Blacker's Art of Fly Making Part 7

No. 4. The body is made of light puce floss silk, ribbed with silver plate and gold twist, a claret hackle over it, tipped with silver, a topping for tail, and orange tag; the wings are made of yellow macaw, a red spear feather, four toppings, a mixture of bustard golden pheasant tail, kingfisher's each side, and a large blue head of mohair. (It cannot be too large for the Shannon). No. 1 hook, large Salmon size.

No. 5. The body is made of puce floss, ribbed with broad silver and gold twist, purple hackle over it, orange tag, tip of silver, and tail a topping; the wings are made of two body feathers of the yellow macaw, mixed with blue macaw tail and Argus, two large toppings, and a dark blue pig hair head. Salmon hook No. 2, spring size.

No. 6. This is another excellent fly. The wings are like the last named fly; a black floss body, ribbed with silver, and yellow hackle over it; a large blue head, picked out to hang down like a hackle. No. 3 hook.

This is a fly of "The Ogormans," of Ennis, in the County of Clare, see his Work on Angling. The two Salmon Flies in the plate, with "picker,"

are described for Killarney.

SALMON RIVERS.

It will be most advantageous to my readers that I should give them some accurate accounts of the various Salmon Rivers, pointing out at the same time the best station on each where sport may be expected with the fly, and to know where to proceed before starting on their angling excursion, as the whole fun is in knowing the right places to prevent disappointment. There are numerous small size rivers, the local flies for which are of a plain and sombre hue, and which it will be necessary the fisher should be acquainted with--these I will give as I proceed.

In summer, when the rivers are low, small plain flies are best, or rather so on dark days, with a good ripple, then they will entice them.

They do not rise often when the sun is warm, except in rapid streams.

Use small black bodied flies with silver and middling gaudy wings, mixed with teal or c.o.c.k of the north feather--change it to a gaudy one if they do not take the black. Early in the mornings before the sun strikes the water, and from three o'clock till dark, or about sunset is a good time to move a large fish with a fly he likes. The two flies at the bottom of the plate with "picker," are most likely ones for that time in the day.

The plain one is brown body, and wings of mallard. The bottom one is green body, and mixed wings of gaudy feathers; the body is a jointed one, of peac.o.c.k green. I made it nearly twenty years ago,--it is a beautiful specimen of a gaudy fly for rapids after a flood.

THE RIVER TWEED.

I will begin with this large and beautiful salmon river, which runs rapidly along the borders of England and Scotland, taking a course from West to East. It flows majestically through a highly picturesque and cultivated country, was.h.i.+ng many good towns on its way to the sea, where it discharges its valuable waters at Berwick.

The town of Kelso is the best station, as there is good fis.h.i.+ng above and below it. There is a magnificent spot for a month or more of salmon fis.h.i.+ng at a place called "The Throughs," three miles above the town,--it is a real picture of a place to the eyes of the fisher. Higher up is St. Boswell's, and a little higher, Melrose--both charming places.

There is good angling in the Tiviot, at Kelso, in the spring; it runs into the Tweed on the opposite side. The trout are numerous in it. There are several capital stations below the town, where the fish take the fly most freely, which is not the case in most of the rivers of the same magnitude. The fifteen painted salmon flies will be found excellent killers in this n.o.ble river, and the six large spring flies.

I have killed Grilse, Sea-Trout, and River-Trout with the Winged Larva at the "Throughs" in August. Easterly winds were prevailing at the time, and the fish would not stir at any other sort of fly. When the river runs very low small flies are best.

THE RIVER SHANNON.

This is the largest and finest Salmon river in Britain. There is not a river in Norway that can be compared to it for fis.h.i.+ng, were it properly used. The angler must proceed to its banks before he can say, conscientiously, that he has ever seen a salmon river. In its course it expands into three large and beautiful lakes, Lough Allen, Lough Ree, and Lough Derg. There are numerous islands in the latter one, with ruins of religious edifices, &c. This n.o.ble river receives many tributaries, in which there is capital fly fis.h.i.+ng, with rapids and falls of water till it reaches Limerick. It runs a hundred and twenty miles to this place, and sixty more to the sea. It is on leaving the lakes that it abounds with many delightful streams--the haunts of large Salmon and fine Trout. Six miles above Limerick, at Castle Connel, there is a splendid place for the fly, and Trout fis.h.i.+ng is good. The angler will here behold a scene that will greatly amuse him.

There are other capital casts for Salmon up to Killaloe, where the Pike and Eels are of an extraordinary size and quality. Lough Derg is close to this place, in which are caught the "Gillaroe" Trout; they have gizzards like turkeys, are short and round in the body, very red in the flesh when cooked, and they have a most delicious flavour.

The best flies for the Shannon are the fifteen painted ones, and the six large flies for spring. You cannot fail with these beautiful flies.

THE LAKES OF CLARE.

From the town of Killaloe the angler may proceed to the lakes of the County of Clare. You go west to the town of Broadford, eight miles distant, where there are three or four lakes, the furthest off one, Dromore; this town is eighteen miles off, and about eight from the county town, Ennis, on the river Fergus. Twelve miles up this river is Corrafin, a neat town, near which is the celebrated lake of "Inchiquin,"

famous for its large trout and splendid views. Here the angler will find boats and every accommodation.

The flies in my list for the season will kill exceedingly well in these lakes, made two or three sizes larger, and in fine weather the size they are.

They are fond of grouse hackle, wrens, browns, turf-coloured flies, amber, black, grey, &c., &c., with brown grouse wings. The "yarn fly"[B]

is not used here.

Before the tourist angler leaves Killaloe, if he has time, he should by all means see the antiquities of the place, Lough Derg and Holy Island, where there are to be seen the ruins of seven churches, and a round tower 70 feet high, the entrenchments of "Brian Boroimhe," King of Munster, at Cancora, and his tomb near the Cathedral in the town.

This ancient town is seated on the western bank of the Shannon, in the County of Clare, over which there is a bridge of nineteen arches; at a short distance below it, this grand river rolls over tremendous ledges of rocks, where there is an excellent fishery. It is a great pity that this fine river should be prevented from being of the greatest benefit to the country through which it runs, all owing to the "cruives," the "stake nets," "bag nets," and every other destructive invention that can be contrived for the wholesale slaughter of the splendid Salmon. Oh!

look to it, you that have the power.

From Limerick the angler may proceed to Athlone and Galway, but I should advise him to proceed to the south first, and fish the Blackwater and the lakes of Killarney; Mr. Jas. Butler has prohibited the fis.h.i.+ng at Waterville this spring, in consequence, as he says, "of the numbers visiting, coupled with acts of poaching." I should say the lake is free, as it always was and ever has been, knowing that Mr. Butler is most polite to gentlemen.

FOOTNOTE:

[Footnote B: Net.]

THE LAKES OF KILLARNEY.

From Mallow, on the Blackwater, the angler proceeds to Killarney. It would be as well to go to Lismore, farther down from Mallow, where there is good Salmon fis.h.i.+ng to be had; there is a Mr. Foley here (who rents the "weirs" of the Duke of Devons.h.i.+re), he is most polite to strangers, and allows them to fish in the weirs, which are of some extent; and most of the Gentlemen residing on its banks, from Lismore up, will allow the stranger to fly-fish through their grounds, send their keepers to shew them the best places, and are most hospitable and polite. At the Killarney junction, Mallow, the angler takes his seat, and in a little time is delighted with the sight of the Lakes. I visited Killarney in 1848, on an angling excursion in Ireland, to recruit my fallen spirits, if possible, after many years of industrious labour, "and it is myself that would advise the sickly to go there, if he had legs to walk on,"

says poor Pat.

To my great disappointment at the time, the Lakes were netted by their respective owners, which rather damped my spirits after going so far "a fis.h.i.+ng"--my sport there was but inferior. It is not so now, many thanks to Lord Kenmare and Mr. Herbert, who have put a stop to the netting and other contrivances, to the delight of the anglers and inn keepers of the neighbourhood. I have been given to understand that the Salmon fis.h.i.+ng is capital now in the lakes and river. At Ennisfallen Island there is a favourite cast, and another between that and Ross Island; another to the south west of it; towards Mucruss Abbey, to the north-east, there is good water for the fly, and in "Glena" bay, all of which the boatmen will show. At the latter place parties dine, in a very beautiful situation at the foot of the hill, sheltered by trees to the water's edge. On the west side of it is shown a curiosity--a holly, a thorn, a birch, a hazel, an ash, and an oak, so curiously entwined, that they appear as one tree; at this place there is a good fishery, at the cottage they cut the salmon into pieces, skewer them with arbutus, and roast them over a turf fire; they say arbutus gives them a fine flavour.

Between Brickeen Bridge and the Upper Lake there is good fis.h.i.+ng, in the narrow gorge between the lakes; the charges of boats, &c., have been regulated, so that they cannot now impose upon visitors. The scenery in the vicinity of "Brickeen Bridge" and the Eagle's Nest is sublime, and must delight the heart of the Angler who may be seeking health and pastime, either by himself or with his dear admiring friends.

There is not a table, either in inn or lodging house in the town of Killarney, wanting a Guide to the Lakes, written by some intelligent person or other, so that the angler cannot go astray.

There are numerous good inns in the town and neighbourhood, the people and landlords of which are polite, civil, and obliging to strangers, as are the guides and boatmen.

There is a Miss Smith, in New Street, who keeps a comfortable lodging, the most honest creature I ever came across, go to her, you gentle ones.

The delightful Island of Ennisfallen, which used to be my favourite spot during my stay, would be a kind of Heaven on Earth to the invalid; it is covered with verdure and beautiful large trees, the arbutus, &c. There is a thorn growing through a tomb stone, a holly fourteen feet thick, a curious crab tree, and the bed of honour, which the guides say if you lie down in it, having no children up to the present time, "your honor will be sure to have plenty of them after your return home."--This place is a hollow about the size of a large bed, in a projecting rock over-hung with holly and hawthorn. In an aperture in the "crab tree" the guides recommend ladies to pa.s.s. There are ruins of a once celebrated Abbey here, founded in an early date of St. Finian.

The annals of Ennisfallen comprise a history of the world up to A.D.

430, and a history of Ireland up to 1320. They are preserved in Trinity College, Dublin. There is an enormous ash tree growing out of the floor of the abbey. It is unquestionably a healthy spot, and soon excites an appet.i.te by inhaling its salubrious air.

The remains of the once beautiful edifice "Mucruss Abbey" is well worth seeing, as the ravages of death, which were once too prominent, have been cleared away by the humane Mr. Herbert, so that there may be a close inspection made of the ruins; the architecture of the eastern window is admirable; and the extraordinary "yew tree" growing in the centre of the ancient cloisters and over-spreading its walls is curious in the extreme, in the fork of the yew, above the great trunk, there is a kind of unctuous gum constantly flowing down, which is said by the peasantry that "the yew is shedding tears for the fate of the abbey."

The Salmon flies to suit the Lakes, are Nos. 2, 4, 5, and 6, 8 and 9 the two at the bottom of the plate with "picker," and No. 4 plate on Salmon hooks, the paintings of which are exact to the models. The three latter flies are, first, a cinnamon-brown body, brown wings, and brown red hackle, mixed tail; second, a jointed body fly of blue and green, gaudy mixed wing, topping in the tail--this fly may be used in very rough water, and the brown one with a nice ripple and grey cloud; the No. 4 fly on Salmon hooks, is mallard wings, fiery brown body ribbed with gold, brown red hackle, hook No. 6, B, CC, and a yellow and red mixed tail. The Dun Salmon Fly, No 6, and the one above it, No 5, are favourite killers in the lakes and river.