Every Boy's Book: A Complete Encyclopaedia of Sports and Amusements Part 18

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1. _The green drake or May fly._--This is one of the most killing trout flies, but it is seldom in the water for a longer period than three weeks. The time of its appearance varies in different rivers, but it generally rises about the last week in May, and continues for about three weeks. The wings are made of the light feathers of a grey drake, dyed a pale yellow-green colour, by being boiled for a minute or two in a decoction of green vitriol. The body is formed of amber-coloured mohair or silk ribbon, with dark green silk; the head of peac.o.c.k's harl, and the tail of three long hairs taken from a sable m.u.f.f.

2. _The black gnat._--The body of this fly is made of black ostrich harl, and the wings of a pale starling's feather; it must be dressed short and thick. It is in use from the end of April till the end of May, and is a good killer when the water is low.

3. _Hare's ear._--The wings are made from the feather of a starling's wing, the body from the fur of the hare's ear, the legs of a ginger c.o.c.k's hackle.

4. _c.o.c.k tail._--Wings of the light feather from a snipe's wing, the body of yellow mohair.

5. _Whirling dun._--Wings of a snipe's feather, body of blue fur wrapped with yellow silk, and a blue c.o.c.k's hackle for legs; the tail of two hairs from a coloured m.u.f.f.

6. _Grey drake._--Wings of a dark grey feather of the mallard, the body of white silk, striped with dark silk, the head of a peac.o.c.k's harl, and the tail of three hairs from a sable m.u.f.f.

7. _Cowdung fly._--The wings of the feather of a landrail, the body of yellow camlet, mixed with a little brown bear-fur, and a ginger hackle for legs; the wings should be dressed flat.

8. _Bee fly._--The body of thread of various colours, arranged in stripes of the following order:--black, white, light yellow, white, black, white; the legs of a black hackle; the wings from the feathers of a blue pigeon's wing: the body must be dressed thick.

9. _Red palmer._--The body of dark-red mohair, ribbed with gold twist, and wrapped with a red c.o.c.k's hackle.

10. _Peac.o.c.k palmer._--The body of a peac.o.c.k's harl, wrapped with a dusky-red c.o.c.k's hackle.

11. _Kingdom fly._--Wings of a woodc.o.c.k's feather, the body of white silk, striped with green, and the legs of a red c.o.c.k's hackle.

12. _White gnat._--The wings of a small white feather, the body of white silk, and the legs of a red c.o.c.k's hackle.

13. _Blue dun._--The wings of a starling's feather, the body of blue fur from a water rat, mixed with a little lemon-colour mohair; the tail is forked, and should be made of two fibres from the feather used for the wing.

14. _Red ant._--The wings of a light starling's feather, the body of peac.o.c.k's harl made thick at the tail, and a ginger hackle for legs.

15. _Gold spinner._--Wings of a starling's feather, body of orange silk, ribbed with gold twist, and the legs of a red hackle.

16. _Great white moth._--Wings of a feather from the wing of a white owl, the body of white cotton, and a white c.o.c.k's hackle wrapped round the body.

17. _Governor._--Wings of a woodc.o.c.k's feather, the body of a peac.o.c.k's harl, tied with orange silk.

18. _March brown._--Wings 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 c.o.c.k's hackle for legs.

19. _Stone fly._--Wings of a dusky-blue c.o.c.k'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 be flat.

20. _Black silver palmer._--The body of black ostrich harl, ribbed with silver twist, and wrapped with black c.o.c.k's hackle.

21. _Willow fly._--The wings of dark grizzled c.o.c.k's hackle, the body of blue squirrel's fur, mixed with yellow mohair.

22. _Yellow palmer._--The wings of white hackle, dyed yellow, the body of yellow silk.

23. _Black palmer._--The body of black ostrich's harl, wrapped with a black c.o.c.k's hackle.

24. _Black palmer ribbed with gold._--The body of peac.o.c.k's harl, wrapped with a black c.o.c.k's hackle, and ribbed with gold twist.

25. _Marlow Buzz or c.o.c.k-a-Boundhu._--This is one of the most killing flies known, and should never be off the line during the trout season.

The body of peac.o.c.k's harl, ribbed with gold twist, and a dark-red c.o.c.k's hackle over all.

26. _The Grouse Hackle._--This is also a very killing fly, especially late in the evening, during June, July, and August. Body of brown fur, ribbed with gold twist, and a grouse hackle over all; hook No. 10.

The foregoing list comprises twenty-six of the most killing flies; and the following are the months in which they will be found to kill best.

_February_, red cowdung fly, blue dun; _March_, brown; _April_, black gnat, stone fly, gravel or spider fly, the green tail, brown, blue dun; _May_, green drake, grey drake, oak fly, hazel fly, little iron blue and yellow sally; _June_, hare's ear, c.o.c.k tail, whirling dun, marlow buzz, bee fly, kingdom fly, white gnat, blue gnat, blue dun, governor, fern fly; gold spinner; _July_, red ant, red spinner, yellow dun, coachman, fern fly; _August_, whirling blue, red spinner, pale yellow dun; _September_, willow fly, silver twisted blue, whirling blue.

It would of course be impossible, in a work of this description, to give a list of all the artificial flies used by experienced fishermen, but the above are a few of the most killing. For bleak, dace, roach, chub, &c. a piece of a maggot, or a small piece of white leather, should be placed at the end of the hook.

Having thus given the "order of flies," natural and artificial, we may imagine the young fly-fisher, with rod in hand, proportionate to his strength and the breadth of the stream, ready to throw his fly; but let his rod and running tackle be in good order, and the idea of the coachman's whip out of his mind. He is not to flog the water, but to tickle it. The novice should teach himself to handle the line, by beginning with it alone, (_i. e._ without flies or hook,) trying a short length first, and lengthening it gradually. In using the rod, it should be drawn vigorously back, though without a jerk, and thrown forward again _when the line has reached its full extent behind_. Take care in doing this, that the fly be not whipped off. When tolerably expert, put on one fly, and try awhile with that, adopting two or three when able to use them properly.

In fly-fishing keep as far from the water as possible, especially if fishing for trout. Let only the flies touch the water, and keep moving them gently and slowly on the surface. When a fish rises, let not a moment elapse before you strike, and do it sharply.

When you have two flies on your line, you must try to throw your line so that the bottom fly shall reach the water first; it must be done always as lightly as possible, so that it may resemble a natural fly settling upon the water. You must suffer the line to float gently down the stream, at the same time working it towards you.

The best time for angling with the fly is when there is a gentle breeze upon the water; south and west winds are to be preferred, when the water has been disturbed by heavy rains and is just resuming its natural colour, or when the day is dull and cloudy. The best time, morning and evening. In cold weather the fish bite deeper, and you should then let the fly sink a little. Take care to have the wind in your back, and the sun in your face, if possible.

When you see a rise, throw your fly about half a yard above the fish's nose, and let it fall down with the stream; watch it narrowly, and strike as the fish rises, giving him an "infinite little moment" to taste. When you have hooked, play your fish carefully, keeping up his head and running him down the stream, at the same time steering him towards you. If you see a fish rise at a natural fly, throw your bait a little before him, so that he may take it as "one of the number."

To know what flies the fish are most likely to take, observe what natural flies are about the water, or on the gra.s.s, trees, or bushes in the vicinity of the river; and take that fly which is the most in abundance, either natural or artificial at your discretion.

Such are a few practical particulars concerning angling and fly-fishing, sufficient to enable any young angler to begin. For more abundant information we refer him to Mr. Stoddart and Mr. Stewart, for fly-fishing, Mr. Cholmondeley Pennell for pike-fishing, "Hewitt Wheatley" for grayling fishing, and Mr. Francis Francis for the various modes of bottom fishing.

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ARCHERY.

"And he was clad in coat and pode of grene; A shefe of pec.o.c.ke arrows bryght and shene Under his belt he bare, ful threftely.

Well coude he dresse his tackle yomanly.

His arrows drouped not with feathers lowe, And in his hande he bare a myghty bowe."--CHAUCER.

The skill of the English in archery was always very great. Our ancestors used the bow for a double purpose: in time of war, it was a far more dreadful instrument of destruction than our present soldier's musket; while in the "piping times of peace," it became an object of amus.e.m.e.nt.

The victories the English obtained over their enemies in times of war were many, and what the world calls glorious; and they stand upon record in our history, where the young reader may peruse them with interest and advantage.

[Ill.u.s.tration: SAXON BOW AND ARROW.]

The Anglo-Saxons and the Danes were certainly well acquainted with the use of the bow, which they used, not so much for war purposes, as in the sports of the field. But it is well known that the Normans used the bow as a military weapon, and under their government the practice of archery was not only much improved, but generally diffused throughout the kingdom. The long-bow was an instrument of Norman introduction, and there seems good reason to believe that the arbalist, or cross-bow, was used by these st.u.r.dy invaders.

THE LONG-BOW.

[Ill.u.s.tration: NORMAN-BOW.]

The use of the English long-bow arrived at the highest perfection in the reign of Edward III.; and, notwithstanding the introduction of fire-arms, continued for a long time after to be successfully cultivated. Cressy, Poictiers, Agincourt, and many other victories, were obtained by its use; and Sir John Fortescue writes, "That mighte of the realme of Englande standyth upon her archers,"--as it will now upon our riflemen or sharpshooters, when our army shall get the right kind of gun.