Fishing Fly...Stone Fly..May Fly..Dung Fly

Fishing Fly

THE STONE FLY

The Stone Fly is invariably converted into the May-fly, but the actual and properly named May-flies are the Green and Yellow Drakes.

If the weather has been warm, and the water low, May-flies (for by so calling them I shall be best understood), may be found the last week in May, or at all events in the beginning of June, some indeed, but very few may be seen as early as April, and as late as September.

This fly is easily found, his whereabouts indicated by his old coat, or husk, which he has discarded, and left on the outside of his mansion, which is generally a flat stone near the edge of the water.

This fly is generally but an indifferent killer in the middle of the day, mornings and evenings, (when not glutted and the weather propitious), Trout take it with avidity, provided there has been no frost during the night, and the water is free from the steaming sort of mist prevalent about this season.

You may begin to fish with the May-fly as soon as you can see to put the fly on the hook, the earlier you commence the better chance of large fish, especially if the water is clear, and very low, or even moderately so. In fishing with this fly, have your cast line light and strong, tapering gradually to the end, to which attach about three-quarters of a yard of fine round Gut, the best you can procure, on which tie your hook which must be at least a size larger than the Palmer hook; arm this hook with a strong pig's bristle, which must lay on the back of the hook, protruding a short way over the top of the shank.

In putting on the fly, insert the point of the hook under the head of the fly, passing through the body, bring it out underneath the tail, then take and press the fly upwards over the head of the bristle on your hook, bringing it so far down that it may pass through the back, behind the head of the fly, then set to work by throwing your fly into rapid streams, eddies caused by rocks, or other impediments; cast your fly always up and let it come down the stream floating on the surface of the water in a natural and easy way; if a fish rises and does not swallow it, do not pull your fly away, the odds are he will follow and take it, his motive I suppose in the first instance being to disable; however when Trout are fairly glutted with the May-fly, they may rise, but will not even touch it.

When a fish has seized your fly, do not strike too hard or hastily, numbers of fish are lost by doing so, let them always turn their heads either in stream or log water before you strike. On dark cold windy days, during the May-fly season you will find the small fly a much better killer than the May-fly. On bright and very hot days a well scoured Brandling Worm or Creeper may be used to advantage, after your morning's fishing with the May-fly is done, for on such days the artificial fly is entirely out of the question. A Bullock's horn with a few small holes bored in it, is perhaps the best and handiest thing you can put your flies into.

Observe that the Alder or Orl fly, is a capital killer when the May-fly is on. Who shall say that the May-fly short as is its life, has not undergone all the vicissitudes of a long and eventful life, that it has not felt all the freshness of youth, all the vigour of maturity, all the weakness of old age, and all the pangs of death itself?

THE FLESH FLY

The Flesh-fly, when the water is low and clear, is one of the most alluring flies that can be offered to the Trout, but great skill, care, and judgment are requisite in the use of it; in the hands of an expert angler, on a close hot day during the month of July, it is a sure and certain adjunct towards filling a pannier. The fish will take it when they will not look at an artificial; you will take as large fish with it as are to be had with any kind of fly, either natural or artificial. The flies are easily procured in shady places, in woods or fields, where cattle and horses have left recently made soil.

After having struck them with a bundle of twigs and killed, or stunned, as many as will answer your purpose, put them into a horn, or anything suitable, so that they do not escape. Your cast line must be of a length proportioned to the size of the river or brook where you fish, as a general rule (if you wade in the water), about a little longer than the length of your rod,--let your cast line be exceedingly fine, and have attached to it three-quarters of a yard of the finest round silk-worm gut,--your hook should be No. 2, put your fly on by inserting the point of the hook under the head of the fly, and running it through the body, bringing it out at the tail--you need not make above two or three casts at a place, and follow the same rule as with the May-fly, viz., to let the fish turn his head downwards before you strike.

Streams are the likeliest places where they have not time to scan the fly, in that curiously suspicious and shy manner in which they generally come to it in smooth water. However when they are in the humour they will take it anywhere if you can only contrive to keep out of sight, _hie labor hoc opus est_; this is the trouble and difficulty in a low water; and note, it is not worth while attempting to fish with the Flesh Fly on cold windy days, let the water be in ever such fine condition. Trout take this fly best when the temperature ranges somewhere about seventy Farenheit. This fly is often taken when the May-fly is refused.

THE COW DUNG FLY

The Cow Dung Fly is a good and enticing fly, it is easily procurable, as its name intimates, on foil left by cattle: if the water is low and clear, with a brisk wind stirring, you may use it advantageously, because the wind usually carries great quantities of them upon the water, which induce the fish to rise.

These flies are found from May to October; fish with them in the same way as the Flesh Fly; a No. 2 hook is quite large enough for them. Wherever you see a fish rise, when fishing with this or the Flesh Fly, you may count upon him as your own four times out of six, if you only contrive to make a light and dexterous cast, over the place where you observe the fish rise.

Dapping or Dibbing, or perhaps more properly Dipping,--this is another method of using the natural flies, and a very killing way too; your rod for this fishing must be of a good length, with a stiff top; your line composed solely of good, fine, strong gut, must be about but not less than a yard in length,--put your flies on the same sized hooks, and after the same way as you are directed to adopt in the other method where a longer line is used. Having stationed yourself out of sight, behind a bush, tree or rock, let your fly drop gently on the surface of the water, keep lifting and letting it fall so as just to cause the slightest perceptible dimple on the water, and if there is a fish at all hungry in your locality, you are pretty sure to have him.

If a good fish is hooked, let your winch line go, because he will struggle furiously when he feels the hook, and the hold might give way, provided you were too hasty and anxious to land him. In dibbing, almost any kind of fly will answer. The day suitable for this should be warm, and the water rather low and clear.

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