d wn the ts , until the field looks a faded yellow . Then the water will be run r in again , and in June the haymake s will r be at wo k . r r i o M a As Ap il uns nt y, the valley changes r a o r r r so of g e tly . It bec mes g een eve ywhe e ; o r do o c c u se ther landscapes , but its spe ial character is that it shews so many different f r h r a o o . sh des g een , and shews t em all t gethe The o r of o o yell w g een the y ung will ws , the r e of r s r of b ight gr en the eed , the blue g een the r r of o r i is , the vivid g een s me wate weeds re r these a seen simultaneously . But pe haps ’ the chief cause of the valley s beauty is reflected L r all off light . ight is eflected at angles the r r glancing wate , and gives the leaves an ai y and r s r ou do not t an lucent appea ance , which y get r M a t o o elsewhe e . y oo is the m nth f the haw or or r o r s r r th n , and th n t ees fl u i h pa ticula ly well T r d on . o o an the chalk hen als the bi ds c me , sedge and reed warblers make the banks ff r t r musical . Opinions will di e as o whethe M r M a ay o June is the best month . y has the r of o not or off has cha m n velty yet w n , but June of to that perfect fulfilment . And the chalk

140 FLY FISHING FOR TROUT .

o r r of r G an the featu e the valley appea s , the reat r r Sedge is in flowe . Until June the sedge fo est is composed of the tall yellow stalks of last ’ r The r oo r year s g owth . g een sh ts as they g ow

‘ lo l off r s w y push them , but they emain late in the summer and it is not till August that the new r T are g owth is complete . hen they a glaucous r r s o of green , with feathe y pu plish head , bel ved - r night flying moths . The fo est is as tall as a so ou to or o r man , and thick that y have f ce y u r way th ough it . r r to so of As Septembe uns its end , me the special features of the valley disappear . It becomes more like other landscapes ; beautiful

. ou ou still , but less individual If y like y can stay on f or the grayling fishing and watch the r r Y trees take on thei autumn colou s . ou can u F r t t o o no a o . if yo like . myself I d c re So S ou ou by eptember , if y take my advice , y will ou or quit the valley , taking with y mem ies which r r h ou . o r as will neve leave y An the yea passed , and you are lucky to have spent any of it by the ‘ r Y u n t r r o r n t . o o o rive will eg et y u idle time , ’ idly spent . CHAPTER i x .

THE EVOLUTION OF THE TROUT — THE MATERIAL S

And among the variety of your Fly-adven m r t ckl r t l turers re eme h a o he F b e e , H , y ’ su s i f rm without in s n rest u b t tute o d W a d , g , d p with the eather of a Ca on heasant art F p , P , P i c aw limin o rak t lik r d Moc Ph Pa eta or he e g , , g , , , and the B ody n othing diflering in shape fromthe Fl save onl in ruffness an d in i enc of y , y , d g y in s W g . N orthern Memoi rs ,

ich r ranck 1694. R a d F .

I a S have s id , fishermen when they cast thei r eye on flies and began to t roc on imita e them , p eeded what we can now recognise as o three distinct principles . S me r imitated fly life gene ally , and p roduced an article which was a fai r copy of an insect but could not be connected with any r ar r r r pa ticul species o genus o g oup . Such s are a flie c lled fancy flies . They have many o a o r o r red ubt ble adv cates , d awn in m de n times 2 14 FLY FISHING FOR TROUT .

r S ar chiefly f om Scotland . tew t pinned his to r o a faith his th ee fam us h ckles , his black , r r f ed . N o o o o , and dun spide d ubt each th se o i a c uld w th a little l xity , be identified with a specific insect ; but he did not set out to imitate o his r r to such , and ch se flies with an eye athe r n r T i r a d . a weathe wate h s , in fact , is the fe tu e which distinguishes this school more attention to to r of r is paid light , the clea ness the wate , t S to o . and the sky , than the insect tewart has many followers to this day . The next school use what are called general a s or flies , th t is , flie which imitate a genus a r T fl r r o not . di e o g up , but an individual hey f m the last in that they regard imitation as more important than light or water : but they o r r e1 o i i s i o c nside that p e se c py ng mp ssible , and ,

r o r . if it we e p ssible , unnecessa y The third and last is content with nothing short of an actual copy of the individual species r f r o are . O o which t ut taking these was Half d , who when he first wrote included fancy and

‘ r at ' the of his gene al flies in his list , but end long life says that his full experience convinced him that specific imitation is best in all weathers l r f o r r and a l wate s . O c u se these th ee schools r r be or or me ge into each othe . A fly can m e r or on or r of less gene al , it can be the b de land

and or of r and . fancy general , gene al individual

Take the Partridge and Orange as an example . or all r ro It is fished in the n th the yea und , and o may be called a fancy fly . But it is p ssibly

44 FLY FISHING FOR TROUT .

or no f m can be disadvantage , and that the r r r close we can get to natu e the bette . But as to what colour is to a fish and how it looks from r r o do r a r r unde the wate , I cann t bette th n efe the enquirer to two striking books recently r b r r r M arvel o M . s o p duced y F ancis Wa d , f F L im i r ish ife A n al L fe Und e Wa ter and , r r r r A which b eak g ound hithe to unexplo ed . lso there is much new and stimulating matter in . ’ r t ra Fl Fi hin M . J . C . Mo t ms y s gf With that r I shall say no mo e . The best way to realise the course of progress r m is to choose a few natu al flies which ust have been distinguished by fishermen from the beginning of time and to see how succeeding ages have copied them . I suggest that the following twelve formas good a list as any e Gr o O l o F bruary Red , ann m , live Dun , Ye l w Dun M r ro ro Stonefl , a ch B wn I n Blue , y, M a fl r G S y y, Red Spinne , Black nat , Red edge r are r and Alde . All these flies easily ecognised an The to o o d well known . en m l gist might ro s and r to p te t , deny a sepa ate entity the o s o Yell w Dun , but I h uld silence him by appeal ing to the universal though inaccurate opinion f r The r s of o angle s . ea liest li t flies is in the Treati se 1496 o in , which c ntains twelve flies ,

o ro a r as o eto o . M a c pied f m n tu e , I h p sh w scall in 1 590 a i r a o nnexed it with l ttle va i ti n , and Markham about twenty - fi ve years later copied M a so no s ro scall , but in me table way imp ved and i r r s . o o explained the d e s ngs Walt n , h weve , 1 EVOLUTION OF THE TROUT FLY . 45

r r M r a r r to M dis ega ded a kh m and eve ted ascall , ro o i or and f m Walt n the list , gett ng m e and or orr o o r s m e c upt , f und its way int numbe le s oo a 1747 B owlker did b ks , until fin lly in a public s r r o of ro e vice by ej ecting m st it , and f m that Moor S o time the ish Fly , the andy Yell w Fly , the Ruddy Fly and many others disappear from

fishing literatu re . ’ The is C o o 1676 or next list tt n s in , iginal oo r o o and g d but ve y l ng , c ntaining between and ar to sixty seventy flies , h d identify with r The a f or a natu al insects . f me o its auth c used to ra o of r it be pi ted ften , and many the d essings r su vived a long time . The third list is in Chethamin 1681 not the one o of oo r in the b dy his b k , which is me ely o ro C o o one c pied f m tt n , but the given in the A to r d o r ppendix the fi st e iti n and , in the late r r m s a Chetha o o o oo . editi n , inc p ted in the b k says that it was the ‘list of a very good angler t r and came to his hands as he was going o p ess . I of r r o r t is a list g eat inte est and m de nity , the r r r fi st to mention sta ling as a wing mate ial . T r hat concludes the seventeenth centu y . In f ar o r the eighteenth , by the m st accu ate and complete i s B owlker and from him we move straight to the nineteenth century and r i T o s . o a and heakston o m de n t me R n lds , b th r at of s r w iting the middle la t centu y , give well o s s so o r i r e r kn wn li t , and d es F anc s ten yea s lat , n A r i r a d ldam ten yea s later st ll . F om him we co to o orar r r who are me c ntemp y w ite s , 146 FLY FISHING FOR TROUT .

ro o r nume us and will be menti ned in thei place .

% T r one r r i he e is ea ly F ench l st , that in the Trai tté d e toute sorte d e C hasse et d e Péche

o of one or. It c ntains five flies , which two can possibly be identified ; but I feel a doubt whether they were copied from natural A t i r insects . the same t me the d essings are given in some detail and seem to be original r r do not o at any ate , if they are pi ated , I kn w r the sou ce .

E FEBRUARY R D .

’ ‘ T Trea ti se s o of his is the dun fly , the b dy dun f r r T a wool and the wings o the pa t idge . h t r 14 - s to . is the d essing in 96 . It is the ame day The P r r Ora r a t idge and nge , d essed with a ar r o of or i s p t idge hackle and a b dy ange silk , the imitation most commonly used between the Tweed and the Trent and kills hundreds of r r r S n t t out eve y yea . o that fly has o changed r r T re at all in four centu ies and a qua ter . he have of course been innumerable dressings r r o has e du ing the pe i d , and the fly be n given r M ar L r va ious names . kham called it the esse r oo ar r e Dun Fly , d essed with dun w l and p t idg a C o o ro r h ckle ; and tt n the Red B wn , d essed ’ with a body of red brown dog s f ur and wings t n hi r . e m of a Ch ha ot s oo light mall d , in b k but in the remarkable list of flies in the a Pr o appendix , c lls it the ime Dun , with a b dy

* Throughout this ch apter I h ave mod ern is ed th e sp ellin g

n a i ma n er an e . and u ctu t on of th e Tr eat s e b ut e o ot c p i , d h h g

1 48 FLY FISHING FOR TROUT .

The Grannom comes up in April and lasts about a fortnight : the dates of its appearance and r re r r disappea ance a clea ly marked . The T ans l of St T f C r r 7th o . o s o ati n h ma ante bu y is July , a nd I consider the Trea ti se p articularly a r in a Gr o ccu ate d tes , and I never saw a ann m ,

r ' he r f one i S o a d o so . o be ng seen , late as that r r eluctantly I ejected it . But my scepticism was considerably shaken by finding that Ronalds both uses Shell Fly as a synonym f or Grannom ’ o o the or one ro and als f und fly , like it , in t uts

‘ s tomachs in August ; and in his fifth edition says that the Grannom if dressed buzz is a good fly ll r r a the summe months into Septembe . C otton s S f or o r give the hell Fly July , but c nside s that it was taken by the trout f or the palm that drops off o o r o r r r the will w int the wate , and the w ite s , who r ro Treati se or C o o so c ibbed f m the tt n , al i i one f i g ve t . But it is o the fl es specifically o out B owlker I do not k kn cked by , and thin it r r r o eappea s till Ronalds esuscitates it . R nalds ; r r ext emely accu ate , says definitely that he found the fly in trout in August and possibly there is a fly which appears then with a green

- r T difli cult egg bunch like the G annom . his y illustrates the intolerable bu rden under which we fishermen l abour in not having a good modern ’

o o o a or oo i s not or . ent m l gy , H lf d s b k satisfact y It is the work of one who was a great fisherman but not a a ra and do not i n tu list , I th nk that A nd a o who not o o i . ny ne is c uld p ss bly succeed , r ro f r ro two apa t f m this , it suf e s f m defects it 149 EVOLUTION OF THE TROUT FLY .

has no coloured rep roductions of the natural f o too . o fly , and its sc pe is limited It is little use to ra i r r s the field natu l st , and his equi ement L r should be the obj ect to be aimed at . eona d ’ West s N a tural Trout Fly and i ts I mi ta ti on

(19 12) is in many ways excellent . It has good

i or . out plates . It s highly iginal But it leaves too f or a o not o much ; inst nce , it d es menti n

- o Gr o on well kn wn flies such as the ann m , Ir a r e Blue and Blue Winged Olive . Ron lds w ot quite a marvellous book ; but it is getting on for a r old r hundred yea s , and du ing that time

r C o . entomology has been evolutionised . ann t somebody give us the book for which we are waiting % r heth But to retu rn to the G annom . C am r r r gives the fi st undoubted efe ence . He calls it by its common name of Greentail in the list of i ro r flies in his Appendix . Its body s f m a b own ’ ear of sea- r n oo spaniel s , the tail end g ee w l , ’ an r r i r d wings f om a sta ling s qu ll feathe . B owlker dressed it with a body of f ur from the ’ art of r r o k black p ha e s face , ibbed with peac c ’ r two r of r oc s a he l , tu ns g izzled c k h ckle at the o r and s ro a fi nel o sh ulde , wing f m y m ttled ’ a r - phe sant s wing feathe . He found it no advantage to imitate the green tail of the

a i - f r . s o o o s fem le fly It a well kn wn fly , it c me up in vast numbers and i s noticeable because of so- r i of a r the called g een ta l the fem le , eally a bunch of eggs ; consequently nearly all writers f rom the seventeenth century onwards describe 1 0 5 FLY FISHING FOR TROUT .

’ e m r i h tha s oo . C s it d e s ng is g d , but is weak in the i o i wing , wh ch sh uld be finely penc lled and ’ not r B owlker s is r clea much bette , and ra 1 i r i i n t i i F n0 s g ves a d ess ng wh ch is o unl ke t . Still the dressing has varied little in the two hundred and forty years since Chetham d r Pr Yorkshi re Trout esc ibed it . itt in his Fli es (1885) gives a good modern dressing : ’ wings hackled from inside a woodcock s wing ’ ’ or partridge s neck or under a hen pheasant s wing : body lead - coloured silk with a little fur ’ ro ar o r r r i f m a h e s face and the l we pa t g een s lk . A hen partridge wing feather makes perhaps

s ro r o . the be t wing , and he n he l the best b dy T i h w a or r oa h s is o H lf d d essed the fl ting fly . S r r The hell Fly is , I think , in the ea ly F ench T e r f r list . h following is a d essing given o : o of r s to o July B dy g een ilk , inclining g lden ’ r sur l or of (ti ant ) , blue head , and wings a i - o r r l ght c lou ed feathe .

V D N OLI E U .

r ro of The duns a e difficult . F m the time C otton at any rate there have been two among many which occur in all lists the Blue Dun and o o i s the Yellow Dun . Entom l gy adm t the s of r o o of an exi tence neithe , but will nly all w The Olive Dun and of the Blue Winged Olive . O r s r o o r ro r live Dun va ie g eatly in c l u , f m ve y dark to quite pale and I assume t he Blue Dun to be an imitation of the darker and the Yellow f r o the pale flies .

2 15 FLY FISHING FOR TROUT .

’ G a o of r r reat Dun , which is b dy dun bea s hai , and wings of grey mallard taken from near the

‘ T an ro r tail . hat is imp vement on the T eati se f r r e h m but still a f om good . Ch t a takes us further ; he dressed his Blue Dun with the down of a water mouse and the blue dun of an old f ox o r on - o o r mixed t gethe spun ash c l u ed silk , ’ f r r T and wings o a sta ling s quill feathe . hat ’ on and ro old o is getting , app aching the m le s f ur of B owlker r Blue Dun my youth . d essed it with a body of yellow mohair and blue f ur of ’ f ox cook s a mixed , a blue hackle , and blue duck r r o starling wings . That d essing survives till to- i f r day , the duck wing as an alte native be r r i enti dropped . F ancis d essed it almost d a r r was r c lly . In late yea s it and still is d essed ’ o or r fur o with m le at s b dy and a snipe wing , and these are the materials given in the late ’ r T W t Fl Fi hin r M . o s e s d y g, and still late by r kue in i s M . S s M or Ta t c in c . The p rogress of this fly is of extraordinary r oo o interest . It sta ts with a black w l b dy , ’ dark mallard wings and possibly a j ay s blue a r a T r too r fe the s hackle . his d essing is da k C o o altogether in body and wing . tt n lightens t m o r oo Che ha b th , and gives a fai ly g d fly , and r ne no a still bette o . His Blue Dun has hackle r ro o of fox fur o it is t ue , but its ugh b dy c uld out f or easily be picked , and except this it is r r one or almost as it nowexists . But the e we e two ro h imp vements , the snipe wing , whic I think is better than the starling for the sunk 3 EVOLUTION OF THE TROUT FLY . 15

’ S f and o f ur od . o o fly , m le s b y we get the fly

- to d ay. The dressing of Olive Duns as floating flies i ff r The f ur so too s di e ent . body ab rbs much water and the beautiful quill body we now use The a has taken its place . h ckle is usually a ’ o one o o is dyed live , th ugh I d ubt if it any imp rovement on the old undyed dun hackle ; r ar het m C ha and the wing is inva iably st ling , as r r discove ed two hundred and fo ty years ago .

N YELLOW D U .

‘ C ut of Trea tise Dun Cut The Dun the the , the body of black wool and a yellow list after r i of o on eithe s de , the wings the buzzard b und k i ’ bar . e . with yd ( . dyed) hemp The curious name of Dun Cut lasted till last r centu y as a synonym for the Yellow Dun . It o o Sir r is c mm n in the eighteenth , and Humph y s r 1849 o Davy u es it still late , and even in J hn Beever gives it in Practi cal Fly i i F h . or s ng I know nothing of its igin . C r o s o not i M c u i u ly en ugh it is g ven by as all , who o ro called it the Sad Yell w Fly , and f m him ot o a o who r ro the name g int W lt n , pi ated f m M and ro a o o r ascall , f m W lt n int the numbe less ri r who r o w te s pi ated fr m him , till finally Bowlker knocked it out of fishing books in the f r middle o the eighteenth centu y . By then it r t o was co rupted o Sandy Yellow Fly . But th ugh or o has the Sad Sandy Yell w Fly disappeared , the fly as the Yellow Dun or Dun C ut has had a 54 FLY FISHING FOR TROUT .

o o . C o o Cut vig r us life tt n knew it as the Dun , ’ made of dun bear s hai r mixed with some blue ’ o r heth and yell w and a la ge dun wing . C ams o invaluable appendix calls it the Yell w Dun , as ro a o o r of and he usual p duces m st m de n fly , ’ o ar s fur on o yell w m ten dubbed yell w silk , and r i B owlker not a sta l ng wing . did distinguish r 1 8 it f om the Blue Dun . Best ( 7 7) gives both o C ut o a ff r Yell w Dun and Dun , s mewh t di e ent r rs a o i d essings , the fi t lm st identical w th eth m T it o o to Ch a . hus c mes d wn the nine teenth r o ri s centu y , when R nalds finally g it up , as it is to- day body either yellow mohai r mixed i a o fur or o r w th p le blue m use , yell w th ead well to o i o waxed give it an l ve tint , light yell w dun r The o of hackle and light sta ling wing . b dy a r ar r w xed th ead is best , but it must be a p ticula r r golden olive colou . I have killed numbe less ro and are t ut with it , when they taking it they r will look at no othe imitation . For the hackle fly nothing beats the Dotterel i e and Yellow . Aldam g ves the b st dressing and Pritt gives n early the same : body yellow r o a r ro g een fl ss , hackled with feathe f m the ’ o of o r . utside a d tte el s wing It is , in my r r all- ro a expe ience , a bette und fly th n the n it winged pattern given above . But o s day the winged dressing beats it . T s a hi fly has ch nged less than the Blue Dun , r r A a oo o becau se it sta ted bette . bl ck w l b dy o s o r with a yell w li t d wn eithe side , light mottled buzzard wings and a head of black

156 F FLY ISHING FOR TROUT .

r a r r p esumably the quill fe the . F om then o r has ra e o s f or nwa ds it had innume bl cl thing , to o r r it is mighty difficult c py , but it is ema k o r e r able that R nalds , w iting n a ly a century r B owlker s o to s afte , give what am unts the ame

r o o . not d essing , and many f ll wed him It is to oo o r for easy ch se the best m de n dressing , r are so r o the e many , that eve y ne has his o r one B rook and fav u ite , but I will take the in Ri ver Troutin of o Lee a oo g, Edm nds and , g d o r ‘ oo : ro of m de n b k wings , f m tail feather a ’ r o o r part idge , b dy range silk dubbed with ha e s ear ur o f and ribbed with yell w silk ; hackle , the r r greyish feathe from a pa tridge back . ’ r r m r f r I Chetha s a o athe like p tte n , black ’ oo ro to sheep s w l is b wn when held up the light , and if spun on red silk might give the reddish r r t b own of the body which is so ha d o copy . r r r o The And then a pa t idge quill feathe is go d . r to o pe fect fly is still c me , but meantime it is worth n oticing howlittle it has changed in what r r is nea ly two centu ies and a half .

IRON BLUE .

heth m rs to o o C a is the fi t menti n this als , and ‘ he made it of the Down of a Mouse f or body and dubt A sh- o o r S head , with sad c l u ed ilk , wings ’ of the sad coloured feather of a Shepstare quill . L r He calls it the ittle Blue Dun , but it is clea ly ro B f or o a the I n lue , th ugh he gives it as September fly and it makes its first appearance r r o a and on much ea lie , it lasts right int utumn V THE FLY 1 E OLUTION OF TROUT . 57

some rivers is a typical autumn fly . I have seen it come d own in fleets when fishing the Eden for B wlker a o O o r . o s lm n in ct be knew it well , and r o gives an excellent desc ipti n , and is the first w to so r r en riter say what is t ue , that it is pa ti r B lk r larl u on o o . ow e y ab ndant c ld , st my days ‘ ’ winged it with a Cormorant s feather that lyes under the Wing in the same form as those of a ’ o o to The Go se . I sh uld like see that feather ’ o of o fur or of b dy he made m le s , still better ’ a r r r o : two w te at s , ibbed with yell w silk and r r r f r The o th ee tu ns o a g izzled hackle. best dress ing to- day for a sunk fly is water hen either for the winged or still better for the hackled o of r or fly , with a b dy silk , eithe all purple r o f purple and orange . O it may be c mposed o r a da k snipe hackle with a purple silk body .

o r r o s oo . F u va iati n , all g d , are given in Pritt ’ For the dry fly nothing beats tomtit s tail for s for o ou r wings , whil t b dy y can have eithe ’ f ur r u r I a mole s o q ill dyed pu ple . lways fancy ’ ' o f 11r o m le s kills best . The hackle sh uld be T o . h ney dun his p attern , by the way , with ’ o fu r on m le s claret silk , is given by that fine

r S - r judge M . kuas as the best unde water r oul r patte n , but I sh d feel happie with a Water P r Hen and u ple . S s uch is the fly as it is , and uch was it at the end Of the seventeenth century how did it get ro one to o r % s r for f m the the It ta ts well , a dark dull starling wing is good and so is a ’ u r r mouse f r body . In fact eithe mouse o mole s 158 FLY FISHING F OR TROUT

r - The t r f u prevails to day . wo imp ovements which h ave been made on Chethamare the f t m ’ f r o o o o substituti n tit s tail wing , which r r o o r gives just the ight pu plish c l u , and the dun hackle I am uncertain who first pitched t m ’ il 1 8 1 H al on o tit s ta . Wade in 6 in cyon calls it the Little Blue Bloa and gives blue or ’ s i and o black cap w ng , I, supp se the blue cap is t m o the blue tit , and the black cap may be the s hi r tit . Ronald in s fi st edition gives ’ ’ B owlker s or or r c m ant s feathe , but as this is hard to get the tips of two feathers from a ’ water hen s breast may be substituted ; but in his fifth edition in 1 856 he gives as well the upper end of the wing feather of a tomtit when ’ r i t in full plumage . F ancis ment ons omtit s tail 1 867 o r to in , th ugh he att ibutes it Wade , S fl which seems a mistake . o we must take o our hat to the shade of that mighty fisher

himself .

STONEFLY .

Thi s fly has changed neither in name nor in r I t ' s . d es ing is quite unmistakeable , a fat ; s o r r a stupid , clum y cl wn , bette at unning th n ’ T re ti s The o flying . he T a e is as follows st ne o of oo o r fly , the b dy black w l and yell w unde the i and r of w ng unde the tail , and the wings the drake M arkham as usual makes the dressing more definite the yellow under wings and tail is to be made with yellow silk and the wings ’ are of ra o not a . a d ke s d wn , the quill fe ther

160 FLY FISHING FOR TROUT .

’ rs fl s ara many wate the date Of the y appe nce . N ow s two r i are oo , if the e d ess ngs l ked at , re t bad T o r they a no . hey stand c mpa ison with r F r i o of . o th se admitted maste s nstance , o a a of R n lds m de the wings light mallard , stained either Olive or purple ; and before and a r ro C o o fte him , f m tt n in the seventeenth r to r centu y F ancis in the nineteenth , the o o r r c mm n wing feathe is light malla d , usually or o o s dyed pale green yell w , but s metime ' wid eon is o and undyed . U ndyed g als used it is worth noting that Markham used light The r r widgeon set back to back . da k b own l r o o ma la d was less c mm n , but was used by O who r gden , prefer ed undyed feathers , and plenty of flies with undyed mallard wings both light and dark are to be seen in the shop r d windows as I w ite . An note too that mone fly i n the Trea tise the mallard wings are to be to on o . SO tied back back , as they are t day r o o the e is n thing wr ng with the wings . As to o of or b dy , it was made either dusky tan o o oo too r not c l ured w l This is da k , but r ne of m ie so fo o a fl s greatly , the very best y that I know has the body of dark copper- coloured

silk . So much for the identification ; and while it o not r r o to ro d es each ce tainty , it am unts st ng r s o o p obability . It is unlikely that o c nspicu us and widespread an insect as the mayfly is not is o one o r in the l t ; and , if it is , there is nly the T fly which it could possibly be . hat is a fly 161 EVOLUTION OF THE TROUT FLY .

for M a o given y and called the Yell w Fly , with ’ a od of o oo red cook s b y yell w w l , a hackle , and wings of the drake stained yellow ; but that is so clearly and unmistakeably the Little Yellow r S on M ay Dun that it ca n be ej ected . O the i i o t r whole I believe the dent ficati n o be ight . M ascall misread Maure and made it into More or M oorish and as the M oorish Fly the fly got i o M r o and ro o nt a kham and Walt n , f m Walt n into those who stole from him and Tandy or Tan- coloured similarly got corrupted into T o r s hl o awny . B th names we e lavis y c pied o oo B owlker o int fishing b ks , until kn cked them t r i i of ou . Whethe the ident ficat on the ’ Trea ti se s s or not no flie be accepted , there is doubt that Barker knew the M ayfly. He made ‘ ’ is with a shammy body ribbe d with black hai r ’ or with black sandy hog s wool ribbed with i r k a . Co o black sil , and w nged with mall d tt n r also knew and desc ibed it . He called it the Green and Grey Drake and gives a long and a f r re good ccount o the natu al insect . He d ssed the Green D rake with a light mallard wing o Gr r dyed yell w , and the ey D ake with undyed r ar r r r g ey mall d , the da kest g ey feathe . A whole book could be written on the r of a fl d essings the M y y alone . Until the middle of last century a mallard wing was almost universal ; but it has now been largely replaced by wood or summer duck or Egyptian r goose . Many othe materials have been used al o ra G o i te , R uen d ke , uinea f wl , Andalus an 162 FLY FISHING FOR TROUT .

’ o r c ck hackles , silve pheasant s tail and many or : f or o oo of all or m e and b dy , w ls s ts and o o r r c l u s , quill , silk , tinsel , gut , st aw india r r o r or o r ubbe , g ld beate s skin , c k , g at s hai , grass,and numberless more .

E R D SPINNER .

‘ of M a oo o In the beginning y a g d fly , the b dy i o t rodd d . e . oo y ( ruddy) w l , and lapped ab u with black silk : the wings of the drake and ’ r T of the ed capons hackle . hus was the fly r he r of o e s fished du ing t Wa s the R s s , and thu in all essentials was it fished during the Great ‘

War . o r red ro r B dy , da k b wn silk , inged with o thread le s red r ' fine g ld ; , g , a hackle ; tail , th ee of : r ro wisps the same wings , a da k shiny b wn r or r a r r feathe , the m e b illi nt and t anspa ent the ’ T . r not o r better his , it is t ue , is quite m de n , f or it is the dressing given by Franci s fifty r a o r a to yea s g , but it p ev ils this day , as can be seen by walking into any tackle shop . Is it not amazing that the fly should be unchanged during nearly five hundred years % It is a much more remarkable case than the Stonefly or M ayfly : that great bl atant creatu re the Stone

fl or on our o i y, f cing himself n tice like an o r ro or o ve g wn puppy , that l vely and delicate

' M a fl r her s i to lady the y y, t imming lateen a ls

. are too o to o r the June breezes , n table be ve oo too r r f or r l ked , and clea ly patte ned dive sity of copy ; but a slight indefinite insect like the

1 6 4 FLY FISHING FOR TROUT .

’ a f o r c k nd o c u se a red oo s hackle . This fly o o of dr I forms the f undati n y fly fishing . t is perhaps used less universally than it was t a a o i r wenty ye rs g , but it rema ns the standa d r So r r summe fly . me fishe men use ha dly any ’ t s : it one of Lor G o r hing el e is d rey s f u flies , and is indeed included in every list : and it is

' the fly we should all of us put on when starting to o r The of o fish unkn wn wate . number tr ut that fall to it each year must be immense . The natural fly is of course the imago of the Olive D un r r i r . The Red Spinne is ce ta nly in the fi st French list : Dans le mois de M ay ils en font o o une , c uverte aussi de s ye , mais elle est de ’ c o ro et v des fi lets r s l or uleur uge , a ec ti an sur la e est o r et on o t te en n i e , y j int les plumes ' ’ ‘ rou o . to red ges d un chap n That is say , a silk o r o r b dy ibbed with g ld , which is p ecisely ’ f r r o : o o . F ancis s b dy and c u se , the red hackle

A A BL CK GN T .

C otton evidently knew it well . He made the body of the down of a black water dog o r of a o oo of s r y ung c t , and wings the white t malla d o o i btainable , the b dy be ng made as small as

possible and the wings as short as the body . Two r ar r of d r hund ed ye s late , in spite the y fly % r o o n r or ev luti n and in ume able changes , Half d m not r f r : o ade it ve y dif e ently black quill b dy , cock starling hackle and p alest starling wings . The fly has three characteristics ; a small bo r r dy , t anspa ent wings , and , in the male , 16 EVOLUTION OF THE TROUT FLY . 5

All a r particularly short ones . these H lfo d allows for he uses a thin quill from a chaffi nch f or o f or s r tail b dy , and wing the palest sta ling And o too s or o a . bt inable he n tes , , the h t wings T r r r s i s are of the male . hese th ee cha acte i t c the fly : and every one of these three C otton obse rved and copied . After this it is hardly necessary to trace t he The o o s r o r o . fly d wn c mm ne t d essing , h weve , not os r r o I think the best , is black t ich he l b dy , r o or of r or ore and eithe s me s t clea wing , m

a r or . usually wingless , with da k black hackle SO B owlker dressed it and so did Francis and r N r r r r r a many othe s . ea ly eve y w ite ag ees th t u i it is a diffi cult fly to copy . It is a most nsat s factory fly to fish with .

THE En E RED S c .

U o or do not nlike all that have g ne bef e , I think the Sedges were differentiated until quite f r f or . odd o so o late in hist y Which is , me f or a are o them , the Red Sedge inst nce , m st Theak t of noticeable . s on at the middle the e r oo o of ou last c ntu y gives a g d acc unt it , th gh in his ti resome phraseology he calls it the Red i r . ro owl Dun He w nged it with land ail , b wn , or red o o r s dun hen ; b dy , c ppe ilk ; and hackle ,

red . o ds r s o h dun hen R nal disrega d it , th ug r f he gives a pictu e o the C innamon Sedge . r r it i a o no r s . On H lf d ejected , and gives d es ng o r a r o of the the h nd F ancis th ught well it , and r it a o r n d essed with d uble wing , sta li g under 166 FLY FISHING FOR TROUT .

r The and land ail above . fly is used by some d r rs no r f or y fly fishe , but is by means unive sal , r r for u r r of o r many p efe , the magic q a te an h u r ro S r when g eat t ut take the edge , eithe a C o l r r i achman , a ge Red Quill , la ge W ckham , ’ or Hare s E ar or Silver Sedge ; and I am of that r The r S r numbe . la ge Red edge as d essed to- da o of k or oo y has a white b dy sil w l , a r i ff run o edd sh bu hackle all the way d wn , ri r r o r bbed the eve se way with g ld wi e , and full

f r - For o wings o land ail . the sunk fly n thing o r o r beats a c ppe silk b dy , with land ail hackle r r f r at the head only . It is a g eat summe fly o r r e r For d a o s . y evening fishing , d ess d ve y mall o r r night fishing it bec mes the Busta d , d essed l ro ow w . immense , with a b wn ing

THE A D L ER .

The alder may or may not be mentioned in r tis T s r s of o the T ea e . hi is the d es ing the nly ‘ e for The r o fly giv n August D ake Fly , the b dy of black wool and lapped about with black silk ; wings of the mail Of the black drake with a ’ M r o black head . a kham called it the Cl udy ar a w or o o r D k Fly , and m de it ith a c k b dy c ve ed ’ with black wool clipped from between a sheep s ar r : e s , ibbed with black silk head black

r of r . wings , the unde mail the malla d rs of all r a o on construc Fi t , the e is p int the f r ti s r tion o the T ea e d essing . What is the ‘ meaning of mail of the black drake with a ’ black head It may mean one of two things

168 FLY FISHING FOR TROUT .

’ of o r ea o r a or r a c ppe y p c ck s he l , bl ck usty bl ck ar oo o or a a hackle , and d k w dc ck hen phe s nt tail we s r wings . But I believe hould do bette to go ’ M ar a o and r to M . . C . back kh m s b dy , indeed E a r who 1908 oo of i W lke , published in a b k h gh r i a a O ig nality and value , which is speci l study Of dressing flat- winged and penthouse - winged s as r a o of r flie such the Alde , m de the b dy ve y r ro i ot r os s n a . da k b wn fl s silk , which dissimil The A lder may possibly be described in the earliest French list : it is made of the longest a r of a o a o and fe the s peac ck , he d yell w , winged ’ a r a with pheasant s quill feathe . If that me ns ’ o of o r I a b dy peac ck s he l , and think it must , a r it is good d essing . So even if we cannot date the Alder from ’ r r o can at Hen y VII . s eign (th ugh I think we )

an ra ro s I . a y te he dates f m Jame , and has r respectable pedigree of three hundred yea s . He has changed little during those three r s : so not or e centu ie little , that it is w th whil or r so are the rec ding the d essings , minute r i T a a to a o . o o va i t ns his c nspicu us nim l , easy r o a to a s e ec gnise and e sy imit te , is u ually s en by fishermen either in the ai r or crawling up a r : r on a r s g ass stem it is neve the w te , unle s o r on r bl wn the e a windy day , and the e it lies , ar f or kicking but helpless , an easy m k the trout . That finishes the description of twelve repre ent tive i o on are to s a fl es . What c nclusi s be drawn % How many of these twelve flies have V E OLUTION OF THE TROUT FLY . 169

a continuous history and from what date % It is f or the reader to decide : I have given the vi rie to do e dence . I have t d this without i r rs a i or o r a it e the unde t t ng the case , ve st ting as rror r i of o r o the l t e , the ead ng m de n facts int old is an i i io o o language , ns d us , a c mm n and a n r orr one a d a o . c upting , I t ust I have v ided it Tr to o a to ying h ld the b lance level , it seems me a of i s are e r e th t the twelve fl e , five d sc ib d in the Trea ti se beyond any reasonable doubt : the r ar O i D un o S o Feb u y Red , l ve , Yell w Dun , t ne S i r two or fly and Red p nne m e , making seven , M a fl A r are o r the y y and the lde , alm st ce tainly ; one or a i i Gr nn o and m e , m k ng e ght , the a m , is r f r r o . O o p bably included the emaining f u , one G ro C o o , the Black nat , dates f m tt n in 1676 two M r ro ro ro , a ch B wn and I n Blue , f m hetham 1 81 an r C in 6 d one o , , the Red Sedge , f m n r T r r f the nineteenth ce tu y . he efo e o these r i e i i r ro twelve epresentat v fl es , e ght we e p bably observed and copied by the author of the Trea ti se o r a was , wh eve th t , in the fifteenth r r or i i n centu y , th ee ig nated the seventeenth, onl one in c and y the nineteenth . I an imagine no better illustration of the antiqui ty of fly f ’ o o . fishing , and its c ntinuity CHAPTER X .

THE EVOLUTION OF THE TROUT FLY

(C ontinued) .

- S T T N II TH O IO . . E C N RUC

N ow for the shape s an d proportion s of these i i ims ib t esc ri t wi u fli s t s o s e o d be hem th t e o , p l

’ ain tin therefore ou shall take of the se s everal p g , y n m r flie s a ive an d la i the be fo e ou tr how l , y g y , y n eere your Art can c ome un to N ature by an l s an d mixtur of c olours e u al ha e e . q p ,

A Di sc ou rse o the Gen era A r t o Fi shi n f ll f g , rva s arkh m M a e e . 1614 G .

THERTO he r a I t oad has been e sy . It has not been diffi cult to show a r m r th t f o the mate ials used even in earliest times flies as good as those we use to- day o n i c uld be co structed . It s t ro r n r r o . A d much ha de p ve that they we e , r Y n o o o . ou a o with ut that , n thing is p ved c n t judge the excellence of a painter from his o o r and a s a o and r oes c l u s c nva l ne , fine ma ble d

172 FLY FISHING FOR TROUT .

o of for o to give us s mething value , in additi n r r the mate ials discussed in the last chapte , it a of oo r has plate h ks showing thei sizes . I think the plate can be accepted as accurate o in Treati se are r r oo th se the eithe ve y g d , like one of oo f or oo or the excellent t ls h k making , r bad i of rod e ve y , l ke that the and I beli ve this i one f The r s o the good ones . g eat thing it ro s r r r p ve is that hooks we e not la ge . They va y ro 2 or 3 to 15 on o r or f m the m de n scale , and m e o r r r T ve a e notably sho t in the shank . hat r T f ar a gues a small fly . hat is as as we can go . But it can be added that the fact that flies were Co ro r ra pied f m natu e , and the gene l excellence ro Of the materials , make it p bable that the r r const uction of the t out fly did not lag behind . r r Ma kham in 1614 went a little furthe . He o r s s ro cann t, he says , desc ibe the hape and p portions of flies without painting : therefore ou are to a o r y t ke live flies , and c py thei shape r u and colou as closely as yo can . That again oo l- f or o l ks like wel made flies , b th shape and T 1620 in o o r are to o . c l u be c pied hen in , ’ L o o to S ecrets o A n lin aws n s n tes the f g g, occurs the fi rst picture of an artificial but that n r o so does ot help . It esembles n thing much as a a housefly on a hook . I cannot believe th t that

admi rable angler used anything so inartistic . So we really know very little till we reach ar r r to how to ro B ke , the fi st describe tie a t ut Cut Off o r r and fly . y u wing mate ial , he says , a r on to of oo o i tie the fe the the p the h k , p int ng V 1 E OLUTION OF THE TROUT FLY . 73 away from the bend : strip one side of your hackle and tie it and the body and ribbing a r at : o r o run m te ial in the bend make y u b dy , on your tinsel and make fast under the wings r r a o r tu n you hackle and make f st . Divide y u a o two i wing with pin int , wh p between with a r of o r r s figu e eight , then with y u thumb p es the wings over towards the bend of the hook and take two or three turns of silk to keep them in place . T ar r o a his , the e liest desc ipti n , m kes what we now call a reverse winged fly : the wings are originally tied on pointing the opposite to one a o are way the they will finally d pt , and got into position by being pressed back and the butt of the feather lashed down with two or

r r of . e who r s th ee tu ns silk Venabl s , d es ed his i o s fl es in the same way , gives reas n why he did t so . no a o of If he did , he s ys , the acti n the stream would fold the wing feathers round the of oo r s are o bend the h k , if the fib e s ft , as they o l A u . o o so sh d be ls I think , th ugh he is me a o r o wh t bscu e , he believed that this meth d i oo o made the fly sw m with the h k p int well up , and not n o rds : r or ha g tail d wnwa and the ef e , t o of s r a r he says , the ac i n the t eam will c r y the wings into the position of an insect when

flying . ’ Venables directions are much more detailed

’ ‘ ar r than B ke s . He te lls how to mak e j ointed bodies and bodies with different colours arranged lengthways : how to dress a hackle FLY FISHING FOR TROUT .

fly : how to put on tails or horns and how to r r make a he l body . Imitate the unde part of a r for of o r the n tu al fly , that is the part y u ar i i i ro ou o t fic al wh ch t ut see if y c py the back , ‘ ’ r r r you will have a too O ient colou . Wet you o a r or a the for b dy m te ial bef e m tching fly , t r r The r re wa e alte s its tint . di ections a a and oo and r o on det iled g d , the imp essi n left i ne f r the m nd is o o skilled fly d essing . ’ C o o r io s a rs r are tt n s di ect n , few yea late , r not very different . He too sta ted by tying on Yo rr i r r . u o not the w ngs , eve se way sh uld ca y o o oo as ou the b dy bey nd the bend Of the h k , y

do I n Lo o sa s he to . nd n , y slyly his pupil In Lo o r i o nd n , answe s the pup l , we make the b dy i r ou do o o r o to b gge than y and als l nge , alm st r C o o r r : . o ou do o the ba b I kn w y , tt n et ts an honest gentleman who came with my father o to Walt n gave me a fly like that , which , tell r r o r wiIidow to the t uth , I hung in my pa l u S r a is laugh at . o he e gain evidence that ’ C otton s flies at any rate were slender and short An r t r in the body . d he e oo is p oof that o r s r r or r e s uthe n flie we e fatte than n the n , as th y are to this day . r r and C o o Ba ke , Venables , tt n between them i r o o . r are t give a fai ly c mplete c de Thei flies , is r of two o r a or t ue , types nly , eithe h ckled ,

r r on to of n . with eve se wings , set the p the sha k The feather too was a s ingle strip tied on first and for not i r then divided , they did make the are now ro two wings as they made , f m slips

FLY FISHING FOR TROUT .

Thus down to B owlker in the middle of the eighteenth century wings were composed of a i s r on . single t ip , tied in a bunch and div ded o o ro a This devel ped int the lled wing , m de

o s r and r od . fam u by Stewa t , in gene al use t ay a ro i r The m terial is cut f m a s ngle feathe , folded into several folds with the lightest o o r o s on c l u ed side ut ide , tied in a bunch at the top of the hook and separated intotwo by tying r Skue o r of . M . s silk in a figure eight , p nde ing on M i nor Tacti cs and casting his eyes round f or f f r r m re o o a a the best d ssing sunk flies ch lk st e s , a unhesit tingly pitches upon this . L flat- i on one si r eaving winged fl es de , the e are therefore two ways of constructing wings t f n T and wo ways o tying them o . hey can be co ru e of on r nst ct d a single piece , put eithe single or rolled ; or they can be made of two n er r slips . They can be tied o eith the natu al wa or r The r r was y reve sed . ea liest fo m the

r on r r . single st ip , tied eve sed C otton apparently did not hackle his winged as o r of i flies , but , his b dies we e always dubb ng , r r this could be picked out . Barke ecommends one s r r o or hackles , with side t ipped , eithe c ck ’ a o or o r s to a c p n , pl ve p which is best . Ven bles or r All a o ff . used a hackle n ne , indi e ently m de r o of fur or oo e thei b dies w ls , and sinc the b rightly- dyed wools which we use were not o to r r o o btainable , they had get a a e c llecti n , ’ ’ ’ ’ b a r r o o not . e s , heife s , d g s , f x s , and what 177 EVOLUTION OF THE TROUT FLY .

i r The body Of floss silk did not come in t ll late . The a o a o r r det ched b dy , such fav u ite with ea ly dr r now r r se r y fly fishe s , but a ely en , is fi st described and figu red by Blacker . Du ring the second h alf of last century fly

f r d . re lo tying dif e entiate It was alised , s wly at

fi rs un o atterns o l not do f or t , that s k p w u d o r o o t o r r fl ate s , and still m re sl wly hat fl ate s we e Wh r r t o little use sunk . o fi st d essed a fly o fl at i s r a o O of C m unce t in , but b th gden heltenha an r o er of s o r r d Mess s . F st A hb u ne we e selling if t r r The r them in the fifties no ea lie . fi st ’ r io are Fl in 1 di ect ns in Ogden s y Ty g in 879 . ’ Seven years later Halford s Floa ti ng Fli es a out f ar of c me , in advance anything seen or r r r bef e it was and emains the standa d wo k . Since then many admi rable books have a r an d dr cia appe ed , the y fly has been spe lised or or i s t m e and m e , unt l we get the exqui i e

r o - t to d a . S s o oo c eati ns we use y peciali ati n , , has not only p roduced flies differing from sunk a r has o r r diflerent p tte ns it g ne fu the , and the sexes and states of the natural insect are al so n f copied . I stead o being content with the old and S r o r fi sher Blue Dun Red pinne , the m de n mn a s O i N his O i mu t have his l ve ymphs , l ve s and his Dun male female , Red Quills and his S n O s of r pe t live eithe sex . And I am bound to sa a r a use f or of N r y th t the e is all them . o h s r t ave unk patte ns been neglec ed . Much has o and it to r kue o M . S s been d ne , is be h ped that , who knows more about underwater happenings 178 FLY FISHING FOR TROUT

o of one r s than m st us , will day give us the e ult f ri o his expe ence . ‘ So for r no f r ur much fly d essing; w o pict es . ’ The ar La o s o to S ecrets o e liest , in ws n n tes the f A n lin 1620 o f or r a g g ( ) t ells n thing , it is clea ly s o ra ion o o who t ck illust t , made by s me ne knew r r less than nothing of fishing . No a e the next ’ i r o on ro s . any bette , th se Venables f nt piece If are to o r we g by them , his flies we e clumsy and i o r wingless , w th fat b dies and spa se hackle ; but I hardly think that much reliance can be placed on them . I n fact there are no illustrations of any f r value until the end o the eighteenth centu y . A t that date there is a pl ate in Sir John ’ Hawkins edition of the C omplea t A ngler (it is in his fourth edition of 1784 and no doubt also in his first of 1760) and there is one not unlike ’ o ro it C onci se it , c pied f m I suspect , in Best s re i S r r o T a t se of 1787. ome contempo a y ed iti ns of B owlker so o al have the same flies , all p ssibly r r are r f om the same sou ce . Six flies figu ed in f or two o r Best , example , hackled and f u W r in ro Gr r inged , va ying size f m the een D ake T are r to . the Ant Fly hey la ge and clumsy , not o r- or o r— ro but ve winged ve hackled , and p

t . I bably we must take them as ypical think , o r a C o on o a o r h weve , th t tt w uld h ve had an the laugh at their portly bodies . The first artistic picture of artifi cials is in 2 o f B lker r t 18 6 . An editi n o ow appea ed in tha year with an admi rable coloured plate of thirty

180 FLY FISHING FOR TROUT .

a ra T r r not e so n tu list ; ave ne , if he had be n r st angely neglected , might have filled the same f r r r T r r office o an ea lie age . John ave ne was Surveyor of the Royal Woods on the South of r r f r the Rive T ent o King James 1 . He pub lished 1600 oo or r r in a b k , iginal and a e , called C er taine ewperiments concerning fi sh and rui te is of o r o f ar f . It full bse vati n in advance of a o r t r his time if W lt n had ead it , hat g eat man would have avoided certain fantastic theories concerning the generation of pike and r r r a in eels . Pe haps the most ema k ble thing the book is an accurate description of the i r io of has m g at n the eel , which puzzled r in natu ali sts to this d ay. Indeed it is only this year 1920 that the actual breeding place has s o r f ar Off s been di c ve ed , in the We t i r o of r . Atlantic , s uth the Be mudas H the , in of ro ro the depths the sea , eels f m all Eu pe r a r to re r ep i b ed , and when they have b ed they die : r s ri o r and hence eve y p ng c me the elve s , c rossing an ocean they have never traversed and bound for lands they have never seen ; so or of o until , guided by me f ce which we kn w o r o r r r n thing , they epe ple the ive s , the st eams , even the very ponds from which their parents r in r i or are departed . Few sto ies natu al h st y so r o r are so o a ent ancing , few c nt asts p ign nt , as that Of the eel ; which in its infancy crosses three thousand miles of ocean and forces its way up rivers and streams and ditches in order that it may spend its life in the agreeable mud 181 EVOLUTION OF THE TROUT FLY .

of so o in n in r or me p nd E gland , F ance , in

a - r a o It ly , shaded by elm t ees , h unted by sl w o i : a r i r m v ng cattle and , fte liv ng the e , and o in c a r r gr wing fat pea eful e se , etu ns by the or roa i ra ul its st my d wh ch it t velled , and f fils lo a rn to r ro o to . ng l st j u ey , ep duce and die ‘ Ta r r did not o is ve ne kn w all th , but he knew o r not f or much which the s did , he says that o r in r or r eels und ubtedly b eed b ackish sea wate , i r r wh ch no one else knew till centu ies late . o too not He knew much ab ut flies , ; he did r r ro or cor believe that they we e b ed f m mud , r r m- r o o a o o r of a r upti n , y dew , any the the f i y stories then p revalent ; f or this is what he says ‘ 1 have seene a young flie swimme in the water too f ro and in o to r and , the end c me the uppe r s of r s to flie o c u t the wate , and as ay up h wbeit not in erfi tl r or fled e a or be g p y ipe g , h th twice thrice fallen downe againe into the water : howbeit in the end receiving perfection by the a of and a r be te the sunne , the pleas nt fat wate , hath in the ende within some halfe houre a fter a n her and i awaie o t ke flight , fl ed quite int the

ayre . A nd of such young flies before they are % to flie awaie fee e do d e . able , fish exc edingly Taverner was probably more read by his o or ri s a a r who so c ntemp a e th n by l te ages , have r e im l h . S H art ib st angely neglect d amuel , in his

- — well known Legacy of Husband ry (1655 the

wa r rre wh I t s M . T u ll o I think firs t c alled atte n tion to T a erne r in An c ren t An lin Author s an ow I amin v , g g ; yh d e e hi mt a t o or n f B i l h Pi ca b d t it d or much else . b iot eca s or i a m t ent ons a ern r e b u es f m . T t no e a o hi s i ortan ce i v , giv id p 2 1 8 FLY FISHIN G FOR TROUT .

t r i ion o one a se n o hi d ed t , the nly I h ve e ) qu tes himas an equal authority on fi shpond s with D ubravius i r ro a r r of a , h gh p aise f m w ite th t A n w a rtli d a . d a H b o te , by the y, , th ugh he Ta r r ha d r ar of M a r knew ve ne , neve he d kham or Barker (he could hardly have heard of o for a s a r i s no oo Walt n) , he l ment th t the e g d r i i t eati se on angling n Engl sh . Though Taverner does not actually describe the splitting open of the ephemera nymph and r f r o s o o . the bi th the ubimag , he c mes nea it Co o an o r r oo tt n , acute bse ve , knew a g d deal , but T r r s c he knew less than ave ne . He tell us mu h a o Stonefl and M a fl o b ut the y y y, th ugh he is r ir r r f r im o o o a w ng ab ut the unde wate life , he g i r od ned they came f om caddises . It is d that he ot i r r should n have ident fied the C eepe . Still C o o o r or to T r r r tt n , th ugh infe i ave ne , was a fai field naturalist and knew the dates of appear f r ro C o o ance of the dif e ent flies . F m tt n know l r r f r edge gradually p og esses . It was o cou se handicapped by the absence of good scientific r s o Thea ter o I nsects wo ks . I upp se the f by ’ T a ff To el Dr . o Mo s s h m s ett , published with p Hi stor o F ourfooted B easts 1658 a r y f , , is a f i rr I t r o of o o o . s a o type cu ent ent m l gy uth , wh se o Muflet or Mouf et was name is als spelt , a c ra o or o r r eleb ted d ct , and an acute bse ve Of s s of and of in ect ; but in spite this , in spite oo ra o one of a quite g d illust ti ns , which I t ke m r ot to a fl oo o n be a y y, the b k w uld assu edly be much help to the eager and perplexed fi sher

184 FLY FISHING FOR TROUT .

Hi o i s the best . s bo k went through four io s of a out a r two edit n , which the l st came fte ’ i o of o a had ed ti ns R n lds been published . It o ai s of a r a r c nt ns five plate n tu al flies , f i ly well n o o r was o ar draw , and c l u ed ; it a p pul and reliable handbook ; and it would have had a longer life had it not met a work of genius in i ona s . s o oo at R ld It well w rth l king , even tod ay . ’ rr r T C a oll s book is a cu iosity . hough pub lished r i r o n rior : afte Ba nb idge , it is m st i fe it contains the portentous number of one hundred and - o r o ninety f u flies , n ne with scientific s r o r o o name , ve y few with p pula nes , and m st i ri io s ro with quite nadequate desc pt n , ughly r r r d awn and as oughly colou ed by hand . I suppose most collectors have a copy in their rar t lib y but that no many look at it twice . o ou do a I will nly say this , that if y t ke the trouble to wade through the crudities of the ra as a to do is os d wings , I h ve had , it just p sible i The r are ot to identify the fl es . pictu es n quite r rr so wild as they seem . Pe haps C a oll was the A t r the victim of his illustrator . any ate book was r it r r ri nor a failu e ; was neve ep nted , is it i t l kely o be . o s i s r or o R nald enti ely iginal , and wes r r r - r rr nothing to Scotche o Bainb idge o Ca oll .

' l r His book is both scientific and pOpu a . He ' took trouble to identify his insects and give r L not or them thei atin names ( always c rectly , r of o r or to it is t ue , and c u se acc ding the science 1 EVOLUTION OF THE TROUT FLY . 85

of d a now his y, largely At the same for i time , the unscientific , he gave exqu site r or i pictu es , an example which Half d m ght T o a o o . h ve f ll wed hey are , in a well w rn r or of : to ph ase , w ks art it is difficult imagine

m f r . Nor r r of a fl o bette pictu es the y y, instance l re f ma o . Al a oo o fl the y y al ne g d , and have f m the important quality o aking the living insects easily recognisable .

Ronalds was followed on two lines . Some oo boo of s r g d ks with plates flie appea ed , which would either not have existed at all or would have been done much less well had the ml r n Ento o ogy neve been written . If anyo e o o r ro and d ubts this , let him c mpa e the ugh a a s of r and artifi in dequ te plate flies , natu al al lmoni ars ci S a d o , in published nly a few ye or o s ‘ a bef e R nald , with the beautiful and ccu rate illustrations in the books which followed ’ as Rod and Li ne him , such Wheatley s , ’ ’ Theakston s Li st o Practi cal Fl , Jacks n s y ’ Fi sher nd H alc on o a Wade s y . Identificati n and illustration have passed out of the hands of r f r the amateu into those o the expert . The e were good naturalists and good engravers o o r bef re R nalds , ce tainly ; but he raised the

‘ Th e fifth edition of Ronalds in 1856 and some l ater ones were e ite and re i se a Pis c or w om H . T t M r . d d v d by , h . eri n amh as conc s e u i en t e as arn a m r S it Sh gh l iv ly d ifi d B d h , au or of he we w th t ll kno n arithmetic . Smi th moderni sed the ’ w n men a e . o c tur Pictet 8 or on the euro tera in whi c th e l k N p , h h me d ar e ri me inc u e e an to a ear in 1842 six ears p l d d , b g pp , y ’ afte r on a s rst e ition and was m co lete in 1845 I t R ld fi d , p d wou t e re ore a e een a ai a e f r ld h f h v b v l bl o Smi th in 1856 . 1 86 FLY FISHING FOR TROUT . general standard so high that a writer of Sir ’ u r a e a r H mph y D vy s emin nce , had he lived fte im h would have l w to er his oo , been encumb b k l r r r with such a tless p oductions . F om hence or r r r r f th the eng ave keeps pace with the w ite . o r o r r al o he But R nalds sta ted an the st eam s , t angler - naturalist : in this his influence acted more perhaps by permeating all writers than r r by inspi ing individual books . Still there we e h such . C alk S treamS tud i es owes much to K r him . ingsley indeed could have w itten a

r a oo f or r- r g e t b k the angle natu alist . And ’ o Ri oer- Sid e N a turali st too i s Hamilt n s , a o r b ok which might be bette known than it is . Of one of the latest of the books describing ’ or D r Fl E nt mlo o o the natural fly , Half d s y y gy,

o b e r . or s mething has e n said al eady Its auth , s a nd o r a a di tinguished dev ted fishe man , g ve much . time and work to the book ; and he was r The f b helped by his f iends . scheme o the ook of o d is in advance R nalds , as may be imagine , r seeing the st ides entomology had made . It attempted to giVe a life history of the better o i t ro to kn wn insects n all heir stages , f m egg l r t i o imago . I will on y he e say wo th ngs ab ut it : first that it should ‘ be rea d in its revised o o not or oo and impr ved f rm , in the iginal b k

‘ of 1 897 r 19 13 in D r , but in the eissue in the y ’ Fl n s H nd bo k o o y M a a o . Sec ndly that th ugh it contains much for which the fisherman is ra o g teful , he is still impatiently expecting s me% thing more : something which really shall give

188 FLY FISHING FOR TROUT .

a st r r o of the Finally, as the l te epe cussi n f r mi o on s A er can Trout influence R ald , the e is S treamI nsects Lo by uis Rhead , which has just r o r of r appea ed . It c ntains a se ies colou ed p rints of natural flies and some photographic r r i of artifi cials r r ep oduct ons and Of othe lu es . ‘ The naturals are not identified or classified ; and the nomenclature adopted is that of Theakston r r f or r , a g eat d awback B itish ’ r a r ho Theakston s a re e de s , among w m names i f confus ng and Obsolete . But in spite o all

s oo . I o thi , the b k is invaluable t c ntains coloii red pictures of over ninety insects painted by the author : and though he tells us that the ’ book rep resents seven years work he should be well repaid by the gratitude he has earned . f T a That finishes the subject o flies . hey h ve o o f or o r o r r ar and been f ll wed ve f u hund ed ye s , an attempt has been made to trace their T r t to r development . he e seems o me be th ee

o o to r . r ro c nclusi ns be d awn Fi st , f m the i of i s r a ro beg nning th ng , flies we e imit ted f m natu ral insects ; every fly in the Trea tise I

to . believe be such Imitated clumsily , it may T s . he o be , but till imitated next p int is that , on wo o oo V the h le , the imitati n was g d , in iew ’ r VI I s of the materials at hand . In Hen y reign fishermen were restricted to the homely ro of r or p ducts the fa m , the field and the f est ur r r in o day the whole wo ld has been ansacked .

% who or r We , have f eign mate ials available , have r an advantage not possessed by earlier dresse s . V 1 E OLUTION OF THE TROUT FLY . 89

But the point to realise is that in cases where we i r on o ro st ll ely h me p ducts , we use the same materials as did Dame Julian a and therefore her flies have stood the test of four centuries and the competition of five continents . The r r Red of ar r Feb ua y , made p t idge hackle and

‘ o ra oo or i s M r nge w l s lk , will be fi hed next a ch a s it was fished four centuries and a quarter ago : the Red Spinner is dresse d almost identi cally by Dame Juliana in the fifteenth century Fr in e F r and by ancis the ninet enth . o both we

l - r r r s ti l use home g own ma te ials . But compa e t s two s M a fl r do he e flie with the y y, whe e we r T r r f r not . You udo ancesto made it o b own woo ro a r or red r l plucked f m heife a dee , with r Y u s o o o . o wing f m the c mm n wild duck , when ou out a t ou one y set next June , may t ke wi h y whose wings are of the Summer Duck which o s ro A r or of oos o c me f m me ica , a g e which c mes ro i o f m Egypt , dyed w th chemical dye wh se ingredients come I know not whence : whose h ackle is of Golden Pheasant which comes from C a o o of a s r hin , and wh se b dy is m ize t aw which c o s ro or of indiarubber me f m Italy , which s r r come f om A f ica . It is in these flies that there have been the greatest changes : in the o r r a N o ro r ro the s the e h ve been few . st nge p of f r f r ti s could be given o the me its o the T ea e . L o to i a astly , I find it imp ssible bel eve th t the author of the Trea ti se originated all the r r f d essings desc ibed in it . When I think o the d of o of a r a s and ifficulties imitati n , the m ny t i l 1 0 F LY OR 9 FISHING F TROUT .

r r s m co failu es which must p ecede succes , I am pelled to the conclusion that the Trea ti se r i r T i r embodies a long p evious h sto y . his h sto y ma r i o y be t aditional . It s p ssible that the author gathered all the knowledge displayed in the book from word of mouth and that she records traditions handed down through f r i u r T . B t gene ations o angle s . h s may be so I think it more likely that the written word i T r ex sted as a guide . hat we shall eve find any r r r is r ea lie manusc ipt pe haps unlikely , but the r t possibility is allu ing . I like o think that r is r o o the e a chance , even the em test , that s me day we may have revealed to us dressings of flies even earlier than those which date from r f the Wa s o the Roses .

192 FLY FISHING FOR TROUT .

r to r o o o o v any ate eve y h useh ld , m st pe ple ha e h r of : C o o of Ga of Sir ea d tt n , y, Humphry

D Of .S o of C o ho of r avy , t ddart , lqu un , And ew

L r a of L . of o nd o G . ang , Half d rd rey But there are many lesse r men who are not known e to r nd are not r s ven fishe men , a they less inte e t I o r . o ing ndeed , they are w rth study even m e than the greater ones ; f or they have not their

o v to . facility , and yet they ften ha e much say r ro r Fly fishing sp ings f m a splendid sou ce . or of the Treatise o The auth , wh ever that may o to on be , was f rtunate in being able draw the noble model of French and English sporting r a tis t books . The T e e oo was fortunate in the t of r f or all r ime its bi th , it has the cla ity and r of r ur di ectness fifteenth centu y English . O language had not then reached its full summit and sweep : it was to gain in flexibility and variety and colour ; but among the prose of plain r on o o ri to na rative , which can ccasi n se

t Trea tise . and digni y , the stands high take fish out of another man f or not o that is nly stealing , bu % your sport it shall be to you a to see a r r the f i , b ight , shining scaled deceived b y your crafty means and drawn upon ’ ‘ u t . n o o too ou no land Whe y g fishing , , y will r r r o ou desi e g eatly many pe s ns with y , which r o might let you of you game . And then y u may r God o afi ectuousl o r se ve dev utly , in saying y y u

z * Throu ghout this ch apter I h ave mod ernised th e sp ellin g

an n ua i n f h T a i s m a . d u ct t o o t e r e t e b ut a e no ot er c n e p , d h h g 193 THE LITERATURE OF FLY FISHING .

r ou a customable praye . And thus doing y sh ll c o e l s s i es hew and v id many vic s ; as id ene , wh ch is principal cause to enduce man to many other ’ vices as it is right well known . L o r M a who ro a r r e na d scall , w te centu y afte Trea tise who o ro the , but since he st le f m it o to r r o bel ngs the same lite a y ep ch , is chiefly known as a writer on fruit trees and vermin r r o r oo t aps . I gathe that his h rticultu e was g d , r r f om the extent to which it was pi ated . T o r r who rot on r i h mas Ba ke , w e ga den ng as ’ o M ascall s r on r well as fishing , st le chapte g aft f r r r k o o . ing , which was un ind a b the angle o r M e orro ro H weve , as ascall hims lf b wed f m u c l o ro Trea ti se the D t h , and as he a s bbed the , he has no cause to complain . M ascall was a r r r r fly fishe ; but above all a fi sh prese ve . The e ‘ are i r o h many in th s ealm , he c mplains , t at r no to % nor r for no to spa es time kill , ca es time s save , but take at all times , which maketh f reshe fi she so r and so r r dea e , scant in ive s and ’ u i r S r l r n . H a t ib s r n ng wate s amuel , fifty yea r - no r r on r r late , a well k wn w ite ag icultu e , r of M to n and P a f iend il n , Evely epys , s ys the re r same . Fish a sca ce because nets are used with so small a mesh as to destroy the f ry and o a of a ra i als bec use disgusting p ctice , wh ch or so of s on f tunately is Ob lete , feeding pig the t r f r . o o r r r i y But c me athe nea e fly fish ng , ro is i s r s o H artlib o s f m which th a dig e si n , qu te a writer on I reland who imputes the lep rosy of the I rish to thei r brutish eating of salmon FLY FISHING FOR TROUT . when the very eye would have made them know h r they were unwholesome . T e English the e fore forbade the taking or selling of unseason i u r a a o o t o . One ble s lm n , wh ch stamped lep sy o rs o r e r ro i i o was w nde , h weve , wh the the p h b ti n enforced in the interest of the I rish peasant or r of the English fly fishe . It is not until the seventeenth century that i r r of r a t the l te atu e fly fishing e ches its heigh . La so earl writer of r o i w n , an y that pe i d , g ves us a tantalising glimpse of what he might have o o to i i d ne , had he dev ted himself fish ng nstead r i e of ga den ng . His notes on fly fishing hav r i r o . A are n been qu ted dmi able as they matte , they are too staccato and telegraphic in form to i t r to r do just ce o his p ose . But listen this f om his N ew Orchard and Gard en ; Walton might ‘ r it ne r r have w itten . O chief g ace that ado nes Or r n o oo of an cha d , I ca n t let slip a br d who severall o Nightingales , with n tes and ro o vo ce out of tunes , with a st ng delights me y a o r ou o weak b dy, will bea y c mpany night and o o f d ay. She l ves (and lives in) h ts o woods ’ r r r in he hea t . That is su ely an apt and beautiful phrase she loves hots of woods in her

ar . r s to our r M a he t It b ing mind ea ly y, and innumerable nightingales answering each other

in K or S rr o . ent u ey c pses And again , take ’ ‘ L f r f a o r o o . S o o ws n s desc ipti n bees t e Bees ,

‘ in a d r and ar B ee- o o of y w m h use , c mely made Fi r oar to o o r b ds , sing and sit , and feed up n y u o r ro no se fl we s and Sp uts , make a pleasant y and

96 FLY FISHING FOR TROUT .

a nd i r r in that place , we w ll make a b ave b eak a a of o r and a f st with piece p wde ed Beef , Ra dish or two that I have in my Fish - bag ; we s I rr ou oo o hall , wa ant y , make a g d , h nest , l m r r who so e , hung y b eakfast , and I will then give you direction for the making and using of o r y u flies . I chose that passage because it shows Walton at how r o o o to . his best , and sh ws ha d he is f ll w Charles Lamb says that the meals in the mle l r r C o p at A ng er give you an immo tal hunge . ’ And truly we long for nine o clock to arrive on t M a or so hat y m ning , that we can sit under the sycamore tree and taste powdered beef and a r r two r e adish o . But the passage also illust at s t e f o h difficulty o imitating Walton . It l oks so

e o o or . asy ; a h mely scene , t ld in simple w ds It is only when you have seen it tried that you r iffi i f ealise the d culties . It is thi s s de o Walton which has led his admirers to such hopeless r g ief . t r But to come back o the sycamore t ee . W are r hilst they at b eakfast , they leave their r r The r n ods i n the wate . Schola finds a fish o hi r T P or s o . o , but is b ken hen iscat p ints the ‘ mr r r o a ar Si t was oo l I m y , hat a g d fish indeed if I had had the luck to have taken up ’ Rod to one o not that , then tis twenty , he sh uld h ave broke my line by running to the rods end

' as you suffered him: I would have held him within the bent of my R od (unlesse he had b een fellow to the great Trout that is near an ell 197 THE LITERATURE OF FLY FISHING .

o i was of l ng , wh ch such a length and depth , his i r r now to that he had p ctu e d awn , and be seen at mine Hoste Rickabies at the George in

a ss no s . Fin lly , let me give a le k wn pas age There appeared in 1646 the S hepheard s Oracles at r r a o r s , by th ve y e l p et , F anci arks o Qu He was then dead , and Walt n ro out oo and im ro the b ught the b k , h self w te ro o o M rrio r int ducti n , th ugh a t the publishe i s gned it . It describes Quarles going fishing on a May ‘ r i So r or t mo n ng . He in a mme s m ning (abou that howre when the great eye of Heaven first opens it selfe to give light to us mortals) walk ing a gentle pace towards a B rook (whose Sp ring - head was not f ar distant from his eacef ull o L s p habitati n) fitted with Angle , ine and Flyes Flyes p roper f or that season (being

' the f ruitfull Month of M ay ;) intending all diligence to beguile the timorous Trout (with a r o o r which the w t y element ab unded) , bse ved a or o o o o rs of She heards m e then c mm n c nc u e p , all bending their unwearied steps towards a ’ a pleas nt Mea dow . ’ The seeming simplicity of Walton s style is its s o i Sir di tincti n a s mple Arcadian style , as

r o . to r Walte Sc tt called it It is simple ead , it no to but is by means simple write , and I really believe it has defeated everyone who has ri r t ed to copy it . The e is no one exactly like r him in English p ose . 19 8 FLY FISHING FOR TROUT .

Co o o o o too oo tt n , f ll wing Walt n , was g d an a r i t a of r t i t st o make the mist ke t ying o mitate . C o r to os nsequently , he was d iven the Opp ite r A n r ro r ext eme . d pe haps also he w te unde the influence of the sobering . respectability of a o ro r r nk W lt n , and had d pped the exube ant f a f T r i r orr o ness o his youth . hat he equ ed c ecti n no ne wh r o o has ead him will deny . His S carronnid es outraged even the easy Standards of the Restoration : but though as a poet he is r v r of . o o s s full unqu table g s ness , his e se have o of o r io of r to t uches bse vat n natu e , which tell r mle l I C o at A n er . the t uth his p g lacks ndeed , of no o in spite faults , he was mean p et and his Poems on S everal Occasi ons contain a good deal r T e that might be bette known than it is . h o o are o on f ll wing lines . p ssibly his best fishing % they are from a poem to Izaak Walton %

I f the all -rulin g Power please e live to see another Ma W y , ’ W e ll recompence an age of these Foul d ays in on e fi ne fishin g day

We then shall have a da or two y , erha s a week wherein to tr P p , y , ’ What the best M aster s han d c an doe

most d adl killin lie t t e W i h he y g F .

’ A nd s too ro one of o o these line , , f m th se r llick o ro so are r ing p ems which he w te well , pe haps t 1 worth quoting .

’ w a a ton m ar and or r en M r . sa c To m ost e t I y d hy F i d , W l ,

r nte in Poems on S ev era l Oc ca si on s 1689 . p i d , l s r an i B ur e u . t F romA Voyage to I el d n q e . ibid

200 FLY FISHING FOR TROUT .

Wotton wrote a really beautiful poem to ’

s . s r l of Jame I daughte , the luck ess Queen Bohemia ; he also wrote one of the few fi rst- class

o on . or r p ems fishing It is quite sh t , but a se ies f r r o . miniatu e pictu es I like them all . Take this of the trout

The ea ous rout that low did lie j l T , , w l- is ml ose at e s li R a d e b ed F e .

Or m1 h t s o of a this , which g be called a vi i n ’ fi sherman s d ay in spring

The showers were short ; the weather mild ; ’ The Mornin fresh t v nin mil e g ; he E g s d .

But I like best this picture

’ one takes her neat-rub d aile an d now J p , She trips to milk the San d - red Cow r m r t- Where fo o e stu d foo ball waine , s y S , one strokes a sillibub or twaine J , .

f or it strikes that note of i rrelevant beauty r r which g eat poet y gives . ’ Ba rker s ingenuous style has considerable. ar b f or oo r ch m , but he keeps his est c ke y , which r t r r o s . o a sti ed him the depth H weve , he was ‘ The crafty catcher of fish . night began to alter and grew somewhat lighter I took ofl the Lob- or and set to Rod r w ms , my a white Palme of oo or f or Flie , made a large h k , I had sp t the r r on red time , till it g ew lighte then I put my P r o f or r alme , I had sp rt the time , untill it g ew r set on Pa r had ve y light ; then I my black lme , m oo or of g d sp t , made up my dish fish , put up y 2 1 THE LITERATURE OF FLY FISHING . 0

T was o for ackles , and at my time app inted F r r i r . o se vice these th ee Fl es , with the help of Lob- o e to A r the w rms , s rve ngle all the yea o o s r s l ng , b e ving the time , as I have shewed in or f or r s this nights w k a light Flie da knes , the re lie in md i a r for d e F , and a da k Flie light ’ nes se . The o owi o o ro o f ll ng qu tati n , f m the dedicati n to r Lor Mo who Edwa d d ntague , was after ’ r r of S ro wa ds Ea l andwich and Pepys pat n , shows Barker at his most whimsical ‘ N o Lor ble d , ‘ Under favour I will complement and put a

to o r o o r . case y u H n u I met with a man , and o our is o r out up n d c u se he fell with me , having a oo o r o nor g d weap n , but neithe st mach skil ; I say this man may come home by Weeping

ro s C r to o . c s , I will cause the le k t ll his knell It is the very like case to the gentleman Angler that goeth to the River f or his pleasure : this A r r nor r ngle hath neithe judgement expe ience , m ’ a o o r he y c me h me light laden at his leisu e . The oo as b k , was usual in the seventeenth r ro or r e er centu y , had many int duct y ve s s ; p haps these lines are worth disinterring

C ards Dic e and ables ic k th urse , , T p y p ; Drin kin and Drabbin brin a c urse g g g . H awkin g an d H untin g spen d thy chink ; B owlin an d hootin end in drink g S g . The fi htin - Cock an d the orse-race g g , H Wil sin k a ood sta te a ace l g E p . A n in oth bod es exerci se gl g d y , 202 FLY FISHING FOR TROUT .

And maketh soul es holy an d wise B y blessed thou ghts and meditation ’ hi s thi s i s An ers recreation T , gl % ealth ro t easure mix t to ether H , p fi , pl , g , ’ All s ort s to this n ot worth a p feather .

Franck cannot be classed with anyone else in

the r . i s r wo ld He unique . His p eface does t or to n o . N submit his w k the public o . It manuducts the reader through the slender mr f o o a gin his uncultivated b ok . When he to r wants say that it is sp ing time , he says that the Vernon Ingress smiles . A hackle fly is not a Wingless fly : nothing so simple : it is a fly

’ of which possesses indigency wings . His political opinions necessitate his hiding him r self : he takes umb age in London . He gives an admi rable account of a novice and an old r n The hand fishing f o salmon in Scotla d . r The o ro o . n vice is b ken , the the successful novice is nervous and uncomfortable : he is - l te To described as not much de icia d . make a r f io fish rise is to teach him the a t o invas n . od i A nd so on . But the d thing s that it is r obvious that Franck was an excellent fishe man . t m or r of a o Che ha o , a late c ntemp a y W lt n , supplemented the conspicuous excellence of his fly dressing by certain obscene mixtures which ‘ he recommends as Oyntments to alure fish to ’ ‘ r o e : T o or the bait . He e is n ake the B nes of - o of Gra Scull a Dead man , at the pening a ve , o o r of s and beat the same int p ude , and put thi pouder in the M oss wherein you keep your

4 20 FLY FISHING FOR TROUT . though written considerably more than a r r a r e centu y befo e I w s bo n . In this I beli ve it to s o Tr o r oo tand al ne ue , the b ks have had r r i i s o o on . Treat e l nge lives and m e ed ti s The , ro M who o th ugh ascall c pied it , lasted till ’ The C o lea t n l f Walton s time . mp A g er o course is still being republished every few r f lk r r . c o B ow e yea s But the suc ess , w iting in the mid- eighteenth century against numerous o or f ar o o of c mpetit s , is m re n table than that a r r r r r Dame Juli na , w iting th ee centu ies ea lie r against none . And Walton is rep inted not as r r r So B o lker a fishe man but as a w ite . w remains the most successful purely fishing book r r r eve w itten . His p ose is simple and not f ‘ n as . s o u ple ing He ays fly fishing , Even the p reparation of the Materials f or the artificial and o r Fly , the skill and c nt ivance in making and o r n r them , c mpa ing them with the atu al , i s a very pleasing amusement : The manner of r in to the Fishes taking them , which is by is g of r and o s out of the surface the wate , s metime ’ r r i s n r a s r r . it , give the A gle ve y ag eeable u p ze a B owlker obser Which is ple santly told . was

f r - r a o a oo . v nt natu e , and well ead in ngling b ks His account of the transformations of the M ay

t - His r a fly is worth looking at even o day . g e t merit is that he gives old ideas a good shaking r up and fishing a fresh outlook . He clea s away a lot of lumber ; I have already told how he freed us f or all time from the obsession of flies which had come down from the Treati se flies 20 THE LITERA TURE OF FLY FISHING . 5

i o or o ro wh ch , th ugh iginally c pied f m living i s s for r s o o n ect , had centu ie l st all t uch with r r r natu e , and we e slavishly inse ted by succeed in r r r g w iters , while even thei names we e rr co upted . In this he gave fly fishing a new r i io s not s i r t sta t . H s posit n is thu di s mila o a of S r and or to o of o th t tewa t Half d , b th wh m r f r he p esents many points o esemblance . I believe I know the book B owlker had in mind when he castigates certain angling treatises f or mentioning flies which he never found it worth while to dress ; it must have en l man n ler 1 2 or G t e A 7 6 G been the g , , by e ge i r Sm th . In a bombastic p eface Smith says ‘ m ffirm a o o o I y, with ut Vanity , a , that the f ll w Tr o os r ing eatise up n Angling , is the m t pe fect and compleat of any that has hitherto appeared ’ ‘ in Print ; and that his Rul es and Di rections are o o r f unded up n Expe ience , which is the os i i M r not o m t nfall ble ist ess , and taken up up n ’ r- l i i o a to C s t . He say , which ittle red t be given After this it is perhap s hardly surp rising to find that the only experience he had was steal ’ r r ing othe people s ideas . He obbed not only o f ar M o r Walt n , but as back as ascall . H weve , the book has the saving grace of being printed

. A n r d too . in delightful type the e is this , ’ r o i of r Afte giving Walt n s l st flies ve batim , he ’ says The best sort of A rtifi cial Flies are made o r i r M . emmt J o by the ingeni us , and the ef re ’ a i All c lled Jemm ts Flies . that he tells us of r the ingenious M . Jemmit is that he was a nice 206 FLY FISHING FOR TROUT .

’ f and complete artist . But my copy o the l m l r Gent e an A n er o i in g has this n te , w tten an

i - r h o o e ghteenth centu y and , p ssibly c ntem ‘ porary : A list of this Gent flys are handed

’ ' r about in Manusc ipt . I would give a good deal to see that list and to know who M r. a t in Jemmit was . His name ppeals o me fact r n to all thei ames appeal me , these individuals , ion oo of o casually ment ed in fishing b ks , wh m ho nothing else is known . W was C aptain r a o o r of Hen y J cks n , kinsman and neighb u

‘ C o o a r s a r tt n , by m ny deg ee the best fly m ke he r who r s eve met , taught him all the fly d e sing he knew % Who was the very good angler whose m’ of o Chetha s list flies came int hand , since his oo o r % who b k was alm st finished at p ess And , abo all who r M ri l r o ve , we e er l and Fau kne , wh m Franck thought so infi nitely superior to Walton : and who was that paragon of them ‘ ’ l m fi sh d S o s Ow dha all , I aac , a man that alm n ’ but with three Hai rs at Hook % We shall ‘ r no a % s % Co o neve k w , al s ala His llecti ns and ’ r ro Expe iments were lost with himself . P bably future ages will not know who Dickie o r of R utledge was , the g eatest fisherman my o lifetime . He is dead , and his kn wledge with o o r are o him . His c llecti ns and expe iments l st

N or e . with himself . has he b en described We ’ no or r of o have p t ait him , as we have Addis n s of r ro r to portrait M . William Wimble (b the a ro of ba net , and descended the ancient family ‘ of the Wimbles) ; who makes a May - fly to a

208 FLY FISHING FOR TROUT .

ro o it ran th ugh thirteen editi ns . He is interesting as showing that a hundred and thirty years ago you could get good fishing in ‘ r f the hea t o London . When you go to angle C s on r t e e at hel ea , a calm fai day , h wind b ing or o o o o o in a right c ner , pitch y ur b at m st pp site to the r or v chu ch , and angle in six , se en feet r r B a ttersea B rid e wate , whe e , as well as at g ou l of roa ch d ace y wi l meet with plenty and . u I wonder how many yo would meet with now. S ro of r uch is the p se the eighteenth centu y . r f i t o s no s . The e is much it , but it distingui hed o to I r r I c me back what said in an earlie chapte , f r that the best account o fly fishing is in ve se . ’ Gay s lines are surely admi rable Oft have I seen a skilful angler try The various colours of the treacherous fly ; When he with fruitless pain hath skimmed the brook , And the co fi sh re ects the ski in hook y j pp g , k s s th n t mr i row He sha e th b u h at o he a n e o g g g , ’ Which o er the streama waving forest throw; When if an insect f all his certain ui e , ( g d ) , He gently takes himfromthe whirling tid e ; x in s w ll i s rmwith c urious e es am e f e h o E , y ,

Hi s au vest hi s win s hi s horn s an d size . g dy , g , Then roun d his hook the chosen fur he wind s ckl t r in s An d on the b ack a spe ed f ea he b d .

ou ro to tr Having made the fly , y p ceed y it

on the c urlin surface let it lide Up g g , With n atural motion fromthy hand supplied ; in t streamn ow let it entl la Aga st he g y p y ,

N ow in the rapid eddy roll away . 2 THE LITERATURE OF FLY FISHING . 09

If you take the trouble to break through the o r classical crust with which that is c ve ed , it is surely a fi rst- rate description of fishing a fast r k o r l . stream . In fact I ha d y n w a bette A o dr r a r o r o b ut a hun ed yea s l te an the p et , s o r a r o a les fam us name ce t inly , but a t ue p et , i o T produced a fine fish ng s nnet . homas Doubleday was chiefly known as an active political reformer : but he was a voluminous writer of angling songs which appea red year by year in the N ewcastle Fishers Garlands and r e r 1 we e collect d by C awhall in 864. Good as r ro c of they are , they neve app a h the level his r o 1 818 ea ly s nnet , published in .when he was eight and twenty ; it is quite one of the best things written on fishing

Go take thin e an le a n d with racti sed lin e , g , p ,

i ht s ss mr rr n w a the o a e the c u e t s ee L g g , p ; An d if thou failest in th calmstil e e l e d p , I n the rou h edd m riz e t n g y ay a p e b hi e . ’ Say thou rt unl uc ky where the sunbeams shin e ; B en eath the sha dow where the waters cree , p , P erchan c e the mon arch of the b rook shall leap

F or fat is ev r ett r t n s e e b e ha de ign . til ersevere the iddiest breeze that blows S l p ; g , F or thee may blow with fame and fortune rife ; — B e pr ospe rous an d what rec k if it arose

ut of s m b l w s O o e e b e ith the treamt strif p a e , Or that the light wi n d d allied with the boughs % hou art suc cessful such i s humn li T ; a fe .

These Newcastle Fishers Garlands appeared 2 0 1 FLY FISHING FOR TROUT . year by year from 1820 to 1 864 : they are by ff r r r of o s o di e ent w ite s , wh m the be t kn wn are T o o a an r T h mas D ubled y d Robe t Roxby . he rs o r i uff r ve e ften eaches a h gh level but it s e s , nk o r o I thi , fr m being w itten in the N rthum r b ian dialect . I believe that dialect poetry is only good when you cannot imagine its being r r i T w itten as well in anothe med um . his is the case with Burns ; f or whether his Scots p oetry be considered to be written in dialect or ara ou o o in a sep te language , y cann t c nceive it r So w itten as well in anything else . it is with r r or o lesse men , such as Ba nes , the D set p et ,

‘ r o ar to and pe haps with St dd t ; and , take a r La Passi on d e notre living example , the e is frere le oilu r M ar L r p , w itten by c ecle c in the o one of oe war Anj u dialect , the best p ms the r ou o of p oduced . In all these y feel the n te o r had to necessity ; the p et y be in that medium , r t do n t o o no . o at all I feel that in D ubleday , indeed his non - dialect sonnet is clearly r supe ior . Fishing p rose came to its own again in the r in nineteenth centu ry . It sp ang to sudden n of r s s f or has r life . O e the ea on this al eady been given : the writings of Scott and the The r o romantic revival . esult was a sec nd o n oi s of r g lden age , with ma y p nt esemblance t f r i s no i ri r o that o Walton . If the e s ngle w te f of his r is o . class , the e a high level excellence After the disappearance of Stoddart and the o of o r a o r r l thers this ep ch , the e is n the pa tia

212 FLY FISHING FOR TROUT . was the first treatise of its kind published in S o o r r c tland He lives , h weve , in his ve se

r r ro . oe athe than his p se He is always a p t , a b T : r r r and alw ys y weedside thithe he etu ns , r f r r howeve a he has wande ed .

’ ’ An ala too an eviot bri ht G , , T g , ’ ’ ’ An mony a stream0 playi a speed ; ’ Their kin dre d vall eys a un ite ’ mn t r s ni w A a h ae o on e ee g e b b T d .

T on — The weed , and fly fishing the Tweed that f r r . o is what stir ed him It was fly fishing , he T o o r S o o says , that h ms n , Bu ns , c tt and H gg , own o or or and , in his day , Wils n and W dsw th , exchanged eagerly the grey - goose quill and the o o of oo for r c mpani nship b ks , the tape wand ’ o r o o r and the disc u se , lder than H me s ur f r r For o s . meas es , st eams and cata act this o Paley left his meditative h me , Davy his tests r C r o and c ucibles , and hant ey his m ulds ,

o or . o r o m dels , and chisel w k St dda t is symb lic f hi f A o s o o . nd o age as Walt n is his , th ugh the later age produced no writer whose p rose as o of o two r o lives d es that Walt n , the pe i ds r n t o not we e o dissimilar . In b th men were ashamed to say what fishing meant to them . The r not so o late age did say it well as Walt n , ‘ r r are r but it said it as since ely . Angle s a mo e i r or r of o gifted and h ghe de men than thers , of rs of o o s r or in spite the snee p mp u c itics , the r r r r t umpe y dixit of a pa adoxical poet . In thei or r are out of hist ies , the e glimpses snatched 2 THE LITERATURE OF FLY FISHING . 13 — heaven immortal moments droppi ng from ’ r o or of T Ete nity up n the f ehead ime , says o r not r r o St dda t , ca ing whethe he be th ught r o f or to no o a idicul us , him it was b mb st but a N o r e s i statement of fact . o d ubt he c oss a l mit which Walton woul d have set himself . Walton ‘ said the same thing differently . Indeed my f D r ood S o r o . g ch la , we may say angling , as Boteler said of Strawberries ; Doubtlesse God o a r rr doubtlesse c uld have m de a bette be y , but God never did ; and so (if I might be Judge) God never did make a more calm quiet innocent ’ ’ r recrea tion then Angling . Walton s wo ds ’ r will live longer than Stodda t s . But we could r r not aflo d to lose Stodda t . There are so many contemporaries of ’ o r a oi ifli ult P St dda t th t ch ce is d c . enn s im a M ax s o on f or musing , th ugh getting a ‘ l e r r o d ar o rn . ou as centu y , ve y m de If y p s o r a r i o r ro y u fly ne tly and well th ee t mes ve a t ut , and r s it do not an o r f or he efuse , wait y l nge ’ r t - i . can a o d a r him He be e d y w th pleasu e . So can Sir Humphry Davy and C olquhoun and n a r f r S t u a o d . o oo can P lm , f the the y fly , , r r who T s on ors Pete Hawke , fished the e t h e

a . An d s o r r re b ck o can many the s . But the e a two who s a o all o a and t nd ab ve them , R n lds r M h St . as sai of o and ewa t uch been d b th , I t add n in r no . S art os shall a yth g he e tew , wh e life the Dictionary of N ational Biography most s n a o s o i o ca d l u ly mits , has a style wh ch , th ugh to in simple and lucid , is damaged my think g 14 FLY FISHING FOR TROUT .

‘ ’ his of o r a i i ro by use the j u n list c we , wh ch bs f i it o actual ty . But let anyone who has not o so r d r r i r d ne ea him , and ead in pa t cula his r r His r fou th chapte . c eed it summed up in ‘ this sentence : The nearer the motions of the artificial flies resemble those of the natural ones under similar circumstances the greater ’ ro of A n . d will be the p spects success this , it m r r f a a o ybe em ked , sums up the creed the dry

o. o s r fly als R nald , twenty years earlie , had produced the best book on natural and artificial r r r r r flies eve w itten . A s p ose it is not ema k r able but it will always be ead . T r ro r o o i o he e a se , in the yea s f ll w ng R nalds , a body of writers who have been somewhat 1847 1 861 r neglected . Between and five eally r i T r oo oo s now. g d b k appea ed , little stud ed hei a or r or Theakston uth s we e Wallw k , Wheatley , , All ar Jackson and Wade . e deeply stamped with the influence of Ronalds and together they r i form a body of doct ine stand ng by itself . S o two of a ro trangely en ugh , the five c me f m the or r U re f or Theak ston i Y kshi e , l ved at o a o at Tanfi eld M two Rip n and J cks n ill , and mor or r or o r e , Wallw k and Wade , we e n th c unt y

t O e ro o . men oo . nly Wheatley cam f m the s uth H e s oo i s to o say that his b k a sequel R nalds , ‘ not io of o o o a ar an extens n the ent m l gic l p t , but ’ an addition to the fi sherman s means of success r r M r fully pursuing his favou ite spo t . . t r R onalds has confined himself wholly o natu e . The a r o r an a ngle , th ugh gene ally enthusi stic

2 16 FLY FISHING FOR TROUT .

f r a . oo o m ny lands His b k is g eat value . As r r ff rs ro s o a w ite he su e f m u ing dial gue , which none but a master should attempt ; his r r do not i are r a cha acte s l ve , but me e abstr ct ’ r s rso in C r L a gument pe nified , ha les amb s r i wo ds . But he puts into fish ng the same or r o f ceful penet ati n he employed in science . His book incidentally contains a fishing poem which ought to be better known than it is . He says that it was written in his copy of Walton o a o s o f or by a n ble l dy , l ng di tinguished at c urt

re- r o p eminent beauty and g ace , wh se mind r r h r possesses undying cha ms . He e is e invoca tion to Walton

Alb eit en t e An er , g l gl , I eli ht n ot in th tra de D g y , Y et in thy pages there does lie

s imi it mch f u aint l c o u o S q p y , min d mc of So u h ,

such ood kin d Of g ,

hat n on e n eed be af raid T , au ht b th c un n in bait this book C g y y g , , h ho k To b e en sn ared on t y o .

si and o r . which is mu cal , p et y I have seen it stated that the author was Lady Charlotte l ma so . r Bu y . It y well be That beautifu and a r of of A talented d ughte the fifth Duke rgyll , the friend of Sir Walter Scott and other men of r was a o o s ri r o lette s , v lumin u w te , fam us and ar She o n f or her popul . was kn w chiefly ’

M o rs of G or I v . s C o r anonymous em i e ge u t , which cau sed some stir ; but her novels were 21 THE LITERATURE OF FLY FISHING . 7

r her r . widely ead , and she was a celeb ity in day F rom Stewart to the present day is some sixty r oo oo yea s , and many have been the g d b ks T re t written during that time . hey a oo r or numerous even to name . I shall the ef e say o i of r o who all his o n th ng Hende s n , fished l ng life and wrote with equal skill : nothing of itz ibbon or P or o F g ennell , vict in the fam us fishing duel with Stewart ; nothing of Prime and Orvis and the older school of A merican wr iters ; nothing of La B ranche and modern A merican dry fly practice : nothing of Petit and r r now or the F ench fishe men , an imp tant r of i r r T r g oup nothing many a liv ng w ite . he e is to a o to r of much be said b ut each , but w ite all oul r ir or w d equ e m e space than I have left , and more patience than I can expec t of a r r r r r ea de . So I will conclude with fou w ite s and o r Lor r f n f u only . d G ey o Fallodo pub lishe f r The d his book at the end o last centu y . d r was n at and o r y fly the its zenith , the the system was receiving somewhat intolerant r a r r t e tment . He was the fi st write of importance on the d ry fly who really knew what a i the wet fly me nt . H mself the best and most o d r s r dev ted y fly fi he man in England , he thus started unconsciously that restatement of a i r ku r M . S es r f r v lues wh ch has ca ied so a . i r But he d d mo e . He is gifted with the power to write fine p rose Li sten to this A fter telling how Londoners who own gardens in the country realise more poignantly than others FLY FISHING FOR TROUT . what they are missing when sp ring comes o o s on r und , he g e ‘ At such moments there su rges within you a s r of r io in pi it esentment and indignat n , kept a r a o r of ar or beyance du ing the ctual h u s h d w k , r i s o r i and ou but asse ting t elf at all the t mes , y p ass through the streets feeling like an o who has no ar in unkn wn alien , p t the bustle of Lo o a o and life nd n , and c nn t in the place of his exile share what seem to others to be r l r r . o a o o r pleasu es W k ne , h weve inte esting , o r o cann t neut alise all this , because it is nly r M ff r pa tly by the mind that we live . ental e o t is enough f or some of the satisfaction of life ; o f o and r but we live als by the af ecti ns , whe e out- of - door things make to these the i rresistible do to so r it appeal , which they make me natu es , is imposs ible to live in London without great ’ r sac ifice . I might have quoted other passages I quote r fi her that because it moves me most . Eve y s man who lives in a town will know . r re r The other th ee a dead . F ancis Francis f or r o of Fi eld was many yea s fishing edit r the , o or r r a dev ted sp tsman and fish p ese ver , and an

r r o . immense w ite , with a j lly captivating style The only thing I shall quote is an epigram attributed to him : Some fishing is better than o r r no as the s , he said ; but the e is such thing bad fishing . Which I suspect sums up the I s o o and man . t must have plea ed b th Walt n

o r r . St dda t , when it eached them

FLY FISHING FOR TROUT .

L f r r ast o all comes Halfo d . His eputation e r A ri r as a pion e stands high . s a w te it would r r i s r stand highe had he w itten less . H late oo o r off do b ks sh w a g eat falling , and indeed I not think he ever came up to the level of his r r r fi st . His p ose in that is bette than anything ro r ar r r or rs he w te afte w ds ; clea e , m e te e , and r o mo e pleasing . But his place does n t depend T r r r on his style . he e a e fou names which stand above others in the history of the fly : the a or of Trea ti se who r C o o uth the , sta ted it tt n , who S r who o r the established it tewa t , c nve ted or to s r : or who w ld up t eam fishing and Half d , r systematised the d y fly . Four and a quarter centuri es have gone by r i r since the T ea t se appeared . I have t ied to f r e give an account o those centu ies . I hop there are some readers whom this book will r I r or inte est . As have w itten it , and still m e as a r o I h ve ead ver what I have written , I have been appalled at the thought that it was of no

r t P r so . inte est o anyone . e haps that is But on the other hand I know that there are some who read everything which is written about f or of is fishing , I am that number , and it imp robable that I am the only one That is r one consolation . And then I believe that the e o r o o must be the s als like myself , wh m the or of or ra who are s hist y the sp t att cts , fa cinated of o r who are er by the devices the days , and nev ar of o to old w rs of we y g ing back the rite , r of at r a eading them again , getting thei re l A 22 THE LITER TURE OF FLY FISHING . 1 meaning and of seeing where they have anticipated us and where we have improved on them . 22 F 2 FLY ISHING FOR TROUT .

B IB LIOGRAPHY

OF B OOKS % U OTED OR M E N TI ON ED .

AELI AN au diu s O era in c u din D ima U S C . e an , l p ( l g i umn a tu rd Ti uri a u d esn er s f ra r G o t es l ) , g , p , l A n th r iti n s 6 . F o d o e e d 155 . o .

M u a int treati se n F lees a A DA W . . A o nd the L , H q ,

A r t a Ar t c ha ll F ee M a ki n . ndon 1 6 o 87 . yfi l g L , 40 .

D e B E E ER ohn V . A . S e RUN O , J B r e Th e d B A D eo C . e l sh rs ui e . IN RI GE , G g f yfi g iv r 1 n ther i i s e 6 . 0 . A d o e d t n oo 18 8 o . L p l , mas Th a r o h t a n i n . n n B A o . e o do RKER , T f g l g L , A n d th r iti n s 16 1 12 0 . o e e d o . 5 .

B a r e i h rke s d t or the a rt o a n i n . l g , f g l g n d n 1 6 12 An d other e diti n 7. 0 . o s o o 5 . L , m l n s B B A Da e J u a . ee am S D e RNES , y ERNERS , u i an a J l . t r Tho ht o n n r m D e e . u s n hu ti a u B C . E KFOR , P g g S , A n other e diti n s 40 . d o . 1781 .

hn Pra t ca - h B E EVER o . c i l s i n . B Arun do ( , J ) l f y fi g y .

on d on 1849 . 120 . L , ’ c n dition with u th r m d e a o s na e Do . e o S , . n A ev ern on n it d A . a d 1 d e b d . . . o 893 . E y R S L ,

80 . m ulian T ok he B e o t . A a . B D a e J a . S b n s ERNERS , f l l n l n t A a s 14 6 F o . A d other e diti n s S . b , 8 . o . r a s o ssh n e A t e ty e f fy y g wyth a n a ng le . k mi t r . n r st ns e W n de o de l W e W . 1496 . F o y y . iti n s An d other e d o . An old er f ormof the Trea tyse of F ysshyng e

h a a n . n d n mt n e o o 1 . 883 40 . y gl L , mas A c on c ise trea ti o B ho . se n the a rt o EST , T f n o 1 a i n . on d on 17 . An h r di i n s 87 20 . d ot e e t o . l g L , i i am T r - W he A B AC . t o l ma ki n . L KER , ll f f y g

n 120 . on do 1855 . L ,

2 2 4 FLY FISHING FOR TROUT .

W A ose h . A c o e c ti o o r h mr C A n i t e ri e R H LL , J p ll f g rt o ga rla nds for n o h c un try anglers . Newc astle - on ne 1864. 80 . Ty , m ir u hr Sa lmonia or da s o DAV S . ( Y , H p y ) , y f fly

B a a . s hi . n r n d n 2 n n e o o 18 8. 80 . fi g y g l L , n d other e dition s A .

h s re a T e e c ts o n in . D (ENNYS) J(OHN) . f g l g An ther iti n s ondon 1613 . 80 . d o ed o . L , oms Sixt - s o t w B A h a . ve n ne s i th DOU LED Y , T y fi ,

re a t r r ema rks o th o . o n e s n e t An d see p f y n 1818. als W o CRA HALL. i m l c The rt o hu ti n . rth n D A e . a n o a to DRY EN , f g N p ,

1908. 80 .

r d r an a fi H . m M H eld an o . ED ONDS , , LEE , N N

B ook a d ri ver trou ti . B r for n d r n n a . . g d d ,

80 . ’ ma i s E STI ENN Charles . L a ri cu lture e t on E , g

ru s i e . i An other t u ar s 1 64 1 0 . 5 565 . 4 d q P , i io s ed t n . - Ma s on rus t u e or the c oun tr e a rme . i iq , i f s i u mn w ran ed char urfleet A e ted ith T l at by R d S . g ad iti n s b rvase arkh m n don M o o e a . 1616 . d y G L ,

l An d other e itions . F o . d

w o . % BB d ard . A handb ok o an i n ( FIT GI ON , E ) f gl g h mra nd n A o h r B e e . o o 1847. 80 . nd t e y Ep L ,

edition s .

ook o the Sa lmo . B h mra n n B n e e o do f y Ep . L

1850 . 80 .

s L e de l Ch e ari s a ton de . e Livr a ass . FOIX , G P , n t r diti ns d d h o . n . . A o e e

rere ran oi s Les ru ses i nnoc en tes . F (ORTIN) , F( ) F( c ) . Pa r F ( rere) F (ran coi s) F ( ortin) R ( eligi eu.v) D ( e)

G rammon t di t lo S oli ta i re I nven ti . aris ( ) , f P , h r di i n s An d t e e t o . 1660 . 40 . o

les N VA Rl chard de . La vi e e ou FOUR I L , ll , ’ d er ieres amou rs d Ovid e tradui t du la tin d e n , o l r ris Ri c hard d e F urniva a r J ea n Le ev e . a p f P ,

1861 . 80 .

r is A book o l . don A C an c . n an in on FR N IS , F g g L , diti n s 1867. 80 . An d other e o .

A C ichar . N orthern memoi rs . on on FR N K , R d L d ,

1694. 80 . 22 B IBLIOGRAPHY . 5

N ew e dition b Sir W alter cott . din , y S E

b r h 1 21 . 80 . u g , 8 ms nth n Short s tudi e o rea t D a e A o . s n FROU E , J y g s rie s c onta ini n Chen e s a nd s ub e c ts . ourth e j F , g y

the house o R u sse . on don 1883 . 80 . f ll L , n Poems o seve ra oc ca si on s c on ta i ni n GAY oh . n , J l , g s n n n d r r vol o do 20 . S o ts 2 . 17 40 . A R u a . l p L , i i n s other ed t o .

nt ir w r of a lod on Vi scou S d a d re . GREY , F l , ( E G y) F i n n A n t r . 0 d o he l sh n o do 1899 8 . y fi g L , i i n s ed t o .

H o w to tie o es . n n 2 sa mn i o do 189 . A . . H LE , J H l fl L , ition s An d ther e . 80 . o d i F oa tin i es a nd how to A red er c M . H LFORD , F l g fl

r h . n don n d other d ess t em o 1886 . 80 . A L , dition s e .

- D ry fly fishi ng i n theory a nd p ra c ti ce . h r i i n s ondon 1889 . 80 . An d ot e e d t o . L , - r e tomolo . on n n D n do 1 d 897. A y fly gy L , r e it n s othe d io . ’ - The d r ma s ha nd book . on n n n o . d . y fly L d ,

80 .

- r The r i er s e r l . AM dwa d . v id na tu a i s t H ILTON , E

n don 9 . 80 o 18 0 . L , m e TLI B a l His a c o h r . HAR ue . u sband , S l g y f y hird editi n n n do 6 5 . o . o 1 5 . 80 T L , W t r I ru ti o o ou or m A e e . ns t c ns t n s ts en H KER , P y g p

i n a ll tha t re la tes to u ns and shooti n . on don g g L , i i n 1 1 . An d ther e d t s 8 6 . 80 o o .

Wi li m ote r N s and e i i D a . m n sc en c es HEN ERSON , l o m i s r l e a a a n le . n d n n 6 . o o 187 80 . f y f g L ,

hen as M i e a s a n a n le r . ondon 1879 . 80 . T y l f g L , W o ert The er su r i e . H(O LETT) R( b ) . ang l s e gu d on d on 17 06 . 80 . L , T - AC ohn . he ra c tica s he r . on on J KSON , J p l fly fi L d nd e s a ed 1 4. An d other i i s 85 80 . e d t on L , e r e M The o o . sa m . n on on KELSON , G g l fly L d ,

I h r s C a e . Cha k s trea ms tudi s e . I n K NGSLEY , l l d in s e c u ed Mi c a ni e . s 2 vol . on on 1859 l ll L d , .

80 . Also in clude in Prose I d l s on on d y l , L d , 226 FLY FISHING FOR TROUT .

LA B A C eor e M . . The d r a nd ast R N HE , G g L y fly f

wa ter . N ew rk 19 14 0 o . 8 . Y , dr w R m n h es a la o . A A e . m d e n on do 1885 . L NG , y L , 120 .

A n i n Ske tc hes . on don 1 1 89 . g l g L , A n d other e dition s i i m A i A W a . ee W i m S W a . L USON , ll L SON , ll i i m A e r W W a w o cha r r A . n d a nd a d en . L SON , ll g on don 1 61 - 4 An d oth r e diti n s 7 8. 0 . e o L , . Th S e cre ts o a i b I e n n . D . E s i r u e . f g l g , y q A m m u en ted wi th an roved ex erim e ts b g y p p n , y

La w o . n n W . s n o do n d . . An 80 . d L , h r diti n s ot e e o .

M arc La a ssi o r r l o l C C . n d e n ot e re e e i u . LE LER , p f p i r 1 12 . a s 19 6 . 0 P , rm n e DM D H arfi el o a . S e d . LEE , N N E ON S , H V an e d VA ichard e . S e e . LEFE RE , J FOURNI L , R

ui Am m a . s s s m l d e a c a ne vo o u se en l 2 . LIGER , L . p g ri s 1 120 An d other e dition s a 709 . . . P , r s A di sc ou rs e o the enera l MA AM e va e . RKH , G f g l r i rst rint in a t of fi shi n g wi th the a n g le . (F p ed T S e o oke o the E i h hu ba d he c n d bo f ngl s s n ma n . n n 4 40 A fterward s in The lea su res o do 161 . . L , p o ri n c es A wa to e t wea th an d other works of f p , y g l h au h r n di i n s t e t o . M a e t o ) y . har s See a so C e . l ESTIENNE , l n ard A booke o shin wi th M A CA eo . ( S LL) , L( ) f fi g

L . . n d n ook i n e 40 . h e a n d b M o o 1590 . l , y L , d th r editi n s An o e o .

a to a d s ome ear i er wri ters B . W n n MA . RSTON , R l l

hi . n n 120 on ish a n d s n o d o 1894. . f fi g L , ir er rt Chro i c es o the H ou h MA W S b e . n X ELL , H l f g t - ton Fi shi n C u b 1822 1908. on don 1908. 40 . g l , L ,

mas The Thea ter o i n sec ts . Pub M ho . OFFETT , T f ’ lished with Edward Topsell s Hi s tory of four

ooted beas ts a nd s er en ts . on don 1658. F ol . f p L , - F l is hi n . on don n d 0 M AM . C . . 8 . OTTR , J y f g L , ms e ms e M ho a M ho a . S . UFFET , T OFFETT , T T rt he c omea tro r . N OB B E S ob e . t e on don , R p l ll L , d ther itio s n d . 1682 . 80 . A o e n

r h r e W hn h ist e . S e o C o . NORTH , p ILSON , J

228 FLY FISHING FOR TROUT .

’ r h - C C eo e . T e isher s e a c . Che S OT HER , G g fly f l g y p stow n d c irc , . . ( a 8 il i m Da a nd i hts C W . s a n o sa lmon S ROPE , l y g f s t Twee hi n i n he d . on don 1843 . 80 . An d fi g L , ther edition s o . h m ’ The a o as . n e r s mu se m. u on on SHIRLEY , T g l L d , 20 An d th r dition s 1 . 1784. o e e .

E M Mi or t c i o th k SKU S . . . n a t cs e c ha , G E f l

r a m. n d n s 1 0 t e o o 91 . 0 8 . L , r The e t e a r o n l a n e . a M e e . m n B (S ITH , G g ) g g l y e t em n n l a n . o on 1 26 . 12 An d n t r 7 0 . a o he g L d , di i n e t o .

M ohn . The tru e a r t o a n i n . on on S( ITH), J( ) f gl g L d , 240 An d other dition s 696 . . e 1 .

T arl s Pra i ca observa ti ons o a i SN AR Ch e . c t n n l n ( , l g g T B e t e r i n the river ren t . y a g n l ma n esiden t i n t w rk he ei hbou rhood . e a 1 0 n 801 . 12 . g N , heo hi u s See dward . C . SOUTH , T p l HITTY , E

The ra c ti ca er . din WA W . C . a n STE RT , p l g l E ur h 0 An d other dition s 8 . e . b 1 5 . g , 8 7 ms r o a A ho Tod The a t n i n a s a . STODD RT , T f g l g

ra c ti sed i S c ot a d . dinbur h 1 20 . n n 835 . 1 p l E g , n ther e dition An d a o .

S o s a d oems in ur h d b 18 9 . n n 3 . 80 g p . E g , ’ The a ng ler s c ompa ni on to the rivers a n d in ur n n k o S c ot a nd . d b h d o a es a don 1847. l f l E g L , dition dinbur h an d on on cond e . 80 . e S E g L d , di ion s 1853 . 80 . An d other e t . ’ a r r A n ng le s a mbles a nd a ng li ng s ongs . in ur An d an other edition d b h 1 66 . . 8 80 . E g , hn e r i e ex eri m o er C ta n en ts c n AV o . c n T ERNER , J p

i sh a nd rui te . n d n 40 n i o o 16 . 00 . g f f L , i h l THEAKSTON M c ae . A i s t o na tu ra l i es . ( , ) l f fl i n 2 n d oth r iti n s A e e o . R o 1853 . 1 o . p , d - M We t shi n . on on . . 1903 . 80 . TOD , E fly fi g L d , n n th r e d tion A d a o e i . E war ee M omas T PS L d d . h O S . , E OFFETT , T TRAI TTE d emtou te s orte d e c hasse e t d e péche . mst rda 4 12 re rin t o i s A e 171 . 0 . A of u , p L ’ i r A seme s d e la a a e v e s mu n c m n . . L g p g , q

An ci en t an i n a u thors . on on TURRELL . gl g L d ,

0 0 . 191 . 8 229 B IB LIOGRAPHY .

i l m L A r t d e Ven erie . ted b TWI CI Gu la e . e , y Ed y i i ress 1 4 n M dd e 8 0 . ir en r Dr de . S H y y l H ll P ,

40 . A so a s The A r t o hu n ti n b A i ce r den l f g , y l D y

rthamton 1908. 80 . o N p ,

rt The ex eri en c ed a n ler . V AB ob e . EN LES , R p g her e diti n s And ot o . n n 2 0 . o do 166 . 8 L , hre The u ni versa l a ng ler . Ma d e s o by t e I z k on The rs t b Ai r . aa Wa t books of fishi n g . fi y l ; the se c ond by Char l es C otton E s q ui re ; the thi rd

b e . n n o r a 80 . b C on e R obe t Ve n s o do 1676 . y l l l L , H n n WAD en r a lc on . o do 1861 . 80 . E , H y y L ,

rl s dward Ol i es i n ew d resses . W A Cha e . d n LKER , E fl

on don 1898. 80 . L ,

mes The od r an ler . Man WA W a . me n LL ORK , J g h st r c e e 1 . 0 . , 847 8

T % The c om t n er . n don W A AA . ea a o L ON , I K p l g l L , th r e ition s An d o e d . 16 80 . 53 .

o b t r The u n ive rsa l a ng ler . Ma d e s y h ee b o r o Th . I ton ks of fis hi ng . e fi s t by M r zaa k Wa l ; the s e c on d by Cha r l es C otton E squ i re ; the thi rd

b C o o e obert e a b e . on don R n s 16 6 . n V 7 80 . y l l l L ,

n i s M a rve s o sh i e . on o WA D ra c . i d n R , F l f f l f L , i i 1 . A n d another t on d . 191 80 . e

Ani m i e u n d er wa ter . on d n 1 19 0 a o 9 . 8 . l l f L , - B i T e a n er d the loo rod . W D av d . h a n E STER . g l y din bu r h n d on d n 0 a o 1885 . 8 . E g L ,

W nr Th A ri a mo she r . e . e me c a n ma n s i n ELLS , H y P l f on don n d ew rk 1 160 . a N o 886 . L Y , W o r T tu ra ro a e na d . he na l t u t nd i ts ESmT , L fly i i i on . ta t 1 12 . 9 . 80 I E T T B i b i o M D . n heca W S OO a d A C . t , , S T HELL , T l

Pi s i a . n ca tor o don 1 . 883 . 80 L , w T e ro d i e . n W A e ett . h d a n n o don HE TLEY , H l L ,

1849 . 80 .

W rofess r hn Th r c r o o . e e ea ti on s o ILSON , P J f

C hri s to her N orth . v l dinbur h 3 o . 1 2 84 . p E g , n t r i i 80 . A d o he e d t on s .

N c tes mrosi n A b se o a .

W Sir en r R e li ui ce o . lV ttoni a nce . OTTON , H y q on don 16 1 An th r i s 5 . 120 . d o e ed tion L , . W ’Villiam F e . i sh s a n d ishi n . on don RIGHT , f g L ,

1858. go . 230 FLY FISHING FOR TROUT .

dw rd uk of The M a s ter o a a G e . D e . m YORK , E , f n d n l dit 1904 o . ed b W A an o o F . . d L , . E y F . i - r mn n n o h i i B ail e oh a A d a t er e d t on l G . . ohn O i ver an li n or sa o an . n r mn d YOUNGER , J g g f l inbur h 0 n r trou t . d 1840 . 16 A d othe E g , . i i n s e d t o .

232 FLY FISHING FOR TROUT . — — 70 1 3 105 161 . A TH S . 59 60 0 B RKER , OMA , , , accoun t of 59 60 ace in stor of s in 60 rose , , ; pl hi y fi h g, p

st e 60 200 . yl , ,

rst to us e s n e a r 23 . fi i gl h i , 1 as ress er 71 77 1 8 N H . fly d , , , ,

n tereste in coo n 60 72 . i d ki g, , 1 an d ar en n 93 . g d i g,

D P T 4 84. BECKFOR , E ER , , B EEVER H A , JO N RUNDO Pr i a i in 1 a ct c l F ly F sh g, 26 n , 53 .

o a e ma er ma in r e-sec on i n i s A . o n t c t e t t BERN RD L d kl k , k g h pl

c an e in 185 1 , 92 .

A I A . BERNERS , D ME JUL AN S ee Tr eati s e of Fi shin g with an An gl e . x 2 a h er e istenc e , 2 , 1 nd 12 11 .

ST TH A 88 103 105 . BE , OM S , , , o u ar t of his wor 207 his os tion in istor of p p l i y k , ; p i h y

s ort 208. p , T I AT I n B I B LI O HE CA P SC OR A, 89 , 181 n . 1 A AT 144 64 183 . BL CK GN , , , r men on e o n 164 is or and r ss n s of st t tto t e fi i d by C , ; h y d i g , — ’ ’ 164 1 5 ar f a or s a e rn to o on s 6 . m S t o H tt tt i il i y lf d p C , 165 .

A P 26 . BL CK LOU ER , A I IA BL CKER , W LL M h m r is et o of essin ies 175 rst to es c ri e etac e h d d g fl , ; fi d b d h d o 177 b dy , . wr r s 1 1 1 T te on in 5 06 07. BLAKEY , ROBER , i fi h g, , ,

177 183 . BLUE DUN , ,

I IV 73 143 . BLUE W NGED OL E , , 11 A A 5 . ST . S BOOK OF LB N , , i s c n e a t o t n ts n d c aracter 12 . h ,

aut ors 12 12 n . h hip , , 4 — d . 55 9 90 1 3 1 1 1 B OWLKER . an C 88 8 0 105 06 8 58 , R , , , , , , , , ,

161 , 165 . a e f 11 t o 89 . d , in r f 4 2 5 os t on isto o s ort 89 90 20 0 . p i i h y p , , , , a m a o u r t and ort n c e 204 hi s rose 204. p p l i y i p , ; p , ma re ects n us e ess es 89 145 . j y l fli , ,

5 . . n a e ma r S o on t c e 9 BOWNE S , GEORGE L d kl k ,

H . T . BOYLE , ON ROBER 1 — account of , 18 120 .

ace in stor of s n 121 . pl hi y fi hi g, 1 1 S I H 03 05 . BROOKE , R C ARD , , A D HA TT 216 . BURY , L Y C RLO E , D IN EX .

CARP . men i n e in r ea i s 1 t o T t e 4. d , F CASTING THE LY . ear me f t o o 24 25 . ly h d , ,

must all rst 25 76 . fly f fi , , ’ rs m en on f 42 in n s im t t o otto t e 75 . fi i , ; C ,

CASTING LINE . e a i mm n n rs t c reco en e Trea ti se 23 . i h i h k d d by , i rs ws n 23 th ree a o . h by La ,

s in e a r ar er 23 . gl h i by B k , otton us e sin e ou e or tre e 24 68 69 C d gl , d bl bl , , , ; ’ ar m ra a s ct ce 48. M kh p i , of e r o s r n m ut o t enti one en a es an d m V S a ue l vi l i g, d by bl l

P e s 69 . py ,

Gut, 94, 95 .

In an Wee 70 and 81 11 . di d , LA H D 1 C ACE OU SER 4. F , , — — C HETHAM A S 55 103 105 146 149 156 1 58. , J ME , , , , , exc e en ce of hi s ressin s of i es 71 74 145 ll d g —fl , , , . o n men a l fi sh t ts to ure 202 203 . i l , M 1 217 H P 08 . C OL ONDELEY ENNELL , ,

. n n ac m r m A o o t e a e a n s it c an e ro s in CL RK L d kl k , ki g pl d

1805 , 93 .

. f e C o o N w or . CLERK , ANDREW , Y k ear ma r s - e s f ix sec ion i an o t S t c e 94. ly k pl ,

HE I S M r La i d of i e l e 52 n . COC R . e to V l , , i ,

HO H 84 96 98 103 192 213 . COL% U UN , JO N , , , , , , C OMPLEAT AN LER G ,

s ee A TO I% AA . W L N , K

COPYRIGHT .

in teent c entur 12 in se en teen t 44. fif h y , ; v h , F R CORK BODIES O FLIES . rs men on e as a t t c 38. fi i d by M ll , TT H L S 56 67 68 89 103 —105 146 148 1505—151 CO ON , —C AR —E , , —, , , , , , , 154 5 1 9 161 1 5 63 165 . , , — as res ser 71 7 1 3 75 45 . fly d , , ,

oo n atura i st 182 . g d l , os t on in is tor of s or 24 48 65 74 1 t 04 220 . p i i h y p , , , , , , re a on w m t et een hi and a ton 65 198 : its n uenc e l i b W l , , i fl his rose s e on t 198. p yl , st e in ros e and ers e 65 198 yl , p v , , ; r ri f su e o t o his erse 199 . p i y v ,

C OX I H AS . , N C OL ’ The Gen tl eman s R ecr eati n o , 103 . mn i e t one en n s 40 . CREEL , d by D y , 234 FLY FISHING FOR TROUT .

DAPPING

men L awson 43 . t on e i d by , 103 106 , — os t on i n stor of S ort 215 216 . p i i hi y p , Salmonia its s in ex ce ence and l terar au ts , fi h g ll , i y f l ,

D IS A D . EN ON , LFRE

his co ect on of s in oo s 13 . ll i fi h g b k , e ar i r x rom D T X is e an e t w ic Trea i s s ENISON E—T l th t f h h t e i r n te 13 14 is more accurate 20 n . p i d , ; , S H DENNY , JO N . S ecr ets o An lin accoun t of 40 os t on in s in f g g, , ; high p i i fi h g

oetr 40 191 . p y , , D DA TH AS 40 OUBLE Y , OM , D A FL 1 E 26 66 . R K Y , , DR Y FLY . — an ci a n of in ear wr ers 116 121 M as call ar er t t o , t , ; , i p i ‘ l i B k in f 1 and o e n ot re ta o it 1 7 120 . B yl y lk g , ,

n ent on of ro a e ate 115 116 . i v i , p b bl —d , , use of on I c en 115 116 Scotc er 121 122 O en , t ; , ; — h , by h gd 4 rs r e w 12 125 ; fi t d—esc ib d by — kn o n to Stodd art 126 127; F rancis 127—129 ; Kin gsley and r 1 e r 1 ou e 28; o e 1860 , 28; 1860 1870 129 ; wor of F d —b f , k H a or 129 131 . lf d , — art a react on a ains t 131 133 c ase o erstate p i l i g , ; v d by l r 131 wor of k es H a o S u 133 . f d , ; k ,

ear s ale of 125 126 . ly , , — H a r 1 1 ro ress since o 3 134. p g lf d—, attraction of S ort 134 140 . p ,

D D MI SS ALI . RY EN , CE n i The Art of Hu t n g, 5 .

D D I R H ra s a r f La S t n to o Oha c e d ou S er l . RY EN , ENRY , l f,

DUB RAVI US , 59 .

DUKE OF YORK . — his e and c aracter 7 aut or of M aster o a G me 7 8. lif h , ; h f , D N ur 26 26 n L D U o 39 . And s ee O UN . , , , YEL W D F 1 UN LY , 25 , 46 , 151 . D D E M ON S AN D LEE . B r k an iv T i oo R e r n . d r out g, 156 ST A L I H S . E ENNE , C R E aut or of M aison Rus i e 2 s m id t u 5 it a e i b . h q , ; f , FARLOW Lon l n t zkle ma er - makin r t ee section s lit can e in k , g h p iég1 gé

236 FLY FISHING FOR TROUT .

ort and Sout countr sc ools of res s in N h h h d —g, See also un der n ames 0 individual fli es ARTIFICI AL FLY FLY FISH ING—NA RAL FLY TU . FLY FISHING — — in Tr ea tis e 29 30 c o on water 33 34 ear wrl ters , ; py fly , ; ly a ise ee n on to 25 77 dv k pi g fly p , , , slow water 78; M as ca ll 38; Liger 55 ; Cotton and c m w 77 onte oraries 74—78; te art . p S

c as in rs m w 42 . t t en ti on e a son g, fi d by L , — d er m an 49 50 . ent e e o ent i n ran ce and n iff d v l p F E gl d , ’

ra r am47. win h e s m e b a r rec men M t t o d g fly , fi d d y kh ,

s in f r in h h m . o i u a fi s Ch et a 66 fi h g div d l , ,

ort oun tr sc oo 48. N h C y h l , — a n a s in Tr ea tis e 27 29 awson 42 on a s 28. pl yi g fi hy , ; L ; R ld , ’ ar f i ar am u i o 8 ime o t n M t p p l y , kh , str in Tr ea ti s e 38 as ca 38 awson 42 orti n 53 ik g, , M ll L F , ; ’

in ton s me 7 . Cot ti 8 — r am i 6 1 u st e s n 6 100 1 0 . p fi h g, , wea r 41 1 t e 30 8 . h , , , — S ee a s n r ame ICI FL o u e n s f in i i u a fli es ARTI F AL l d — o d v d l Y FLY D RESSING NATU RAL FLY .

DE X AT an es r f r . I H I c t ess o H en i I V . 6 FO , C ER NE , ,

IX T AST . DE FO , COM E G ON aut or of Livre d e la Cha ss e 5 his i e and c aracter h , ; l f h ,

6 7 his oo 7. , ; b k ,

TI A IS . FOR N , FR NCO — aut or of Ruses I nn oc en tes 52 accoun t of it 53 54 ; its h , — , os t on in stor of s n 53 54 his e t to p i i hi y, fi hi g, ; d b Tr eati s e 53 to asc a 53 ex ce ence of i ustrat on s , ; M ll , ll ll i , 1 53 , 17 .

‘

ST . H 126 . FO ER , W

IV I HA . DE FOURN AL , R C RD r w r n s e a o o in in rance 51 account of it 50 51 . ly k fi h g F —, ; , , w r s A . ar o s on ort 2 7 our e t to h er 11 . FR NCE E ly k p , ; d b ,

con tras t wit n an 49 50 . h E gl d , ,

ear s n in 54 55 . ly fly fi hi g , , n me n i n ot nt o e e ore e tee t c en tu r 49 . fly i d b f gh h y , F RAN C I S F RAN CI S 127 129 15 152 1 155 1 162 163 , , , , 0 , , , 58, 160 , , ,

his n s mor s 1 e t u i as f n 2 8. h fi hi g, A I H 1 1 . FR NCK , R C ARD , 4 his ur i s 57 2 s a t e, 58 20 ; hi u rre wit a ton 59 . g d ty—l , , q l h W l , c n of 57 59 os i n n his r ac ou t t o i to . 0 f s n 58 59 . , ; p i y fi hi g, , I T AN FRO SSAR , JE s d e x 6 ts aston oi . vi i G F ,

O . A . 128. FR UDE , J , GAFF mentione ar er 70 en a les V 79 . d by B k , ; by b , INDEX .

GAY OH 40 83 84 192 208. , J N , , , , ,

See d e F oix ount aston . STO PH( S . GA N EBU , C G

I ILL 73 . G NGER % U ,

A M 73 144 183 . GR NNO , , ,— ress n s of 147 150 . d i g ,

is e l of on a s 148 in Traitté 150 . Sh l Fly R ld , ; , GREENHEART m 1 re ec e ewa 1 and rs t en ti one 9 t St rt 9 fi d , ; j d by , ;

92 its is tor 94. ; h y ,

E or A OD LORD 3 97 109 164 211 . GR Y F LL ON , , , ,— , , h m his rose 217 21 is i ort an ce 217 8. p , p , GUT m 94 i e e rs t en tion ttl us in ei teen t c en tur 95 fi , ; l d gh h y , ;

un ers a in n n eteent 95 . iv l i h ,

H I 141 . ACKLE FL ES ,

HA PTAI 21 22 . LE , CA N , ,

HA . M . 86 87 97 142 148 150 164 165 192 his , , , , ; LFORD , F —, , , — , , mr an e 129 1 s 1 o t c 30 220 e 130 13 ri m t c ti cis i p , , ; yl , , f his E n tomolo 14 149 1 1 o gy , 8, , 86 , 87.

H MI T D D 80 186 . A L ON , E WAR , , ’

H S EAR S D 73 . ARE E GE , TL 1 1—1 — HAR I B S 8 82 1 93 194. , AMUEL , ,

HA P T 4 213 . WKER , E ER , ,

H I S SI R . AWK N , J r f n a ra es nt o tu i es 178. giv p i l fl , HA 7 TH 4. W ORN FLY , A% H EL . a ri ma r ou te te al for rods 20 . f v i , D SO 7 H I I 80 21 . EN ER N , W LL AM , ,

as r ma r a HI od te i 91. CKORY , l , A HIGGINBOTH M . Lon don tackle make r ro a e n en tor of th ree or our-s ectione s i t c an e 93 p b bl i v f d pl ,

HOOKS . I n Tr eati s e 21 172 s zes 25 in awson 41 , , ; i ; L r s oo s 60 e e hoo in ortin 53 Ki by h k , ; y d k , F , ou e oo in asc a 38 73 V a in en es 73 . d bl h k M ll , ; bl 1 H TT T 88 03 105 . OWLE , ROBER , , , his con tr uti on to shin ib fi g, ILLUSTRATI ONS exc l ence f en e o r c 53 . l F h , s ee a so ARTI FI C IAL FLY—NATU RAL FLY l . I I ASS or I IA D 70 81 n . ND AN GR ( ND N WEE ) , , 238 FLY FISHING FOR TROUT .

I O 144. R N BLUE , me i o e h eth am156 istor and ressin rst nt n C s fi —d by , ; h y d g of , 156 158. APTAI H 206 A . J CKSON , C N ENRY ,

A S OH 103 155 163 185 214. J CK ON , J N , , , ,

’ d e oix e s t ue l 6 A I the . aston F o J C% UER E , G —h lp q l , J EMM I T ME . his st of i es 205 206 . , , li fl ,

SO . JON N , BEN his u ment on ar am43 on onn e an d S a e j dg M kh , ; D h k

s eare 44. p ,

I S HA ES 97 128 167. K NG LEY , C RL , , ,

ex ce en c e as n atura ist 186 . ll l ,

H s n i n e b ar er 60 . . m I i oo s e t o K RBY h k d y B k ,

LA A H . M . C . 217. BR NC E , G ,

i a mi ra i f r a on 196 . A HA S h s t on o t L MB , C RLE , d W l ,

e f r ma in r 91 . LA O us o o s NCEW OD , d k g d , A DI T L N NG NE , m n s 4 7 ri r en e enti o e enn 0 9 t an ul a in t d by D y , , ; g , v d by

ortin 53 79 . F , ,

A A 40 192 211 . L NG , NDREW, , ,

his ro 219 o r 219 en us as mfor s in 219 . se et t p , ; p y , ; h i fi h g,

A SO I IAM 23 37 41 42 46 47 48. L W N , W LL , , , , , , ,

accoun t of , 41 .

as resser 46 47. fly d , , ; r am 4 conn ect on w t a 46 7. i i h M kh , , — hi s os tion in i stor of s i n 41 42 48 hi s rose 41 p i h y fi h g, , ; —p , ; amn wr rs ac e o s n te 36 194 195 . high pl g fi hi g i , ,

E MA 210 . LECL RC , RC ,

L EV A . EF RE , JE N tran s ate D e Vetula into La Vi eill e 51 account of oo l d ; b k ,

5 1 its ositi on in istor of s i n 51 52 . ; p h y fi h g, ,

LI I S . GER , LOU r m r a a o f Amus e ms d e la C m n e 54 i s e io o ut o a a t t n t h p g , ; l

ort n 54 its ositi on in istor of s in 54 55 . F i , ; p h y fi h g, ,

LI GHT IV 73 . OL E , LINE ( s ee also CASTING LINE) ;

of ai r i n Trea ti s e 20 21 in Cotton 68 75 . h , , , ; , , of s and a mn r e ion e ar am n emne t 48 co ilk h i , d by M kh , ; d d

Ven a es 68. by bl , of r m s st en tion e N obb es 87. ilk , fi d by , i r e a e f r ~ sh a in s m t ic o fi in 68. h l d h k fly g, m r - on n ac e a e ma n i ITT o t t ree sec tion s l t L LE , L d kl k , ki g h p

c an e in 1851 , 93 .

MAY an d n ITT 26 26 . L LE YELLOW DUN ,

240 FLY FISHING FOR TROUT . — — a 1 1 213 21 rea a an c mad on s 179 84 86 4 t e e R ld , , , ; g dv 1 1 e ami n P ctet 83 85 n in sl nd H to 186 by i , , ; K g y a l , ; m r 4 14 1 1 7 cr t c s of H al o 1 8 9 86 est 8 ea i i i f d , , , ; W , ; Rh d ,

188. e res en tation s of R p , ’ 1 2 aw s C om An r rs fi hin M ofi ett 8 H n l eat l e t s , ; ki p g , fi g wh i es 183 c c er rs ve colour d b ook i c ; S ot t to e , h g v , h fi — 183 B ainb rid e arro an d on a s 183 186 ; ; g , C ll —R l , 1 1 sm mr an f on a s 179 4 c ri i i o t ce o 8 86 t c of p R ld , , ; i r 14 14 1 1 7 s 1 e a 1 H al o 8 9 86 8 e 7 88. , , , ; t 8 ; , f d , W —Rh d m a T CI e a so un er n a es of n i i u fli es AR IFI AL FLY Se l d — i d v d l D RE ING I H IN G FLY SS FLY F S .

See A . NET . L NDING NET ’

O TH H I TOPH 84 96 . N R , C R S ER , , — O TH T S HO 48 71 75 77 107 174. N R COUN RY C OL , , , , ,

N OR THE RN MEM OI RS .

See A I HA D . FR NCK , R C R S A HT NUMBER C UG , ’ ’ in otton s time 79 in a tons 79 in to art and C , ; W l , ; S dd w ’ 1 Ste art s 80 in n in eteen t c entur 80 8 . , ; h y , ,

O DE A S . G N , J ME — e ar d r s er 124 125 and ress er 124 ly y fly fi h , ; d , , A A F 2 I T TS T TT T ISH 20 . O N MEN O R C ,

IV 144 177. OL E DUN , , ro a in Tr eati s e 25 151 istor and res sin s of p b bly , , ; h y d g , —1 150 53 .

IV M PH 177. OL E NY , 21 F . 7. VI . OR S , C , WLDH O AM ISAA . , C am o s s erm m u an en t one F ran c 24 206 : f fi h i d by k , , PA LmMER FLY , ean in of in ar r e 77. g , B k , PA LE WATERY, 73 . A A 42 P T I 1 . R R DGE AND OR NGE , P A H H E C AM , ENRY , rec mn ome s co in n atural ies 71 . d py g fl , P 4 1 8 95 103 06 107. ENN , , , , , his c on r on t ut 213 . ib i , PEP A YS , S MUEL , men t on s c as n in e f a t o c t ut 69 . i i g l g ,

P T . 21 TI A 7. , E . G PHI IP SA LL E , MUEL , ro a le n entor of six -sec io l t n s it can e 94. p b b i v p , 241 INDEX .

J . 1 185 n . PI T T . 28 C E , F , ,

P P XA 84. O E , ALE NDER ,

P . H . 7 n . OWELL , G , 7 P IM . C . 21 . R E , W ,

1 154 157. P ITT T . E . 50 R , , , ,

P TI S 40 . RUDEN U ,

1 213 . R . 4 03 P A . P . 8 ULM N , G , , , — rs t writer on dr 97 122 124. fi y fly , ,

A A I S . % U RLES , FR NC n ro ucti on of She heard s Ora cl es wn tten a ton i t d p by W l ,

197.

AV A ATT OF 6 . R ENN , B LE ,

I 143 177. RED % U LL , , — istor an d res sin s of 163 164. h y d g ,

RED S 144. EDGE , — stor an d ress n s of 165 166 . hi y d i g , mn e i n n eteent centu r 165 n ot e t on t i d ll i h y , ;

PI 177 189 . RED S NNER , , m men t on e in Tr eatise 26 162 asca 38 117 i d , , ; by M ll , , ; ’ — Traitte 164 i s tor and ressin s of 162 164. , ; h y d g ,

TAG 73 . RED ,

men n orerunn er of us e ortin rst ti o e f , d by F , fi d by ar er 70 u re Ven a les 70 ° multi in rst B k , ; fig d by b , ply g, fi m o f r on ra for sa mn o ent e 88 in ene us e l i d , ; g l , , ,

trout, 88. H A IS 188 R E D , LOU , I S R NG ,

rs men n e 95 is of 95 . t tio tor fi d , ; h y ,

ROD . ointe in Tr ea ti s e 20 an d ferrulled 20 87 s lic e rod j d , , ; , , ; p d rs men aws n is a earan ce of t ti one o 86 fi d by L , ; d pp - s i ce to d a 86 87. pl d y, , en t of in Tr ea ti s e 23 otton 23 67 on ro s used l g h , , ; C , , ; l g d t n n eteen t c entu r 23 28 85 tewart rs t to ill i h y , , , ; S fi

a is e s ort rod 5 H a or 86 . 8 ; , m dv h , lf d ater a s for and se e s i t c an e e ow in Tr ea tis e 19 20 i l ( pl b l ) , , ; aze th e a our te 20 90 w o e c an e 40 awson 41 h l f v i , , ; h l , ; L , ; 67 6 w and otton , 8; Ven a es , 68 ic or an ce oo C , bl ; h k y ,—l d reenh eart in n n eteent c en tur 90 92 reen eart i h y , ; g h slik i ed at rs t 91 92 . fi , , s i c an e rs me t t nt on e 1801 92 is t ree or our pl , fi i d , ; h f s ec t one 92 n i s in en tion 93 in entor 93 i d , ; E gl h v , ; v , ; s u erse e reen eart 94 reenh eart su rse ed p d d by g h , ; g pe d si x -s ec t on e c an e 94 Amer n an can n enti o 94. by i d , ; i i v , in ran ce fi rs m t en ti on F , , ’ ’ coul b e o m u t in ar a s ime an n t 48 d otto s 68. d b gh M kh , C , ’

rus rown 68. h g , 242 FLY FISHING FOR TROUT .

RODDYD OO 26 . W L , 49 O A A D 26 and 26 n 84 103 106 107 148, 1 , R N LDS , LFRE , , , , , , 154 — — e a mrtan c e 179 184 185 213 214 an d in uenc e his r t i o g p , , , , fl

186 .

O T I I 81 206 . R U LEDGE , D CK E , ,

DD 39 145 . RU Y FLY , , ° re ecte B owlk er 89 and s ee RED SPI . j d by , NNER ’ ee A S . RUSES I NN OCEN TES . S FORTIN, FR NCOI ’

SH 68. See . RU GROWN , ( ROD )

S L HA 115 n . RUS EL , ROLD ,

‘ SAD L O 39 . YE L W FLY , S O ISHI ALM N F NG , i e r 5 m n Tr ea t s e 29 sc i e ranc 9 . ention e i d , d b d by F k ,

SA F 145 . NDY YELLOW LY ,

re ecte B owlk er 89 . j d by , S OT H O 103 C C ER , GE RGE , , mr an c e 1 rs o o r i c res f his o t 12 t to e c u e tu o i p , ; fi giv l d p h d — n atura es 121 recursor of t e r 121 122 . l fli , ; p y fly ,

S TT THO AS uotat on rom114. CO , M , q i f ,

TT SI R AL 84. SCO , W TER , n uen ce of on fi shiii wr ters 96 his e ition of ranc i fl , g i , ; d F k , ’ his ri c smof ranc s s e a c t t nd of i i F k yl , ’ a ton s W l ,

S OP I IAM 24 n 96 98. CR E , W LL , , ,

his ros e 211 . p ,

HA SP A 7 37. S KE E RE , ,

SHELL FLY . mn i n e in r ati s a e t o T e e 26 on s 26 and see d , ; by R ld , ; GRANNOM .

H I HA H . T . 185 n . S ER NG M , ,

Y 1 . SH I RLE , THOMAS , 103 , 105 , 06 _

AT P S 13 . SKE , ROFE SOR ,

U . . 1 1 1 5 M 33 34 52 1 7 177. SK E S . , G E , , , , , A A ITH 185 n . SM , B RN RD ,

ITH 305 . SM , GEORGE ,

ITH J . as 103 104 105 . SM , , , , ,

P S DM D 58 n . S EN ER , E UN ,

P T IV 177. S EN OL E , SP TI IT AT OR NG L ER U—RE , ear i n ran c e 2 7 ar r , , ; no e enc oo s on 11 ; ly F — ly F h b k fly , i n n an 7 11 . E gl d ,

244 FLY FISHING FOR TROUT .

1 DE VE TULA, 50 , 5 . I I 1 LA V E LLE , 5 . D 1 1 A H 58 85 214. W E , ENRY , , , WADINGm e f o on 7 i im f cr e in t o C tt 8 n t e o S o 78. i , ; p ,

E . 1 . A . 68 W LKER , C ,

A A S 121 214. W LLWORK , J ME , , T I% 70 100 117 153 161 1 191 21 A AA 83 0 . W L ON , K , , , , , , , , rea mr a f C o at n ler 61 65 i t o t n ce o ml e A h s re ation g i p p g , , ; l to h e Tr ea ti se 39 64 144 - 145 to asca 25 39 t , , 7 ; — , M ll , , , 144 14 ar am44 r r 5 to 1 to a e 60 . ; M kh , B k , — — ’ his rose i ts ua it 61 65 195 197 213 ar es L am s p , q l y , , , ; Ch l b ’

O n ion 63 196 an d a ter Scott s 59 197. pi , , ; W l , ,

hi s u arre wi t ran c 59 . q l h F k , n er ori of il ust ati ons in C omleat An ler 1 t 71 . i f i y l r p g ,

n oran ce of n atura istor 180 . ig l h y ,

A D F A IS 144. W R , R NC ,

ASP 26 . W FLY , ATH WE ER , ’ A i ce as to in Treati s e 30 awson 41 in otton s dv , ; by L , ; C

d a 81 for d r 81 . y, ; y fly , P S H . . 86 . WELL , ,

W ST A D 149 . E , LEON R , h en m a wor 187 is to o o c . l gi l k , WHALEBONE ’ f i f r r n 53 i n ime use or t o od o ti n otto s t 68 d p by F , ; C , -d a m s to a or S e s on ro 68 n . y f p y l d ,

H AT H TT 185 . W E LEY , EWE —, his con tr ution 214 215 . ib ,

I HAM 73 143 . W CK , ,

I SO P F SSO H 84 96 . W L N , RO E R JO N , ,

IM . I IA 206 . W BLE , MR W LL M ,

TT SI R H 40 199 . WO ON , ENRY , , ex c ellence of his vers e, 200 .

I HT I IA 93 . WR G , W LL M ,

WYNKYN DE wORDE 2 12 . , , 44 E 1 . Y LLOW DUN , — stor and ressin s of 153 155 . hi y d g ,

FLY 26 an d 26 n . YELLOW , 1 1 OH 80 103 104 06 07. YOUNGER , J N , , , , ,

Unive rs ity Of C alifornia Library

or to the

NORTHERN REGIONAL LIBRARY FAC ILITY Ri hmn Fi l ti n Bld . 40 0 c o d e d Sta o g , Unive rs ity Of C alifornia i hmn A 4 4- 46 9 8 R c o d , C 9 80

ALL BOOKS MAY BE RECALLED AFTER 7 DAYS 2 - month loans may be re newed by c alling (5 10 ) 642 - 6 75 3 1 - ye ar loans may be re c harged by bringing books to NRLF Re newals and rec harges may be made 4 days prior to due date

DUE AS STAMPED BELOW