Tying Techniques - Jackson (1854)

1. "Get a Snipe's wing, in the inside of which you will find six or eight fine bright feathers, an inch and a quarter long, tipt with white;

2. take one of the feathers, strip off part of the fibre the contrary way (rejecting the white,)

3. draw it through your lips, slightly wetting it at the same time, - it will lie thus; and answer for wings and legs to the fly.

4. Wax a quarter yard of fine yellow silk, it will arm your gut, and make the body of the fly.

5. Take a hook, Ablington's of Kendal, No.2 [size 15] by the bend, between the fore-finger and thumb of your left had, with the point towards your finger's end;

6. place the gut along the top of the shank,

7. and with the silk wrap them neatly together, beginning half way down the shank, and wrap to the end;

8. take two turns back again, which will form the head of the fly.

9. Lay the feather along the hook, the point towards your left hand,

10. and take three turns over it with the silk,

11. clip off the point of the feather;

12. seize the root of the feather, and with a pair of nippers,

13. wrap it neatly round till the fibre is all taken up,

14. bring the silk round the root of the feather,

15. so wrap to the tail of the fly;

16. clip off all superfluities,

17. and fasten off with a couple of draw knots.

18. With your dubbing-needle dress the fibre of the feather, and you have a plain hackled bloa, which will take fish in all waters, probably in all seasons, where and when they are to be taken."