THE ART OF FLY FISHING. 58 I 



go the fly, and when the line is at its full length drop the tip and 

 you will be surprised to see how gracefully the fly will light on the 

 water twenty feet distant. If you discover that you are to fall 

 short, or go too far, recover the line before it touches the water 

 and try again. If the fly should touch the water and fail to pro- 

 voke a rise, trail it lightly and briskly along the stream in a semi- 

 circle until you are obliged to take up the slack, and then cast 

 again. After casting from one stand three times over a spot, in- 

 cluding the width of the stream, and failing of a rise, give the fish 

 a yard more line, by drawing it off the reel with the left hand ; 

 then raising the rod smartly, take up the slack, throw the rod 

 back of the shoulder, and when the line has passed behind to its 

 full length, project the tip forward as if you were going to strike 

 the water, observing to never let the rod drop below a position 

 horizontal and parallel with the water. The movement we have 

 described is technically known as casting. We will make it still 

 plainer, as it must be practiced by one desiring to become profi- 

 cient. We will suppose the angler standing up to his knees in 

 mid-stream with his line trailing down with the current to its full 

 length in front of him. Draw off enough line from the reel to 

 lengthen the cast as much as is required ; keep the elbow of the 

 right arm at ease, but well toward the body, and the wrist flexible. 

 Raise the rod evenly and without jerking, witli force sufficient to 

 lift the line from the water ; throw the tip upward and backward 

 until it takes a position over the shoulder at an angle of forty-five 

 degrees and no more, keeping the tip a trifle outward, away from 

 the body ; calculate the length of time required to straighten the 

 line out behind to its full length, and then bring the rod forward 

 with vigor, striking down squarely and directly in front of you, al- 

 ways remembering on no account to let the tip drop as low as the 

 surface. It will be perceived that in the upward motion the thumb 

 points outward, and with the downward motion it turns inward. 

 This is the infallible key to the whole situation. By practicing 

 this combination of movements one will learn not only to lay out 

 his cast on the water in good form, but by increasing the force to 

 cast great distances. At no time should the efforts be jerky. The 

 body should be well poised, and the arm move with the evenness 

 and method of a pendulum. With a long line a sudden upward 



