Part 1

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THE TEESDALE ANGLER.

R. LAKELAND.

BARNARD CASTLE: PRINTED AT THE OFFICE OF R. BARKER, HORSE MARKET.

1858.

R. BARKER, PRINTER, BARNARD CASTLE.

PREFACE.

I find it requisite to say something by way of preface to the Teesdale Angler, chiefly, because I wish it to be understood that my work, though bearing a local title, is intended as a help and guide to Trout fishers generally, especially those of Yorkshire, Durham, Westmoreland, and Cumberland.

To the extent of my ability, I have endeavoured to point out, and explain the various methods, means, and devices, natural and artificial, for taking Trout. The Artificial Fly List will I trust be found amply sufficient for most Anglers. I have only to add, that my treatise is the result of a considerable amount of practical Angling experience, extending over a period of upwards of 35 years, and the chief object I have in view will be accomplished, if the hints and instruction contained in it, tend to aid the diversion, and promote the amusement of those who wish to be proficient in the art of a pleasing and fascinating recreation.

R. LAKELAND.

CONTENTS.

Page

Pisces Fluviales, River Fish 1 Advice to beginners 9 Various Useful Hints 11 On Fly Fishing 14 The Angling Months 17 Natural Fly Fishing 27 The Stone Fly 27 The Flesh Fly 30 The Cow Dung Fly 31 List of Palmer Flies 33 List of Hackle Flies 39 March Brown or Dun Drake 42 Select List of very killing Flies, both Palmers and Hackles 43 List of Hackles and Silks to suit 44 A List of Flies likely to kill in Trout streams 45 How to Dress the above 47 Red Palmer--Black Palmer--May Flies 52 How to make a Hackle Fly 54 To make a Winged Fly 54 Materials required for making Winged and Hackle Flies 55 To make a Palmer Fly 56 Golden Palmer--Silver Hackle Palmer 59 To Make Hackle Flies 60 Worm Fishing 61 Trolling with Minnow 64 Maggots--Gentles--Docken Grub 67 Cad Bait--Worms, &c. 68 Salmon Roe 70 Dyeing Feathers for Fly Making 71 To make strong White Wax 72 Fishing Panniers 72 Landing Nets--Reels--Gut--Hair 73 Rods 74 Lines--Hooks--Fishing Garments 75 Health--Caution 76 The Eye the only acute faculty in Fish 77 Transport of Trout and Greyling 78 The Natural Enemies of Fish 79 Laws relative to Angling 80 The Effects of Weather on Fish 81 What constitutes a Good Fishing Day 82 On Early Rising in connection with Angling 83 Over-Preservation, &c. 85 Angling Impediments 87 Barnard Castle as an Angling Station 89 Weather Signs and Changes 90 Weather Table 93 Notices of Rare and Curious Angling Books 93 Addenda 95

THE TEESDALE ANGLER.

Pisces Fluviales--RIVER FISH.

Salmo--The SALMON. Trutta--The TROUT. Thymallus--The GRAYLING. Capito Seu Cephalus--The CHUB. Salmonidae--SMELTS. Anguilla--The EEL. Various seu Phocinus--The MINNOW. Cobitus Fluviatilis Barbatula--The LOACH.

This fish has only been observed in the Tees during the last few years.

I deem a very brief notice of the above varieties of fish sufficient,--they have been described over and over again by much abler pens than mine, and I advise all those who are desirous of minute details, as to their conformation and habits, to have recourse to one of the published Histories of British Fishes, indeed all the above fish and their varieties have been faithfully and naturally described in (I take it for granted) every angling book that has yet been published. As to Salmon, I need allude no further than observe (as every one knows that they are both ocean and river fish) that they afford, when plentiful, excellent sport to the angler, taking freely the Minnow, Worm and Fly, that they generally select the deepest pools of a river for their chief residence, but yet may be taken anywhere with the fly where there is three feet of water. They generally rise best about eleven o'clock in the forenoon, and three in the afternoon of a day. When there is a little wind stirring, if accompanied by rattling showers of hail or snow in the Spring, or heavy showers of rain in Summer, so much the more likely for sport.

Very many clever men have written diffusely on Ichthyology. Aristotle was one of the first who divided fishes into different orders, he divided them into three, but Linnaeus separated them into five.

Salmon fishing in every respect is similar in the modus operandi, to that of Trout,--requiring not more, if so much skill, but more nerve and patience with, of course, much stronger rod and tackle, and larger flies, and if you try worms, two large lob worms well scoured, should be put on the same hook,--you also require a Gaff for large fish. The best Salmon Flies for the Tees (which is by no means a good Angling river for Salmon) are the Dragon and King's Fisher, to be bought at most tackle shops, and a fly deemed a great killer made with a bright scarlet body, and wings from the black feather of a turkey.

THE TROUT.

The Trout almost every one knows, that the Trout is a delicious fish, beautiful and elegant in form and appearance. Trouts vary, being yellow, red, grey and white, the latter like Salmon, go into salt water. Trout spawn in the winter months, after which they become sickly and infested with a species of what may be denominated fresh water lice. In winter he keeps to the deep water; in spring and summer he delights in rapid streams, where, keeping his head up the water, he waits for his expected prey. There is no other fish that affords such good and universal sport, or that exercises the skill and ingenuity of the angler so much. The different modes by which to effect his capture are fully described under the different heads of fly trolling and bottom fishing. This fish (but seldom taken any great weight) abounds in the Tees and its tributary streams.

THE GRAYLING.

The Grayling is a beautifully formed fish, and affords the angler good sport--he is a much better-flavoured fish than the Chub, though not comparable to Trout. He delights in rapid streams, and during the Summer months is rarely found in deep water. The Grayling will take the same flies and bait as Trout--a little black fly is an especial favourite with him, but he will spring a long way out of water to catch a fly of any description which may be sporting above him. The Grayling spawns at the end of April and beginning of May.

CHUB, OR CHEVIN.

The Chub is a very timorous fish, utterly worthless as food except during the winter months. He frequents deep water, and loves shady places, where he can shelter under the roots of trees, &c. The Chub spawns in May and June. He is a leather-mouthed fish, so that once hooked you are sure of him; he struggles fiercely for a moment, then yields without further effort, and allows himself to be dragged unresistingly to land. He will take the same flies as the Trout, also all kinds of gentles, maggots and worms, especially small red worms; is fond of the humble Bee, Salmon Roe, and Creeper; will take a variety of pastes, as old white bread moistened with a little linseed oil and made into small balls; old Cheshire cheese mixed with a little tumeric, and bullock or sheep's brains, also bullock's blood mixed with wheaten flour, and worked up to a proper consistency, are all good baits for Chub in the winter months. A Cockchafer with his wings cut off is also a very good bait for large Chub. When rivers are frozen, you may catch Chub by breaking a hole in the ice, the fish will come to the aperture for air, and, perceiving the bait, take it--your line need not extend to the depth of more than a yard. Observe that your paste balls are of consistency sufficient to adhere firmly to your hook, which should not be larger than a small May-fly hook, or two No. 3 fly hooks tied firmly together are much better.

SALMON SMELTS.

The growth of Salmon, as is well known, is so surprisingly quick, that Smelts from Ova deposited by Salmon during the Autumn and Winter months, will in some instances, by the first week in May, be found to weigh after the rate of five or six to the pound. They rise very freely at the fly, and afford the angler (who is fond of small fry), lots of sport, they are partial to streams, and also to a gaudy fly. Smelts will rise at almost any moderate sized fly, but the three most killing, are a small black fly, with scarlet or crimson silk body, black fly, ribbed with gold, or silver twist, golden plover's speckled feather from the back, and gold twist. They are also rather fond of a fly made from a partridge's breast feather, and body of crimson floss silk. The flies must be fastened upon small hooks not larger than No. 1. Few Smelts are to be seen after the second week in May. There is an old saying,