Lee Ties a Fly

Programme 8 Outline

Lee gets ready to go fishing. He fixes a hook into a vice to keep it still. He takes a long pheasant feather and clips off the tips. He ties them to the hook with nylon line. They will form the wings of the fly he is making. He twists soft fur onto the hook to form the body and another piece of feather is wound around the eye of the hook. Hackles (or stiff spines) of feather will stick out like the legs of the fly. Lee ties off the line and puts the hook in a box with all the others. It's important to choose the right fly to suit the weather.

He puts on his waders, takes his rod and sets out. When he reaches the loch, the weather is cloudy with a strong breeze blowing. He chooses his fly and ties it to the fishing-line. Then he wades out into the cold water and casts the line lightly over the surface. He casts again and again, trying to imitate the behaviour of a fly.

At last, he gets a bite. He reels in a fine, brown trout and drops it into his landing net. He takes the fly out of the trout's mouth and puts it back in his collection. He might need it next time he comes fishing.