Ellery Clark Gregg

“ Beginning with dry flies, my first choice would be {63} a Quill Gordon, on a size 16 hook. This fly closely represents the numerous duns that are on or about the water, to some extent, during the entire season. I have little faith in color in the dry fly, except light or dark shades. I do believe that the size and shape have a great deal more to do with the success of a dry fly than color. I have proven to my own satisfaction that a Quill Gordon sparsely dressed as it should be, but tied with a black hackle and yellow mallard wings, is just as successful as the customary dressing. ”

“ Many of the fundamentals learned in tying Bucktails are used in tying all of the flies to follow. For instance, in putting the wings or tail on a wet fly, the same method of holding the wing between the thumb and finger and making the loose loop, are explained as when putting the hair or tail on a Bucktail. Putting the wings on a fly correctly seems to be the greatest difficulty encountered by the beginner. ”

“ With such hackles a dry fly can be sparsely dressed as it should be and still maintain its natural balance and floating qualities. On the other hand, a wet fly should sink readily, and should be made with very soft webby hackles. These absorb water quickly, and have better action in the water. Contrary to the customary way to tie hackles on the wet fly, as explained in the chapter "Wet Flies", I find it very convenient and economical to strip the fibers from any size hackle, clip off the butt ends to the desired length and tie them on the bottom of the hook, the same as buck tail is tied on. ”

“ Very few tools are required by the Fly-Tier. Those that are necessary are inexpensive, and most of them can be homemade. However, as with any other craft good tools are an asset. I advise the beginner to procure the following:
TOOLS
Fly-Tiers' vise. There are many styles of fly-tying vises on the market. The simplest is just a slot cut in a 3/8" piece of square steel with a hacksaw, and a thumb screw to tighten the slot. This type of vise will work all right, although rather clumsy and hard to tighten enough to hold the hook truly. ”

“ For clearness {viii} of understanding please note that where a fly is described in this book as having grey wings, or red body, etc., and no particular feather or material is specified, it means that any feather or body material may be used. When a particular feather, body, hackle, tail, etc., must be used it will be so stated.
Each year a steadily increasing number of anglers are learning to tie their own flies. Not many years ago, there were few in America outside of professional tiers who understood the art. ”

“ Bass flies are little more than large trout lies, the principal difference being the feathers that are used for the wings although the same feathers can be used as for trout flies. It is customary with commercial tiers to use two whole feathers for the wings, or the tips of two wings feathers, etc. Place the concave sides together and tie in the butt ends the same as for a wet fly. Bass flies to be used as spinner flies, that is, flies to be used with a spinner in front, should be tied on ring eyed hooks instead of hooks with turned down or turned up eyes. ”

“ A few fibers from a golden or silver pheasant neck tippet, whisks from a hackle feather, a strip of wing or breast feather, a few hairs, etc., are used for tails. Many of the standard patterns are tied without tails; however, on all of my dry flies, I tie three or four stiff fibers or hairs. They balance the fly and help it to float much better. ”

“ Only the making of flies of the very highest quality and most durable construction will be attempted. In describing the principals of construction with the following illustrations, it will be impossible to describe in detail each standard pattern; however, it must be remembered that the fundamentals applying to each style of fly will be the principal bases of construction of all flies of that style, and that the use of different body materials, hackles, wings or size will simply change the pattern and not the fundamental points of construction. ”

“ When the body enamel has dried, take a pair of feathers for wings (whole feathers that have the quill in the centre, same as are used for regular bass fly wings are best) , and with the tying silk bind these fast to the top side of the shoulders as in Fig. 6. Tie on a tail close to the body, paint on the eyes, paint any other color or designs you wish on the body, and the Bug is completed. ”

“ TYING SILK: Ordinary sewing silk is too coarse for ordinary fly-tying and it doesn't seem to have the strength. Size 00 is a good size for all flies including bucktails and streamers. For dry flies and small wet flies a gossamer silk size 000 and 0000 is the best to use. Although the strength of this fine silk is much less than the size 00, it has the advantage that more turns can be used, and the heads can be made much smaller. ”

“ This family all have flat wings and make an entirely different appearance than the aforementioned Quill Gordon. I tie the Red Ant on a size 14 hook. I build the body first of red silk floss, shape it like the body of an ant, give it a couple of coats of clear lacquer and let it dry hard and shiny. This body will reflect light, much as the natural insect. I then tie on two hackle tips for wings. Have them about as long as the hook, spread them so they are at about a 30 degree angle from the body and very flat. I then use a brown saddle hackle with fibers about 3/4" long for legs. ”

“ The object of this book will be throughout its entirety to teach in a practical manner the art of Fly Tying in all its branches. The principles used herein, and the methods of construction employed, are those used by the professional fly-tier who practices fly-making for the sake of art, and tries to achieve with each finished fly, a masterpiece.
None of the short-cuts employed by those whose business is quantity production will be attempted. ”

“ The beginner need not worry about the great variety. Some hooks, silk floss and spun fur or wool yarn and chenille for bodies, a few sizes of tinsel for ribbing, bucktails of three or four colors, an assortment of duck and turkey wing quills some mallard breast, an assortment of neck and saddle hackles, a spool of tying silk, a piece of wax, a bottle of head lacquer, and many of the popular patterns can be made. ”

“ A Brown Bucktail with a silver body on a #6 3x long shank hook rates number one in Bucktail streamers. Another excellent fly that has been a favorite for years, is a Yellow and Red Bucktail, with a silver body, the red only a narrow streak through the centre. This fly has recently been named "Mickey Finn." A red and {68} white, with silver or gold body is a real good pattern where there are brook trout, and tied on a large hook is very good for bass. ”

“ A Bi-visible is shown in Fig. 6. This is a fly without wings, hackle tied palmer (that is hackle wound the full length of the hook, usually tied without a body, and the dark patterns have a turn or two of white hackle in front) .
All of the flies on Diagram 2 are shown as dry flies; however, the same feathers are used for wet flies, streamers, etc., the difference being the style in which they are tied, which is explained elsewhere.
WAX: Use a good grade of wax for fly-tying. The proper wax will work much better than shoemaker's wax or beeswax. ”

“ Materials used by the Fly-Tier cover an extremely large field. Although only a few simple and easily obtained items are necessary for a start, it is interesting to know that furs, feathers and body materials come from all parts of the world. There's the jungle cock from India whose neck feathers are extensively used on salmon flies and a very large percentage of all fancy flies. ”

“ Fig. 10 is a very effective nymph, the body made entirely of natural raffia (soaked in water before using) , with black hair used for the tail and feelers The body coated with lacquer as before mentioned and pressed flat when dry; paint the back with dark brown or black lacquer.
Fig. 11 is made by close wound palmer hackle cut off on dotted lines. Fig. 12 is a fur body, made by spinning rabbit's fur or other fur on waxed tying silk and ribbing with gold; the tougher this nymph looks the more effective it seems to be. Fig. ”

“ Again let it lie perfectly still for a minute or two; usually about the second time the Bug is made to quiver you can expect a strike, and when a big bass comes after one of these Bugs, he comes full of action. When fishing fast water, I fish them exactly as I would a dry fly, upstream or up and across the current. My personal choice for color is the natural brownish grey body hair from either the deer, reindeer, or caribou. Wings, tail and body all the same natural color. ”

“ Of course flies may be tied on any style or grade of hook, but considering the work involved in making the fly, and realizing that with an old razor blade the fly can be quickly removed from the hook should the first attempts prove unsatisfactory, you will see the advantage in using good hooks. ”

“ The golden pheasant from China, the bustard from Africa, the Mandarin wood duck from China, the capercailzie from Ireland, the game cocks from Spain and the Orient, the teal, mallard, grouse, ibis, swan, turkey, and hundreds of others. The polar bear, Impala, North and South American deer, seal, black bear, skunk, rabbit, squirrel, are a few of the hairs that are used. ”

“ WINGS: Several styles of wings are used, see Diagram 2, page xi, those on Fig. 1, and are cut from a pair of matched wing quill feathers, like Fig. 7. Those in Fig. 2 are buzz wings taken from a pair of breast feathers {12} (mallard, wood duck, etc.) shown in Fig. 8. Fig. 3 shows hackle tip wings, tips of two hackle feathers, see Fig. 9. Fan wings, Fig. 4, are a matched pair of small breast feathers, see Fig. 10 (white duck, mallard, teal, grouse, etc.) . In fact there is hardly a bird that flies that does not supply some of its plumage to the Fly-Tier. ”

“ Considering this fact, it is obvious that nymphs will take trout throughout the entire season. It will greatly surprise the novice to learn of the great amount of underwater insect life present in any stream. Next time you go fishing, hold your landing net close to the bottom, in a foot or so of fast water. ”