CASTIN(i TMF, FI,Y. :il9 



is necessary, practiei', experieiitv, and a lt)ve of the art, go so 

 far that no one who really desires to attain cniincnec in tliis 

 skill need despair, fur pt-rhaps no one veri' keenly (hvsires it who 

 has nut that aptitude, thouj^h perhaps latent, and even of him- 

 self unsuspeeted. 



To teach a man, as I have said before, by writing' or even by 

 oral instruction, unless coupled with active practice and example, 

 how t(j uiakf a tly, how to cast a !ly, how to hook a tish, or how, 

 when hooked, to kill him, is to my apprehension impossible. 

 Yet without some instructions on this subject, a work on 

 Fishing would justly be deemed imperfect, and perhaps even 

 impertinent. 



After the tii*st slight skill is attained which enables a fisher- 

 man to cast a fly at all without whipping it oft" the hook-length, 

 the great points to be acquired are, precision in cju>ting, and 

 neatness in delivering the fly. 



In SiUmon Ashing with the double-handed rod, all these 

 things are somewhat more ditlii'ult than with the light twelve- 

 foot Trout-rod, and more practice is requisite before perfection 

 can be gained ; yet the mode is identical, ami the instructions 

 which alone can be given are alike few and simple. 



The first thing to be observed is, that the rod must not be 

 firmly grasped, but lield with a loose and delicate play of the 

 thumb and fingers, as a cue shoidd in billiard playing, or a foil 

 in fencing. Secondly, that in throwing out the fly. nothing like 

 a jerk or snap should be |)orfonned, such as is done with a four- 

 horse whip in flanking a leader. It is very diflicult to explain, 

 except by comparison, what this movement is; l)ut it may 

 perhaps be described as by a sudden checking of the propelling 



