THROWING UNDER TREES. 131 



the purpose. Having once hold of the fly, take 

 it off the loop of the line, and you may then 

 quietly draw the line by the rod from out the 

 bush. Should you have, in trout fishing, many 

 flies on, I pity you ; for your hopes of escape are 

 few indeed, except by the sharp edge of the 

 hatchet ; though even then the foregoing hints 

 may assist you. As to entanglement on the oppo- 

 site side of the river; — in throwing under bushes, 

 provided the throw be proper, that is, with much 

 skill and no unnecessary force, even should it touch 

 the bush, it is ten to one but that it will shake 

 or fall from it again without catching ; whereas, 

 if the fly be cast with violence, so that, except for 

 the bush, it would " hit" the water, it will, the 

 moment the line touches the branch, double itself 

 upon it, and there to a certainty remain, and the 

 clearing ring is the only remedy. But to return 

 to the subject we were upon, viz. throwing under 

 bushes, should you be standing at the water's 

 level throwing a long line, and the bush be a yard 

 or more above the water, the fly will seldom 

 touch, even in the ordinary mode of throwing : 

 but if you stand on a high bank, fishing short, 

 and the bushes close, you must adopt another 

 course. I must first explain to you that if the 

 branch, under which you desire to throw, lie to 

 the left, you must then throw on the principle 

 of fig. 14 (ante), and if it lie on your right, 



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