TROUT FLY-FISHING IN AMERICA 



hand holding the rod represent the height of a horizontal 

 plane parallel to the surface of the water. At right angles 

 to this line assume another line that is vertical to it, with 

 its base at the caster's hand. These two lines are then sepa- 

 rated by 90 degrees, and if each is 10 feet long, the length 

 of the rod, then the arc described by the tip of the rod is 

 very nearly 15.7 feet in length. 



This represents the maximum distance, under all con- 

 ditions, the tip of the rod should travel when casting in 

 order to make a respectable cast. The tip of the rod, how- 

 ever, should not be brought to the horizontal line, but to a 

 point 15 degrees above it, or a distance of very nearly 2 

 feet and 6 inches from horizontal or 6 feet and 6 inches 

 above the surface of the water. 



As all this applies to the "forward" cast we must now 

 consider the "backward" cast, which, after all, is of far 

 greater moment, because upon the proper execution of the 

 "backward" cast depends the proficiency of the "forward" 

 cast. 



The arc of the circle described when making the 

 "backward" cast is much shorter than in the "forward" 

 cast, and this is due to the playing of the fly after the "for- 

 ward" cast is completed. The "backward" cast should 

 begin when the fly has been played and retrieved so that 

 the ferrule of the butt joint of the rod has reached a point 

 of 50 degrees above horizontal or 40 degrees from ver- 

 tical. From this point the rod is brought back with a 

 quick, snappy motion of the wrist until the ferrule of the 

 butt joint reaches a point 5 degrees beyond vertical, where 



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