First, let your rod be light, and very gentle: I take the best to be of
two pieces. And let not your line exceed, especially for three or four
links next to the hook, I say, not exceed three or four hairs at the
most; though you may fish a little stronger above, in the upper part of
your line: but if you can attain to angle with one hair, you shall have
more rises, and catch more fish. Now you must be sure not to cumber
yourself with too long a line, as most do. And before you begin to
angle, cast to have the wind on your back; and the sun, if it shines, to
be before you; and to fish down the stream; and carry the point or top
of your rod downward, by which means the shadow of yourself and rod too,
will be the least offensive to the fish, for the sight of any shade
amazes the fish, and spoils your sport, of which you must take great
care.
In the middle of March, till which time a man should not in honesty
catch a Trout; or in April, it the weather be dark, or a little windy or
cloudy; the best fishing is with the palmer-worm, of which I last spoke
to you; but of these there be divers kinds, or at least of divers
colours: these and the May-fly are the ground of all fly-angling: which
are to be thus made:
First, you must arm your hook with the line, in the inside of it: then
take your scissors, and cut so much of a brown mallard's feather as, in
your own reason, will make the wings of it, you having, withal, regard
to the bigness or littleness of your hook; then lay the outmost part of
your feather next to your hook; then the point of your feather next the
shank of your hook, and, having so done, whip it three or four times
about the hook with the same silk with which your hook was armed; and
having made the silk fast, take the hackle of a cock or capon's neck, or
a plover's top, which is usually better: take off the one side of the
feather, and then take the hackle, silk or crewel, gold or silver
thread; make these fast at the bent of the hook, that is to say, below
your arming; then you must take the hackle, the silver or gold thread,
and work it up to the wings, shifting or still removing your finger as
you turn the silk about the hook, and still looking, at every stop or
turn, that your gold, or what materials soever you make your fly of, do
lie right and neatly; and if you find they do so, then when you have
made the head, make all fast: and then work your hackle up to the head,
and make that fast: and then, with a needle, or pin, divide the wing
into two; and then, with the arming silk, whip it about cross-ways
betwixt the wings: and then with your thumb you must turn the point of
the feather towards the bent of the hook; and then work three or four
times about the shank of the hook; and then view the proportion; and if
all be neat, and to your liking, fasten.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account