The Game Fish, of the Northern States and British Provinces / With an account of the salmon and sea-trout fishing of Canada and New Brunswick, together with simple directions for tying artificial flies, etc., etc.

by Robert Barnwell Roosevelt

After the fly is made, tying it on to the leader and the leader to the line is an important matter, and as it is always desirable to put the right knot in the right place, the following directions may do something toward enabling one to effect that object, and after a little practice will be found entirely intelligible. The gut lengths of the droppers should be short, to prevent their fouling round the leader.

No. 1 and No. 2 are both good ties to fasten the leader to the line. No. 3 is a becket-hitch, and No. 4 a double becket-hitch. No. 5 is a single water knot.

KNOTS.

No. 6 is a double water knot. The latter are used for tying lengths of gut together. But recollect that before a knot is made in gut it must be wet, and had better be soaked for some time in warm water. In using the double knot, the ends need not be whipped down. No. 7 shows how a dandy fastens his droppers to the leader. No. 8 shows how a lazy man does the same thing.

No. 10 is a reef, or square knot. No. 11 is a granny knot, and you had better not knot that knot as a reef knot at sea. The former never slips, and yet never jams; the latter always slips and always jams. No. 12 is a bowline, the best knot of all.

No. 13 is a wall. No. 14, a wall and crown; follow the strands round with the ends, and it is a double wall and crown. No. 15, a Mathew Walker, is made by unlaying the strands a sufficient distance, and carrying one end underneath and through its own bight, then the next underneath through the bight of the first and its own bight, and then the third underneath through the bight of the first and second and then its own. No. 16 shows the first strand passed; No. 17 is the finished knot. A diamond knot, No. 18, is made by laying the strands back along the rope, then passing the first end over the second through the bight of the third, the second over the third and through the first, and so on drawing all tight. It may be crowned like a wall.

No. 19 is a sheet bend. No. 20, a studding sail bend. No. 21, a rolling hitch. No. 22, a timber hitch. No. 23, a clove hitch. A whipping is put on as shown by No. 24, by first passing the turns over one end, and then the other end under the last few turns, and drawing it close. No. 25 is called a cat’s paw. These knots will probably be sufficient without adding the hangman’s knot, with its seven professional turns, and a choice among them will often be found convenient, while a glance at the cut will refresh an imperfect recollection.

In tying flies or hooks, it is well to use varnish occasionally, in fact wherever it can be done without injuring the appearance of the colors; no fly will last well that has not been varnished. In making the wings of salmon flies, it is usual to put on numerous fibres, often of different feathers, and tie them on separately. This renders the wings more pliable, but destroys their beauty and harmony. A number of inconsistent colors will injure the effect of one another; the contrast between body and wings should be decided, and the unity and coherence of the latter should be preserved. If the tip of the feather is used and fastened by the stem, it will slip unless firmly secured. There is great difference in the adhesion of the fibres of different feathers, but a little practice will determine the selection.