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thrown to. Taking the wind in his back, the 

 tyro, with a short line at first, may attempt to 

 cast within an inch or two of the paper, and 

 afterwards by degrees lengthen his line as his 

 improvement proceeds; he may then try to 

 throw in such a direction, that the wind may 

 in some measure oppose the line and rod; and, 

 lastly, he may practise throwing against the 

 wind. In this way any person may become an 

 adept in throwing a fly, much sooner than by 

 trusting solely to the experience which he may 

 get when on the water-side ; for his attention 

 being then wholly engrossed by the hopes of a 

 rise, &c. a bad habit may be very easily engen- 

 dered, which will not be as easily got rid of. 

 He should endeavour to impart to the line a 

 good uniform sweep or curve round the head ; 

 for if it returns too quickly or sharply from 

 behind him, a crack will be heard, and the fly 

 whipped off. There is some little difficulty in 

 acquiring this management. The larger the 

 fly the more resistance it meets with in the air; 

 this resistance causes it to make a better curve, 

 and the danger of smacking it off is lessened. 

 A palmer is not easily lost in this manner. 

 The attempt to describe by words all the 

 precautions and manipulations necessary for 

 throwing a fly successfully and gracefully, 



would be as hopeless a task as that of teaching 

 E 5 



