News:

The Best Fishing Forum In The UK.
Do You Have What It Takes To Be A Member?

Main Menu
Please consider a donation to help with the running costs of this forum.

Angler's Handbook

Started by Traditionalist, October 25, 2011, 04:38:48 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Traditionalist

"ANGLER´S HANDBOOK" Pub. London 1840. Tyas´Hand Books . Author unknown.

( Remarkable for the relatively accurate colour plates. Also excellent fly-patterns MC)



LIST OF FLIES,WITH REFERENCE TO THE PLATES.

1. GREEN DRAKE, OR MAY FLY. This is one of the most valuable flies for trout fishing. It appears about the 20th of May, and continues nearly a month, and will kill at any time of the day, especially in still water ; it is found in great plenty on sandy gravelly rivulets. The wings are made of the light feather of a grey drake, died yellow ; the body of amber coloured mohair, ribbed with green silk ; the head of peacock's harl ; and the tail of three long hairs from a sable muff.

2. BLACK GNAT. This is a favourite fly with some persons, and is generally considered a good killer, especially when the water is low ; it comes on about the end of April, and continues till the end of May. The body is made of black ostrich's harl, and the wings of a pale starling's feather : it must be dressed short and thick.

3. HARE'S EAR. This is on during the summer months : the wings are made of the feather from a starling's wing ; the body of fur from the hare's ear; and legs of a ginger cock's hackle.

4. COCK TAIL. This is on during the summer months : the wings are made of the light feather from a snipe's wing; the body of yellow mohair.

5. WHIRLING DUN. This is also on during the summer months ; the wings are made of a snipe's feather ; the body of blue fur, wrapped with yellow silk, and a blue cock's hackle for legs; the tail of two hairs from a light coloured muff.

6 GREY DRAKE. This fly generally appears about the same time as the green drake, or a little after, and very much resembles it in shape. It kills best from three till dark. The wings are made of a dark grey feather of the mallard ; the body of white ostrich's harl, striped with dark silk ; the head of peacock's harl ; and the tail of three hairs from a sable muff.

7. Cow- DUNG FLY. This fly appears in March, and will kill till September. The wings are made of the feather of a landrail ; the body of yellow camlet, mixed with a little brown bear's fur; and a ginger hackle for legs : the wings should be dressed flat.

8. BEE FLY. This is an excellent chub fly, and is on during the summer months : the wings are made from the feathers of a blue pigeon's wing ; the body of chenil of various colours, arranged in stripes in the following order black, white, light yellow,
white, black, white ; the legs of a black hackle : the body must be dressed thick.

9. RED PALMER. Palmers are all good killing baits, and may be used during all the
fishing months. The body of this is made of dark red mohair, ribbed with gold twist, and wrapped with a red cock's hackle.

10. PEACOCK PALMER. The body of this is made of a peacock's harl, wrapped with a dusky red cock's hackle.

11. KINGDOM FLY. This is on from June to August, and will kill fish in any part of the kingdom. The wings are made of a woodcock's feather ; the body of white silk striped with green ; and the legs of a red cock's hackle.

12. WHITE GNAT. This is a delicate fly, and will kill well in an evening in the summer months. The wings are made of a small white feather ; the body of white silk 5 and the legs of a red cock's hackle.

13. BLUE DUN. This appears early in March, and is a good fly throughout the year. The best time for using it is from twelve to two in March and April. The wings are made of a starling's feather ; the body of the blue fur from a water rat, mixed with a little lemon coloured mohair ; the tail is forked, and should be made of two fibres from the feather used for the wing.

14. RED ANT. This is on from June to August, and is a good killer from eleven till six. The wings are made of a light starling's feather; the body of peacock's harl, made thick at the tail ; and a ginger hackle for legs.

15. GOLD SPINNER. This appears about the middle of June, and is on till the end of August. The wings are made of a starling's feather ; the body of orange silk, ribbed with gold twist ; and the legs of a red hackle.

16. GREAT WHITE MOTH. This is a night fly and should be used in a dark gloomy night, from eleven o'clock till daybreak : when you hear the fish rise strike immediately. The wings are made of a feather from the wing of a white owl ; the body of white cotton ; and a white cock's hackle wrapped round the body.

17. GOVERNOR. This appears early in June, and may be fished with till August. The wings are of a woodcock's feather ; the body of a peacock's harl, tied with orange silk.

18. MARCH BROWN. This fly appears about the middle of March, and continues on to the end of April : it is a most excellent fly, and kills best from eleven o'clock till three. The wings are made of the dark mottled feather from the tail of a partridge ; the body of fur from a hare's ear, well mixed with a little yellow worsted ; and
a grizzled cock's hackle for legs.

19. STONE FLY. This fly appears about the beginning of April, and has been found to kill before that time : it may be used at any time of the day. The wings are made of a dusky blue cock's hackle, or a mottled feather from a hen pheasant ; the body of dark brown, and yellow camlet mixed ; and a grizzled hackle for legs : the wings should lie flat*

20. BLACK SILVER PALMER. The body of black ostrich's harl, ribbed with silver twist, and wrapped with a black cock's hackle.

21. WILLOW FLY. This fly appears in the beginning of September, and kills well during the remainder of the season. The wings are made of a dark grizzled cock's hackle, and the body of blue squirrel's fur, mixed with yellow mohair.

22. YELLOW PALMER. The body is made of a white hackle dyed yellow, the body of yellow silk.

23. BLACK PALMER. The body of black ostrich's harl, wrapped with a black cock's
hackle.

24. BLACK PALMER RIBBED WITH GOLD. The body of peacock's harl, wrapped with a black cock's hackle, and ribbed with gold twist.

The foregoing list comprises twenty-four of the most killing flies, which are figured
in the Frontispiece. The following are also considered standard flies.

25. THE HAZE FLY. The haze fly is on during May and June. The wings are made of the red feather from a partridge's tail, not too dark ; the body of ostrich harl, of two colours, black and purple, twisted very thick, and the legs of a black cock's hackle.

26. FERN FLY. This appears about the middle of June, and is a very good killing fly. The wings are made of woodcock's feathers, the body of orange- coloured silk, and a pale dun hackle for legs.

27. LITTLE IRON BLUE This fly comes on early in May, and continues till the middle of June ; it is found in great numbers on cold windy days. It kills best from eleven o'clock to five. The wings are upright, and should be made of a feather from under a cormorant's wing, or from the tail of a tom-tit ; the body of pale blue fur, wrapped with purple silk.

28. GRAVEL OR SPIDER FLY. This appears in the middle of April, and continues about a fortnight. It is a very delicate fly, and is not often seen on cold days ; but it is
found to kill best then. The wings are made of the feather from a woodcock's wing, the body of lead-coloured silk, with a black cock's hackle wrapped under the wings.

29. GRANAM, OR GREEN TAIL. This appears about the same time as the Gravel Fly, and continues on about a week. The proper time to use it is from seven to eleven, and after five in the evening. The wings lie flat, and are made of the shaded feather from a partridge or hen pheasant ; the body of the dark fur from a hare's ear, mixed with a little blue fur, and a yellow grizzled cock's hackle for legs.

30. ORL FLY. This fly appears about the end of May, and continues for two months, and is a good killing fly at all hours, if the water is not very low. The wings should be made from the feather of a brown hen, and a grizzle hackle for legs ; the body of peacock's harl, worked with dark red silk.

31. BLUE GNAT.' This fly appears about the end of June, and continues about a fortnight 5 it is a good fly for grayling in September and October. The wings are made of a feather from a snipe's wing, or a blue cock's hackle ; the body of light blue fur mixed with a little yellow mohair.

32. OAK FLY, DOWNLOOKER, OR CANON FLY. This fly is frequently found on oak, ash, and willow trees, in May and June, and points its head downwards. The wings lie flat on the back, and are made with a feather from the wing of a partridge ; the head of the fur from the hare's ear; the body of dun fur mixed with orange and yellow mohair.

33. YELLOW SALLY. This appears early in May and continues till the end of June. The wings lie flat and are made of a hackle dyed yellow ; the body of yellow worsted unravelled and mixed with fur from a hare's ear.

34. WHIRLING BLUE. This appears early in August and continues till the end of the season. The wings are made of the feather of a sea swallow, the body of pale blue fur mixed with yellow mohair, and a pale blue hackle for legs.

MONTHS IN WHICH FLIES USUALLY APPEAR.

March Cowdung Fly, Blue Dun, March Brown.

April Black Gnat, Stone Fly, Gravel, or Spider Fly, Granam or Green Tail.

May Green Drake, Grey Drake, Oak Fly, Hazel Fly, Little Iron Blue, Orl Fly, Yellow Sally.

June Hare's Ear, Cock Tail, Whirling Dun, Bee Fly, Kingdom Fly, White Gnat, Blue Gnat, Governor, Fern Fly.

July Red Ant.

August Whirling Blue.

September Willow Fly.

LONDON:
Clarke, Printers, Silver Street, Falcon Square.

TYAS'S POPULAR HAND-BOOKS.




Go To Front Page