Appendix

Appendix: Part One

HOOKS

I doubt that any one person could assemble complete and accurate information about all of the fly hooks that are made in the three countries—Norway, England and France—which are the major producers of such hooks. I, for one, do not desire to even try to describe all of the fly hooks produced by the better known hook manufacturers of these three countries. As this book is for beginners, I am sure that some information relating to hooks is needed here. But, as the book is designed for beginners, I believe that the discussion of hooks in this appendix should be kept at a basic level.

As a beginner at fly tying now is the time for you to get started in the right direction with respect to the hooks that you buy and use. It does not take long for a person to develop definite preferences as to hooks. I know because I have done so myself. I have noticed that a fly tyer usually continues to use hooks of the same make and design as those he began to use when he started tying flies. I like the hooks manufactured by certain manufacturers in Norway, France and England. I believe they are the best obtainable for fly tying. These are the hooks I started using and have continued to use them successfully, in my own tying. But this does not mean that all other fly tyers share my opinions as to the relative merits of different makes and designs of fly hooks. Whatever your preferences may eventually turn out to be the important thing right now is to get started in the right direction.

Hook Sizes. Fly hooks vary in size from No. 10/0 to No. 22, the first named being the largest and the last named being the smallest size of fly hook made for sale, commercially. The "size" of a hook is determined, in accord with a standard gauge of hook sizes, by the overall length of the hook with a "regular" shank, measured from the eye to the outside of the bend of the hook. This overall length varies from 3/32nds of an inch in size No. 22 to 3¼ inches in size No. 10/0. On the hook sizes most commonly used in fly tying, however, this overall length is less than one inch; it is, for example, 13/l6ths of an inch in size No. 6, 11/l6ths of an inch in size No. 8, 9/l6ths of an inch in size No. 10, and 7/l6ths of an inch in size No. 12. The gape of the hook, that is the distance between the point of the barb and the shank of the hook, also varies with the "size" of the hook. In any particular "size" of hook the gape is constant, whether the shank is extra long or extra short, as explained below.

Wire Thickness. For each size of hook a different gauge, or thickness, of wire is used in the standard, or "regular," hook of the size. There may be minute variations, running through the entire line, between the gauges of wire used by different manufacturers of hooks, but such variations are very slight. Hooks of a particular size made of heavier wire than the standard gauge are designated as 2X Strong, 3X Strong, etc., depending upon the relative degree of extra thickness of the wire used. Thus, a No. 6 hook may be obtained in the standard gauge wire or made of wire which is slightly heavier than the standard gauge. The latter hook would be designated as size No. 6, 2X Strong. Dry fly hooks are also made of wire of smaller gauge, that is less in diameter, than the wire of which the standard, or "regular," hook of the size is made. The use of such smaller diameter wire in the hook is indicated by adding after the hook size the words Xtra fine, 3X fine, and 4X fine, the latter being the lightest of the fine wire hooks made. Thus, a dry fly hook made of wire of standard gauge for the hook size is designated as a No. 12 hook, and a hook of the same size made of the next lighter gauge of wire is known as No. 12, Xtra fine.

Length of Shank. As pointed out above, there is a standard, or "ordinary," overall length for each "size" of hook. But hooks of each "size" are also made with shanks which are longer than the standard, or "ordinary," length. The increased length of the shank is indicated by adding to the hook size the designation IX long, 2X long, 3X long, etc., depending upon the amount by which such shank length is increased. Thus, a hook size No. 10 (gape of regular No. 10 hook) with a shank the length of a regular No. 8 hook is designated as a No. 10, 3X long.

From the foregoing you can see that there are a multitude of hooks from which you may choose for use in tying flies; and remember we have been talking only of hooks used for fly tying, nothing with respect to hooks designed for use in other types of fishing. A supply house would have to carry virtually millions of hooks if it had an adequate quantity of all of the variations of fly hooks, alone, on hand at all times.

Quality and Price. It is true that you can find, in boxes of one hundred hooks, fly hooks which are very reasonable in price. But you must remember that the hooks selling at the lower prices must be made of less expensive materials and processed with a minimum outlay of labor and machine time. This means that the cheaper hooks do not have the temper, the sharp point on the barb, or the careful workmanship that the higher priced hooks have. You must also remember that in fly tying a good tempered hook is the backbone of the fly. So, whenever you buy a hook upon which to tie a fly, whether it be a large hook or a very small one, be sure that it is the best in quality that you can obtain. If you need some hooks of a certain size and the price of them seems high, buy just the number you will use, whether that is a dozen, or even fewer of them. I would rather see a person buy a dozen hooks of extra good quality than to buy a box of 100 hooks of doubtful quality. Knowing that your hooks are of the best quality you will undoubtedly take greater care in tying the fly, and your fly turns out with the proper proportions and the right balance; it's a better fly, which means more fish on your line and more fishing pleasure. And, besides, a good quality hook does not break when that whopper clamps its jaws onto the fly and makes a mighty leap out of the water. What is more disheartening than to retrieve your line after "the big one" got away and find that the hook broke off at the bend? Your best insurance against such an experience is to buy the best quality of hooks for the flies you tie.

Good hooks vary in price depending upon the style of the hook. Wet fly hooks in the standard sizes cost in the neighborhood of $1.50 per hundred. 2X and 3X strong hooks of the same type cost a little over $2.00 per hundred. Dry fly hooks are in the range of $2.50 to $2.75 per hundred. For the black japanned looped eye hooks the price is $3.50 per hundred and up. When you buy them in smaller lots the price per hook is, of course, somewhat more. But any fly that you tie for yourself should rate an expenditure of l2 cents to 32 cents, or it is not worth the time it takes to tie it.

When you go in to buy hooks a salesman may say, "This is just as good and it costs you a lot less money." It is true that a hook looks about the same whatever its price. Every hook has a shank, a bend and a barb. But more important is the temper and the quality of the material and workmanship, and this doesn't show on the surface. Those qualities are proved only in use. Never buy cheap hooks. Buy your hooks from a supplier who will have hooks of the type and quality you want, when you want them. The best sources are the mail order house that gives you personal service and the shop that specializes in fly tying materials.

Appendix: Part Two

TYING SILK

Sizes. The silk thread used for the tying of flies varies from size "A," which is the largest, to size 000000 (6/0), which is the smallest used by the average fly tyer. Except for some of the very large, special purpose, flies such as the Coho, I regard size "A" as too heavy for use in tying flies. For my own tying the heaviest silk I normally use is 00 (2/0). The reason I use silk of the smaller diameter is because it does not add as much bulk to the fly. The smaller diameter also makes a more even, a smoother, head on the fly.

The sizes of silk which I use for various hooks are shown in the following table:

Sizes of Hooks                         Size of Tying Silk
No. 2/0 - No. 6                                  00 (2/0)
No. 8 - No. 10                                 000 (3/0)
No. 12 - No. 14                             0000 (4/0)
No. 16 - No. 22                          000000 (6/0)

Colors. Although tying silk is obtainable in a wide variety of colors, black and white are the colors which are by far the most commonly used. I believe that there is seldom any need for any other than these two colors.

I use black or white tying silk, depending on the shade of the fly I am tying. I use black silk when tying the dark to medium colored flies. I use white tying silk on flies such as the Ginger Quill, White Moth, Miller and certain types of very light colored nymphs.

It is my opinion that there is really little reason for using tying silk in anything except black or white. If you want a colored head on the fly I suggest that it is better to use the appropriate black or white tying silk and then apply a coat, or two, of colored lacquer to the head of the fly. One can, of course, use a colored silk to tie the materials on the hook when he runs out of the more appropriate black or white tying silk, but a better solution is to keep on hand a reserve spool, or two, of the black and the white tying silk.

TINSEL

Tinsel is available in silver, gold and a few colors. Silver tinsel and gold tinsel are used, however, far more frequently than all others.

The supply houses have the various types of tinsel on spools of small size, convenient for use by the average fly tyer.

Surface. The surface of tinsel is either smooth or embossed. My preference is for the embossed tinsel. Embossed tinsel, as I have pointed out in one of the lessons, is gimped and the uneven surfaces give the same effect as the facets of a diamond; it glitters and attracts the fish. If you do not have embossed tinsel, use the smooth surface tinsel.

Widths. Whether the tinsel is used in making a solid tinsel body on a fly or for ribbing, the width of the tinsel to be used depends upon the size of the hook. The proper widths to use upon various size hooks is shown in the following table:

Hook sizes                               Size of Tinsel
No. 2/0 - No. 2                        Large (the widest available)
No. 4 - No. 8                           Medium
No. 10 - No. 16                       Narrow
No. 18 - No. 22                       Strips from oval rope tinsel; see following
                                                paragraph.

For hooks in the very small sizes I have a trick which I think is worth remembering. Oval rope tinsel consists of two to four strands of thread, around which a very narrow width of tinsel is wrapped in spirals. I unravel the tinsel from a piece of oval rope tinsel and use this for tinsel ribbing on flies tied on hooks from No. 18 to No. 22 in size.

Rope Tinsel. In addition to the thin flat tinsel there are round, tinsel-covered strands which are known as rope tinsel. Rope tinsel, also, comes in several sizes, or diameters. The size of rope tinsel to use depends, likewise, on the size of the hook upon which it is to be placed. The following table shows the sizes I use on various hooks:

Hook sizes                               Size of Rope Tinsel
No. 4 and larger                       Medium to medium large
No. 6 - No. 10                         Medium
No. 12 and smaller                   Small

CHENILLE

Chenille is available in several different sizes, or diameters. Chenille is used as body material when a large, or full body is desired. Chenille of larger diameter than needed, however, makes an unbalanced fly. Again, the size of the hook on which the fly is tied governs the diameter of the chenille to be used. The following table indicates the most appropriate size of chenille to use on various sizes of hooks:

Hook Sizes                               Size of Chenille
No. 2/0 - No. 4                        Medium large
No. 6 - No. 8                           Medium
No. 10-No. 16                         Small
No. 18 - No. 22                       Small; but see the text following.

Even the smallest size of chenille is too bulky on a hook smaller than No. 16. If you have to use chenille on a No. 18, No. 20 or No. 22 hook, use the smallest size. I think that quill, herl, wool or floss should be used as body material on these small hooks, rather than chenille.

WINGS

The lessons in this book show that many different kinds of material are used in making the wings of flies. These materials have been discussed in the various lessons. In this note I shall discuss only the length of wings.

Whether the wing is made of duck primary wing fibres, bucktail or hackle I am always very careful to get the proper length of wing. On flies used in fishing for crappie and other fish of this general type a long wing, of either hackle or hair, is needed. The wings on flies of this type should be about twice the length of the shank of the hook upon which the fly is tied. But on flies that are used for the various species of trout, for steelhead or for salmon the wings of the fly should extend only slightly beyond the bend of the hook.

In tying many of my flies I make the wing the same length as the shank of the hook, rather than letting it extend slightly beyond the bend. When fishing in turbulent or swirling water the action of the water will swing a flexible wing from side to side, and may sweep it through the opening between the barb and the shank of the hook. When this happens the fly whirls or spins in the water, destroying completely the usefulness of the fly. It no longer looks like the insect it is supposed to imitate. When the wing tip extends only to the bend of the hook the risk that this will happen is virtually eliminated.

Appendix: Part Three

Fly Line Leaders — And How To Make Them

(with some incidental information about fly lines)

The purpose of this note is to provide you with information relating to nylon leader material and to assist you in tying your own leaders, if you desire to do so.

The rated breaking point, or test, in pounds, and the diameters, in thousands of an inch, of various sizes of nylon leader material are shown on the following table:

2 lb      003      6 lb      Oil        20 lb    019
1          lb         005      8 lb      012      25 lb    023
2          lb         007      10 lb    014      30 lb    025
3          lb         008      12 lb    015      40 lb    028
4          lb         009      15 lb    017

The diameters of nylon as shown in this table are approximate only. As new manufacturing processes are developed the diameters required for the rated breaking point change. Also, it should be noted that the breaking point, in fact, of nylon leader now on the market is approximately 22 times its listed, or rated, breaking point.

The already-made-up leaders sold in tackle stores are for the casual fisherman only. They answer the purpose of the man who fishes, on the spur of the moment, for a few hours only, or of the man who fishes three or four times a year without giving any thought to his equipment or its balance. With the new knotless nylon leaders now on the market many fishermen are taking the easiest way and buying instead of tying their own leaders. But there is still good reason for the fly fisherman to tie his own leaders. The leader you use depends upon a number of factors: the type and size of fish you expect to catch, the size of the fly you are using, the size and type of line you are using, the clearness of the water you are fishing. All of these are factors which affect the make-up of the leader you should use. I always recommend the lightest possible leader. In fishing with a fly you are competing with nature. The natural fly never has a thread, or leader, attached to it. So the finer the leader the better the chance of enticing the fish to your fly. The less there is for a fish to see, the less likelihood that he will become suspicious and run the other way.

In constructing your own tapered leader the diameter of the butt section of the leader is governed by the diameter of the tip of the fly line to which the leader is attached. The difference in thousands of an inch between the tip end of the line and the butt, or heavy end of the leader should never exceed 10 (.010"). For my own part I seldom permit this difference in diameters to exceed 6/1000ths of an inch (.006"). This means that your leaders must be matched to your fly line, and that you have to consider not only the diameter of the tip section of your leader but also the diameter of the butt section of it, if you are to have a properly constructed leader.

Before the days of nylon leaders, when gut was the material used in virtually all leaders, the gut was made in short pieces, uniformly 16 inches in length. When making up a leader, whether its total length was to be 71/2 feet, 9 feet or 12 feet, the proper number of 16 inch lengths of gut leader were tied together. If one section had to be 32 inches in length, two 16 inch pieces of gut, of the same diameter, would be tied together. The practice of using uniform short lengths of leader material is still followed by the thoughtful and exacting members of the fishing fraternity. While many of the new fishermen regard such a practice as unnecessary, what they fail to realize is that one's casting is improved by having a properly constructed leader, accurately sized, on his line. Better casting almost inevitably brings better results in fishing.

As the diameter of the butt section of a tapered leader bears a definite relation to the size of the tip of the fly line with which the leader will be used, it is necessary that we know the diameters of the various sizes of fly lines. These are shown in the following table:

Size                  Diameter          Size                  Diameter
A                     060"                 F                      035"
B                      055"                 G                     030"
C                     050"                 H                     025"
D                     045"                 I                       022"
E                      040"

These are the established diameters of each of the line sizes. But lines may vary slightly from the established sizes, and to be absolutely certain you will have to measure your own line to get its exact size. Some manufacturers' lines marked HCH in size, the diameters of which should be .025", .050", .025", will actually measure .027", .052", .027", because of the extra thickness of the finish that is put on the line. It is true, however, that many times this is an advantage, because it helps to balance the rod, reel and line. The fact that such variations may exist indicates however, that if you are at all exacting you will want to check the diameter of your own line with a micrometer before you tie any leaders to use with it.

Lets assume you have an HCH fly line the tip diameters of which are .025". Let's further assume that you wish to tie a leader for use in wet fishing, with this line, early in the season, using hooks of sizes No. 8 and No. 10. In constructing the leader I would use equal lengths of 20 lb., 15 lb., 12 lb., 8 lb., 4 lb., 3 lb. and 2 lb. nylon leader material. The first joint of the leader, the butt section, is .019" in diameter. This is .006" less than the tip of your .025" HCH line. The other sections are .017", .015", .012", .009" and .008", with the tip .007" in diameter. The taper is quite fast. Due to the fairly large diameter of the leader it will break through the surface tension very fast.

If you want to construct a leader for dry fly fishing with this HCH line, I would suggest equal lengths of 15 lb., 12 lb., 6 lb., 4 lb., 2 lb., 1 lb. and 1 lb. nylon leader material. This gives you two lengths of 1 lb., .005", leader at the tip. The surface tension on this leader is much greater.

Each of these leaders when made up of 16 inch lengths of nylon would be 112 inches, or 9 feet, 4 inches, in length.

When fishing for steelhead, cutthroat or Montana black spot I customarily use a torpedo line the size of which is HCF. I have found that, if I use a "torpedo" leader, I have a better chance of laying out a straight line, which often gives that much needed extra feet to reach a distant spot in a stream. On a three-diameter line, like my HCF line, the forward taper is size F. The diameter of this is .035" at the tip. With this diameter at the tip of the line I make my leader of equal lengths of the following sizes of nylon leader material: 30 lb., 20 lb., 12 lb., 6 lb., 4 lb., 6 lb., 8 lb., 3 lb. and 3 lb. Using 16 inch lengths of nylon this makes a leader exactly 12 feet long. For use with a torpedo line, the tip of which is comparatively large, I prefer a 12 foot leader. It puts the fly a greater distance from the tip of the line. With a longer leader the line is less visible to the fish. This leader fits with my outfit, but it may not be exactly right for yours, even though you use an HCF line. So, I suggest that you should experiment, as I did, try larger diameters on some sections, perhaps smaller diameters on others, until you have the right balance in the leader to go with your rod and line.

The specifications of some of the leaders I use with different sizes of lines are shown in the following tables. These leaders are designed to fit my equipment and my own fishing methods. Changes in the size of the nylon used in one or more sections may make any one of the leaders better suited to your equipment and your fishing methods. Particularly for fishing in waters which are very clear, you may want to have a tip which is finer than the ones shown here. With the actual breaking point of nylon leader material so much greater than its rated "test," a tip section rated at 1/2 pound is strong enough to bring in a 14 inch rainbow; but I would not suggest "horsing" the fish in to the bank, if you use such a light tippet.

The size of leader sections to be used is shown in pounds of tested strength of the nylon. The table, at the beginning of this part, may be used to make the translation of size into thousands of an inch, which will show the extent of the taper.

The three leaders shown in each table can be used either with the double taper line or the torpedo (3 diameter) line set forth in the caption of the table.

                              Line Sizes
Type Of                 Length
Leader                   Of Leader
Torpedo taper        12 feet
Regular taper          12 feet
Regular taper          9 ft. 4 in.

Torpedo taper        12 feet
Regular taper          12 feet
Regular taper          9 ft. 4.

Torpedo taper        12 feet
Regular taper          12 feet
Regular taper          9ft. 4 in.

Torpedo taper        12 feet
Regular taper          12 feet
Regular taper          9 ft. 4 in.

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