STEAIGHT CASTING EULOGISED. 25 



by a proficient, they are always the neatest, and 

 should by beginners be, the first learnt, and then 

 practised unto perfection. They can be performed 

 with great accuracy, so as to enable the angler 

 to determine, almost to an inch, the precise spot 

 on which his fly is to fall. They cause the fly 

 and casting-line to touch the water first, and 

 enable you to commence working the fly, or 

 showing it to the fish, sooner than you could do 

 if much of the winch-line came in contact with 

 the water simultaneously with the casting-line. 

 The effect of the straio;ht cast is less disturbance 

 to the water than that of any other species of 

 cast ; the only defect that can be attached to it 

 is, that, perhaps, you cannot by its means throw 

 so far as by using the side, or rolling cast, of 

 which I shall speedily speak. 



Throwing the line well being of such import- 

 ance in fly-fishing for salmon, I will quote from 

 " A Handbook of Anojlinoj " what I wrote on the 

 subject two years ago, making use at that time, 

 as I shall now, of the observations of others : — 

 " ' Casting the fly is a knack,' " says Mr. Scrope 

 (" Days and Nights of Salmon-Fishing "), *^ *and 

 cannot w^ell be taught but by experience. The 

 spring of the rod should do the chief work, and 

 not the labour of your arm. To effect this, you 



