The Wharfe near Burnsall.

Photo by Mr. L. A. Edmonds

BROOK AND RIVER
TROUTING

A Manual of modern North Country methods

With Coloured Illustrations of Flies
and Fly-Dressing Materials

By
HARFIELD H. EDMONDS
NORMAN N. LEE

Published by the Authors, 23, Bank Street, Bradford.
All rights reserved

CONTENTS.

ILLUSTRATIONS.

PREFACE.

When the writers began to take a practical interest in trout fly dressing, they experienced great difficulty in determining the correct feathers for the various patterns, as the older books on the subject of North Country flies are vague in the extreme. The few more modern writers on wet flies, for want of precision, have done little to help the beginner to a proper appreciation of his materials. It was therefore felt that a book, which not only prescribed the exact part of a bird from which the correct feathers should be taken, but illustrated such feathers and other materials (as also the flies made therefrom), in colour, would be a help, at least to beginners in the craft, and not merely an encumbrance on angling literature.

Having conceded the difficulties of the novice wishing to dress his own flies, the question of the number of patterns necessary for fishing the Rivers of the North Country naturally came next for consideration. As the tendency during recent years has been to increase the number out of all reason and beyond practical bounds, to the great bewilderment of the beginner and the occasional fisherman, a list of flies has been drawn up which, while it contains few patterns as compared with many other lists, is yet wide enough to provide for varying conditions the season through. The flies are for the most part old friends, but for the above reasons it is hoped they will not be unwelcome.

The original scheme of this work was limited by the foregoing considerations. But when the book had been mapped out in a general form it became evident that a description of the methods employed in fishing North Country streams with success would not only give point to what the writers had to say on flies, but might be of interest to the majority of North Country fishermen. It was therefore decided to enlarge the scope of the work. The chapters on the various methods of fishing the Rivers of the Northern Counties are the outcome of practical experience, and as such it is hoped they will be both useful and interesting.

The authors desire to express their indebtedness to Mrs. A. R. Gurney, Mr. L. A. Edmonds, and Mr. F. Creedy for the photographs from which several of the river scenes have been reproduced.

H. H. E.
N. N. L.

1916.

Chapter I.
FLIES.

While it is the endeavour of this work to bring the range of trout flies within reasonable and practical limits and to describe no other than sound practical dressings, there is no desire to limit experiment either in patterns or numbers. In fact to do so would take away one of the pleasantest features of the pastime and rob many a winter’s evening of its delight. All those who take an interest in fly dressing should work from Nature wherever possible, for flies frequently differ in no small degree in different localities; and there is a great deal of enjoyment to be obtained in dressing a fly with the natural insect before one, and afterwards killing trout on the resulting work of one’s hands.

It is not intended to devote any space to the processes of fly-tying, as much has been written on the subject. The reader in search of information cannot do better than read the late H. G. McClelland’s book, The Trout Fly Dresser’s Cabinet of Devices, or How to tie Flies for Trout and Grayling Fishing, which is the most practical and exhaustive treatise on the subject known to the writers.

The illustrations, facing this page, of both sides of a Snipe’s wing will show the reader the precise places from which the various wing feathers, described in the text, are taken, and while the descriptions of the feathers may not satisfy the naturalist, they are sufficient for the purposes of the writers.

It is naturally of importance in fly-dressing to use no hooks but the best, and it will be found that Hardy Bros.’ tapered snecks are satisfactory in every respect, except that they are on the long side. If about one-sixteenth of an inch be cut off the shank with an old pair of scissors before dressing the fly, a more useful length will be attained, as artificial flies are much more killing if kept short in the body. Stress is laid on this; and it will be seen from the illustrations of the flies that the tail ends of the bodies are not carried further down the hook than half way between the point of the hook and the point of the barb. For the two floating Spinners, Hardy Bros.’ Dry Fly Eyed Hooks are recommended. The numbers of the hooks given in the text correspond with the numbers enumerated in Hardy Bros.’ catalogue.

Inner side

Outer side

The writers prefer to dress their flies to gut, 4x being the most suitable grade; but good hair, if it can be obtained, will be found delightful to fish with, as a cast made from it falls so very lightly on the water; and, even when the hair has become thoroughly soaked, the droppers, unlike those tied to gut, have no tendency to twist round the cast, but stand well out from it.

The most satisfactory tying silk is Pearsall’s “Gossamer,” which is standardized in shades. A shade card is illustrated and the numbers appearing after the various silks mentioned in the text correspond with the numbers above the various shades illustrated.

In dressing the flies the silk is in all cases waxed with transparent wax; and, where it is stated that such and such a silk is to be well waxed, the result should be a shade or two darker than an ordinary waxing would give.

In the dressings of most of the winged flies it is laid down that either the outer side or the inner side of the quill feather used should in the finished article appear as the “under side” of the wing of the artificial. The reader will easily understand which is the “under side” of the wing of the artificial if he remembers that it is that side of the wing which would touch the water if the fly were “spent” and floating thereon.

Although the primary quill feathers are almost exclusively recommended for the wings of most of the winged patterns, the secondaries will often do equally well.

The correct shade of dubbing for the bodies of flies, where coloured dubbing is specified, can often be obtained to most advantage by a mixture of two or more shades. For instance, the dubbing for the Winter Brown is a mixture of brown and maroon wool, while the dubbing for the Green Insect is a mixture of green and yellow wool.

The silks forming the heads of the various flies are of the same shade as the respective silks used for the bodies unless otherwise stated; and it should be borne in mind that the flies, particularly the hackle patterns, must be dressed lightly, if one of the most distinctive features of the North Country patterns is to be preserved. In copying from Nature let the imitation err on the small side if anything.

No attempt has been made to reproduce in the coloured plates either gold or silver wire or tinsel.

When the river is “coloured,” flies dressed a size larger than those employed under normal conditions can be used with advantage.

Although the seasons for the various flies are given, they are approximate only, as districts frequently vary one from another, and the lateness or otherwise of a season naturally has an effect on the hatch, just as it has on the roses in gardens. Often the March Brown can be seen in the latter part of May, and sometimes a particular fly, for no apparent reason, will remain on the water for a longer time than usual. The necessity of careful observation cannot therefore be too strongly impressed, as observation will teach far more than all the books that were ever written.

Shades of Silk.

The form of wing specified for the Spinners is recommended to the attention of the reader, as being a most practical form of wing for any winged pattern, wet or dry, where transparency is the primary object. To the writers it seems an improvement on the hackle points now so popular for many flies, as it is free from the objectionable and comparatively thick midrib of the latter and it is a harder wearing dressing than the older form. The development to which such newer form of wing lends itself for other patterns than the Spinners mentioned in the list at pages 24, 26 and 30 may be noted, and the field which is open for experiment will be evident to the reader.

Under the name of each fly, in giving its dressing, the name of the order or family to which the natural insect as represented by the artificial belongs will be found, and opposite page 12 reproductions of typical examples of each of the orders or families of natural insects mentioned will be found, with the exception of the Ant and Green Insect. The latter are so well known as to need no illustration. The beginner will therefore have an idea of the fly he is copying and perhaps be able to identify it at the stream side. It must not be forgotten however that certain patterns represent more than one species of fly.

It has been the good fortune of the writers to fish on many waters; and while the Winter Brown has often given them the first thrill of the season, and the Green Insect accounted for fish when September gusts have strewn the river with leaves and green fly, they hope they have not grown dogmatic in their views and opinions on matters piscatorial. Nevertheless they are inclined to think that, the closer they keep in shade and colour in their patterns to the natural flies, the greater has been their success; for, although they can recall occasions on which the fish would rise at almost anything, such occasions have been few and far apart; while the times when the trout would only look at a particular fly of a particular shade have been by far the more frequent in their experience. Why deny fish the power to appreciate variations of shade when they live in a world of colours, and are clothed in such a beautiful and vari-coloured mail? If trout can appreciate tones of colour, how different a fly must appear to them in different lights and with different backgrounds. Such natural variations of surrounding light and landscape may have a larger effect on “the bag” than many think.

For easy reference two tables of flies are given. One, in which are set down the flies in the order in which they may generally be fished through the season, with the approximate times of their use, and the other, with the flies tabled under the various trout fishing months.

It remains only to add, that the taking fly should be fished as point, i.e., the fly farthest from the angler.

Natural Flies of the Orders & Families named

TABLE I.

TABLE II.

• March.
• Winter Brown.
• Waterhen Bloa.
• Greenwell’s Glory.
• Spring Black.
• Dark Snipe.
• Orange Partridge.
• Broughton’s Point.
• April.
• Winter Brown.
• Waterhen Bloa.
• Greenwell’s Glory.
• Spring Black.
• Dark Snipe.
• Orange Partridge.
• Broughton’s Point.
• March Brown.
• Light Snipe.
• Dark Needle.
• Brown Owl.
• Olive Bloa.
• Dark Watchet.
• May.
• Greenwell’s Glory.
• Orange Partridge.
• March Brown.
• Light Snipe.
• Dark Needle.
• Brown Owl.
• Olive Bloa.
• Dark Watchet.
• Yellow Partridge.
• Light Needle.
• Yellow-Legged Bloa.
• Dotterel.
• Poult Bloa.
• Gravel Bed.
• Stone Midge.
• Knotted Midge.
• Black Gnat.
• June.
• Dark Needle.
• Brown Owl.
• Dark Watchet.
• Yellow Partridge.
• Light Needle.
• Yellow-Legged Bloa.
• Dotterel.
• Poult Bloa.
• Gravel Bed.
• Stone Midge.
• Knotted Midge.
• Black Gnat.
• Ginger Spinner (Wet and Dry).
• Dark Sedge.
• Light Sedge.
• July.
• Light Needle.
• Dotterel.
• Poult Bloa.
• Knotted Midge.
• Black Gnat.
• Ginger Spinner (Wet and Dry).
• Dark Sedge.
• Light Sedge.
• Red Spinner (Wet and Dry).
• July Dun.
• Rough-Bodied Poult.
• Pale Watery Dun.
• Light Silverhorns.
• Dark Silverhorns.
• August Dun.
• August.
• Dotterel.
• Black Gnat.
• Ginger Spinner (Wet and Dry).
• Dark Sedge.
• Light Sedge.
• Red Spinner (Wet and Dry).
• July Dun.
• Rough-bodied Poult.
• Pale Watery Dun.
• Light Silverhorns.
• Dark Silverhorns.
• August Dun.
• Ant.
• Green Insect.
• September.
• Waterhen Bloa.
• Greenwell’s Glory.
• Dark Snipe.
• Light Snipe.
• Dark Needle.
• Dotterel.
• Dark Sedge.
• Light Sedge.
• Red Spinner (Wet and Dry).
• Rough-bodied Poult.
• Pale Watery Dun.
• August Dun.
• Ant.
• Green Insect.

DRESSINGS.

WET FLIES.

No. 1.

Winter Brown.

Perlidæ

Hook 1 or 2.

Wings.—Hackled with a greyish feather, barred, from the under coverts of a Woodcock’s wing. (The lighter side of the feather towards the head of the fly).

Body.—Orange silk, No. 6a, dubbed with ruddy brown wool, the three turns next the tail showing distinct orange.

Head.—Bronze Peacock herl.

March to middle of April.

No. 2.

Waterhen Bloa.

Ephemeridæ.

Hook 1 or 2.

Wings.—Hackled with a smoky grey feather from the under coverts of a Waterhen’s wing. (The darker side of the feather towards the head of the fly).

Body.—Yellow silk, No. 4, dubbed with Mole’s fur.

Head.—Yellow silk.

March to end of April, and again in September.

No. 3.

Greenwell’s Glory.

Ephemeridæ.

Hook 1 or 2.

Wings.—From a hen Blackbird’s primary quill feather, bunched and split.

Body.—Yellow silk, No. 4, well waxed, ribbed with four turns of fine gold wire or tinsel.

Legs.—Cochybondu Hen’s hackle.

Head.—Yellow silk, well waxed.

March to first week in May, and again in September, although, by dressing with a lighter wing, body and hackle, the fly can be used during the intervening months.

No. 4.

Spring Black.

Diptera (gnat).

Hook 0.

Wings.—Hackled with a black Cock’s hackle or a blue black feather from an adult Starling’s neck.

Body.—Purple silk, No. 8, dubbed sparingly with Magpie herl.

Head.—Purple silk.

March and early April.

1 2 3 4

No. 5.

Dark Snipe or Snipe and Purple.

Ephemeridæ.

Hook 1.

Wings.—Hackled with the dark feather from the marginal coverts of a Snipe’s wing.

Body.—Purple silk, No. 8.

Head.—Purple silk.

March to middle of April, and again in September.

No. 6.

Orange Partridge.

Perlidæ and Ephemeridæ.

Hook 1.

Wings.—Hackled with a brown mottled (not barred) feather from a Partridge’s neck, or back.

Body.—Orange silk, No. 6a, or orange silk, No. 6a, ribbed with about four turns of gold wire or tinsel.

Head.—Orange silk.

March to middle of May.

No. 7.

Broughton’s Point or Dark Bloa.

Ephemeridæ.

Hook 1 or 2.

Wings.—From a Starling’s primary quill feather, the outer side of the feather as the under side of the wing.

Body.—Claret silk, No. 13.

Legs.—A black Hen’s hackle.

Head.—Claret silk.

March to middle of April.

No. 8a.

March Brown.

Ephemeridæ.

Hook 2 or 3.

Wings.—From a quill feather from a Partridge’s tail, greyish in tone, the top side of the feather as the under side of the wing.

Body.—Orange silk, No. 6a, dubbed with sandy fur taken from near the base of a Hare’s ear and ribbed with yellow silk, No. 4.

Tail.—Two strands from a Partridge’s tail, same feather as the one used for the wings.

Legs.—Greyish brown feather from a Partridge’s back.

Head.—Orange silk.

April and often May.

5 6 7 8A

No. 8b.

March Brown.

Ephemeridæ.

Hook 2 or 3.

Wings.—Hackled with a mottled brown feather from a Snipe’s rump.

Body.—Orange silk, No. 6a, dubbed with fur from the nape of a Rabbit’s neck which has been lightly tinged red with Crawshaw’s Red Spinner dye, and ribbed with gold wire or tinsel.

Tail.—Two strands from a feather from a Snipe’s rump, same feather as is used for the wings.

Head.—Orange silk.

April, and often May.

No. 9.

Light Snipe or Snipe Bloa.

Ephemeridæ.

Hook 1.

Wings.—Hackled with a bluish feather from the under coverts of a Snipe’s wing. (The lighter side of the feather towards the head of the fly).

Body.—Yellow silk, No. 4.

Head.—Yellow silk.

Middle of April to middle of May, and again in September.

No. 10.

Dark Needle.

Perlidæ.

Hook 1.

Wings.—Hackled with a brownish feather taken from where the hinder part of a Starling’s wing joins the body, (There are only about four of these feathers on each side of the bird.) or with a brownish feather from the back of a Swift.

Body.—Orange brown silk, No. 6b.

Head.—Magpie herl.

Middle of April to the end of June, and again in September.

No. 11.

Brown Owl.

Trichoptera.

Hook 1.

Wings.—Hackled with a reddish brown feather from the lesser coverts of a Tawny or Brown Owl’s wing.

Body.—Orange silk, No. 6a.

Head.—Bronze Peacock herl.

Latter part of April to end of June.

8B 9 10 11

No. 12.

Olive Bloa.

Ephemeridæ.

Hook 1.

Wings.—Hackled with an olive green feather from a Green Plover’s neck.

Body.—Yellow silk, No. 4, well waxed.

Head.—Orange brown silk, No. 6b.

Latter part of April and throughout May.

No. 13a.

Dark Watchet or Iron Blue Dun.

Ephemeridæ.

Hook 0 or 00.

Wings.—Hackled with a dark smoky blue feather from a Jackdaw’s throat.

Body.—Orange and purple silk, Nos. 6a and 8, twisted together, dubbed very sparingly with Mole’s fur and wound on the body so that the orange and purple show in alternate bands.

Head.—Orange silk.

Last week in April and throughout May, and sometimes early June. Particularly for dull days.

No. 13b.

Dark Watchet or Iron Blue Dun.

Ephemeridæ.

Hook 0 or 00.

Wings.—From the darkish blue feather from a Blue Tit’s tail, bunched and split.

Body.—Same as No. 13a.

Tail.—Two strands from a medium grizzled blue Cock’s hackle.

Legs.—Feather from a young Starling’s thigh or flank.

Head.—Orange silk.

Last week in April and throughout May, and sometimes early June. For brighter days.

No. 14.

Yellow Partridge.

Perlidæ and Diptera (Crane-fly).

Hook 0 or 1.

Wings.—Hackled with a greyish feather barely tinged with brown, from a Partridge’s back.

Body.—Yellow silk, No. 4.

Head.—Yellow silk.

May to middle of June.

12 13A 13B 14

No. 15.

Light Needle.

Perlidæ.

Hook 0 or 1.

Wings.—Hackled with a feather from a young Starling’s thigh or flank.

Body.—Orange silk, No. 6a.

Head.—Orange silk.

May, June and July.

No. 16.

Yellow-Legged Bloa.

Ephemeridæ.

Hook 1.

Wings.—From a young Starling’s light primary quill feather, the outer side of the feather as the under side of the wing.

Body.—Primrose yellow silk, No. 3.

Tail.—Two strands from a very pale ginger Cock’s hackle.

Legs.—A Cock’s hackle dyed a rich primrose yellow.

Head.—Primrose yellow silk.

May to end of June.

No. 17.

Dotterel.

Ephemeridæ.

Hook 1.

Wings.—Hackled with a light-tipped fawnish feather from the marginal coverts or lesser coverts of a Dotterel’s wing.

Body.—Orange silk, No. 6, or primrose yellow silk, No. 3.

Head.—Orange silk, or primrose yellow silk.

If the Dotterel feather is unobtainable a feather from the under coverts of a young Starling’s wing makes a fair substitute.

Middle of May to end of Season.

No. 18.

Poult Bloa.

Ephemeridæ.

Hook 0 or 1.

Wings.—Hackled with a light blue feather from the under coverts of a young Grouse wing, taken before the bird is strong on the wing. (The lighter side of the feather towards the head of the fly.) This feather darkens very rapidly on the live bird from August onwards.

Body.—Primrose yellow silk, No. 3.

Head.—Primrose yellow silk.

Middle of May to middle of July.

15 16 17 18

No. 19.

Gravel Bed.

Diptera (Crane-fly).

Hook 1.

Wings.—Hackled with a greyish feather, lightly tinged with brown, from a Partridge’s neck.

Body.—Blue silk, No. 7, dubbed with blue-grey fur from the flank of an Opossum.

Head.—Blue silk.

Middle of May to end of June. A useful fly in a coloured water.

No. 20.

Stone Midge.

Diptera (Gnat).

Hook 0 or 00.

Wings.—Hackled with an olive green feather from a Green Plover’s neck.

Body.—Grey silk, No. 9a, well waxed, or ash-coloured silk, No. 10, but in both cases dubbed sparingly with bluey-grey Heron herl.

Head.—Magpie herl.

Middle of May to end of June.

No. 21.

Knotted Midge.

Diptera (Gnat).

Hook 0 or 00.

Wings.—Hackled down the body “palmerwise” with a small black Cock’s hackle.

Body.—Ash-coloured silk, No. 10, dubbed with dark Heron herl.

Head.—Magpie herl.

Middle of May to end of July.

For close days.

No. 22.

Black Gnat.

Diptera (Gnat).

Hook 00.

Wings.—A few fibres from a light blue Hen’s hackle put on as a single wing.

Body.—Black silk, No. 9.

Legs.—Rusty black Hen’s hackle.

Head.—Black silk.

Middle of May to end of August.

For close days.

19 20 21 22

No. 23.

Ginger Spinner.

Ephemeridæ.

Hook 0 or 1.

Wings.—Fibres of light grizzled blue Cock’s hackle.

Body.—Flat gold wire with a wrapping over it of orange silk, No. 6, the silk to be untwisted and only one or two strands used.

Tail.—Two strands from a ginger Cock’s hackle.

Legs.—Ginger Cock’s hackle.

Head.—Orange silk.

June, July and August.

No. 24.

Dark Sedge.