AN ALLEGED OBSCURITY CLEARED UP. 35 



in my interpretation, drawn in the water towards 

 your feet as closely as the length of line out from 

 the top of the rod will allow — you could draw it 

 quite close if the length of the line out did not 

 exceed the length of the rod], by drawing the 

 rod, almost perpendicularly or inclining a trifle, 

 behind you, either on the right hand or the left, 

 immediately delivering the line before you, while 

 the fly and several yards of line remain on the water. 

 The line in this case sweeps along the watery and 

 the fly reaches the surface last." The words in 

 italics contain chiefly the obscurity I complain 

 of. To my comprehension the author means that 

 whilst the fly and some of the line are not as yet 

 lifted from the water, the rod is moved back and 

 then propelled sharply forwards. Now, by this 

 double motion, the fly and line must be lifted 

 from the water and brought in an upward direc- 

 tion towards you, but not behind you, else you 

 could not force them forwards. When they are 

 sharply driven forwards, the winch-line touches 

 the water first, and the instant it touches it, the 

 casting-line is shot on straight before it. This 

 cast is the straightest from the shoulder of all ; 

 but unless it can be made in an oblique direc- 

 tion down stream, it is far more useful to the 

 trout-fisher than to the salmon-angler, for this 



D 2 



