32 THE UNDER-HANDED CAST. 



knack (the throwing of the line) in the greatest 

 possible perfection. Some anglers who throw the 

 longest line make it " swirl " out upon the water, 

 the hook appearing to alight last. Others cause the 

 fly to hover for a moment, and touch the water 

 before any part of the line. These last appear 

 the neater fishers, but the others command more 

 water. In fishing a salmon-cast, throw a point 

 down stream, bringing your hook gradually 

 round by short jerks, but always keep it two 

 points against the stream, and never bring it in 

 so straight towards you as in trout-fishing. * In 

 dead water, when a very long cast, you may 

 throw straight out, bringing your fly round, by 

 keeping the point of the rod up, instead of down 

 stream. There is an under-handed throw much 

 in use on the Spey, which prevents the line from 

 circlino; behind. Of course this is a ""reat advan- 

 tage among trees or other obstacles. It is gene- 

 rally practised up stream |, and the line with its 

 ' swish ' upon the w^ater goes over all the fish 



* The advice embodied in this and the following sentence 

 is not orthodox. By and by I shall show how the salmon- 

 fly is to be properly worked in the water. 



I If so, it is a very bad practice. All casts should be 

 down stream, and the working of the fly must be up stream, 

 or afjainst it. 



