第 17 节
作者:
吻火 更新:2022-08-26 22:13 字数:9322
emp。 The eighth is the moorish…fly; made; with the body; of duskish wool; and the wings made of the blackish mail of the drake。 The ninth is the t…fly…fly; good until the middle of June: the body made of tawny wool; the wings made contrary one against the other; made of the whitish mail of the wild drake。 The tenth is the wasp…fly in July; the body made of black wool; lapt about with yellow silk; the wings made of the feathers of the drake; or of the buzzard。 The eleventh is the shell…fly; good in mid…July: the body made of greenish wool; lapt about with the herle of a peacock's tail: and the wings made of the wings of the buzzard。 The twelfth is the dark drake… fly; good in August: the body made with black wool; lapt about with black silk; his wings are made with the mail of the black drake; with a black head。 Thus have you a jury of flies; likely to betray and condemn all the Trouts in the river。
I shall next give you some other directions for fly…fishing; such as are given by Mr。 Thomas Barker; a gentleman that hath spent much time in fishing: but I shall do it with a little variation。
First; let your rod be light; and very gentle: I take the best to be of two pieces。 And let not your line exceed; especially for three or four links next to the hook; I say; not exceed three or four hairs at the most; though you may fish a little stronger above; in the upper part of your line: but if you can attain to angle with one hair; you shall have more rises; and catch more fish。 Now you must be sure not to cumber yourself with too long a line; as most do。 And before you begin to angle; cast to have the wind on your back; and the sun; if it shines; to be before you; and to fish down the stream; and carry the point or top of your rod downward; by which means the shadow of yourself and rod too; will be the least offensive to the fish; for the sight of any shade amazes the fish; and spoils your sport; of which you must take great care。
In the middle of March; till which time a man should not in honesty catch a Trout; or in April; it the weather be dark; or a little windy or cloudy; the best fishing is with the palmer…worm; of which I last spoke to you; but of these there be divers kinds; or at least of divers colours: these and the May…fly are the ground of all fly…angling: which are to be thus made:
First; you must arm your hook with the line; in the inside of it: then take your scissors; and cut so much of a brown mallard's feather as; in your own reason; will make the wings of it; you having; withal; regard to the bigness or littleness of your hook; then lay the outmost part of your feather next to your hook; then the point of your feather next the shank of your hook; and; having so done; whip it three or four times about the hook with the same silk with which your hook was armed; and having made the silk fast; take the hackle of a cock or capon's neck; or a plover's top; which is usually better: take off the one side of the feather; and then take the hackle; silk or crewel; gold or silver thread; make these fast at the bent of the hook; that is to say; below your arming; then you must take the hackle; the silver or gold thread; and work it up to the wings; shifting or still removing your finger as you turn the silk about the hook; and still looking; at every stop or turn; that your gold; or what materials soever you make your fly of; do lie right and neatly; and if you find they do so; then when you have made the head; make all fast: and then work your hackle up to the head; and make that fast: and then; with a needle; or pin; divide the wing into two; and then; with the arming silk; whip it about cross…ways betwixt the wings: and then with your thumb you must turn the point of the feather towards the bent of the hook; and then work three or four times about the shank of the hook; and then view the proportion; and if all be neat; and to your liking; fasten。
I confess; no direction can be given to make a man of a dull capacity able to make a fly well: and yet I know this; with a little practice; will help an ingenious angler in a good degree。 But to see a fly made by an artist in that kind; is the best teaching to make it。 And; then; an ingenious angler may walk by the river; and mark what flies fall on the water that day; and catch one of them; if he sees the Trouts leap at a fly of that kind: and then having always hooks ready…hung with him; and having a bag always with him; with bear's hair; or the hair of a brown or sad…coloured heifer; hackles of a cock or capon; several coloured silk and crewel to make the body of the fly; the feathers of a drake's head; black or brown sheep's wool; or hog's wool; or hair; thread of gold and of silver; silk of several colours; especially sad…coloured; to make the fly's head: and there be also other coloured feathers; both of little birds and of speckled fowl: I say; having those with him in a bag; and trying to make a fly; though he miss at first; yet shall he at last hit it better; even to such a perfection as none can well teach him And if he hit to make his fly right; and have the luck to hit; also; where there is store of Trouts; a dark day; and a right wind; he will catch such store of them; as will encourage him to grow more and more in love with the art of fly… making。
Venator。 But; my loving master; if any wind will not serve; then I wish I were in Lapland; to buy a good wind of one of the honest witches; that sell so many winds there; and so cheap。
Piscator。 Marry; scholar; but I would not be there; nor indeed from under this tree; for look how it begins to rain; and by the clouds; if I mistake not; we shall presently have a smoking shower; and therefore sit close; this sycamore…tree will shelter us: and I will tell you; as they shall come into my mind; more observations of fly…fishing for a Trout。
But first for the wind: you are to take notice that of the winds the south wind is said to be best。 One observes; that
when the wind is south; It blows your bait into a fish's mouth。
Next to that; the west wind is believed to be the best: and having told you that the east wind is the worst; I need not tell you which wind is the best in the third degree: and yet; as Solomon observes; that 〃 he that considers the wind shall never sow 〃; so he that busies his head too much about them; if the weather be not made extreme cold by an east wind; shall be a little superstitious: for as it is observed by some; that 〃 there is no good horse of a bad colour〃; so I have observed; that if it be a cloudy day; and not extreme cold; let the wind sit in what corner it will and do its worst; I heed it not。 And yet take this for a rule; that I would willingly fish; standing on the lee…shore: and you are to take notice; that the fish lies or swims nearer the bottom; and in deeper water; in winter than in summer; and also nearer the bottom in any cold day; and then gets nearest the lee…side of the water。
But I promised to tell you more of the Fly…fishing for a Trout; which I may have time enough to do; for you see it rains May butter。 First for a Mayfly: you may make his body with greenish…coloured crewel; or willowish colour; darkening it in most places with waxed silk; or ribbed with black hair; or; some of them; ribbed with silver thread; and such wings; for the colour; as you see the fly to have at that season; nay; at that very day on the water。 Or you may make the Oak…fly: with an orange; tawny; and black ground; and the brown of a mallard's feather for the wings。 And you are to know; that these two are most excellent flies; that is; the May…fly and the Oak…fly。
And let me again tell you; that you keep as far from the water as you can possibly; whether you fish with a fly or worm; and fish down the stream。 And when you fish with a fly; if it be possible; let no part of your line touch the water; but your fly only; and be still moving your fly upon the water; or casting it into the water; you yourself being also always moving down the stream。
Mr。 Barker commends several sorts of the palmer…flies; not only those ribbed with silver and gold; but others that have their bodies all made of black; or some with red; and a red hackle。 You may also make the Hawthorn…fly: which is all black; and not big; but very small; the smaller the better。 Or the oak…fly; the body of which is orange colour and black crewel; with a brown wing。 Or a fly made with a peacock's feather is excellent in a bright day: you must be sure you want not in your magazine…bag the peacock's feather; and grounds of such wool and crewel as will make the grasshopper。 And note; that usually the smallest flies are the best; and note also; that the light fly does usually make most sport in a dark day; and the darkest and least fly in a bright or clear day: and lastly note; that you are to repair upon any occasion to your magazine…bag: and upon any occasion; vary and make them lighter or sadder; according to your fancy; or the day。
And now I shall tell you; that the fishing with a natural…fly is excellent; and affords much pleasure。 They may be found thus: the May…fly; usually in and about that month; near to the river…side; especially against rain: the Oak…fly; on the butt or body of an oak or ash; from the beginning of May to