5.2 BY HOOK AND BY CROOK. 



The overhead cast is made by gently bringing the fly 

 to the surface of the water, then drawing it and the 

 line upwards and backwards with sufficient force to 

 poise the entire length in air behind the back of the 

 ■angler, as near as possible in a straight line, to whose 

 hand the precise moment of this occurrence is notified 

 by the increased weight on the top of the rod, which 

 then should be impelled with increasing force until it 

 has attained little if anything beyond the perpendicular, 

 then its further progress should be checked. 



One mistake generally made by beginners is to 

 drag the line out of the water before previously 

 having raised it to the surface with unbent rod, the 

 consequence being that having severely taxed the 

 capabilities of the rod in bringing the line to the 

 surface, there is no power remaining to lift it from the 

 water; thus the line never gets fairly extended behind, 

 so that the angler in his anxiety to save it touching 

 the ground, makes the forward cast on the slack line, 

 which naturally is merely a jerk instead of a steady 

 impulse, the result being that the line falls in coils, if 

 nothing worse, a few feet beyond his nose. 



When the knack of raising the line has been 

 acquired, care should be taken to give it plenty of 

 time behind; the angler can turn his head and view 

 his line in air and then have leisure to make the 

 forward cast. 



The Spey cast is more difficult to learn and to 

 describe ; it is made by drawing the line smartly to 



