Fish and Fishing 



practised when the ground behind is flat and 

 clear. One advantage of it is that the rod being 

 held low is not seen by the fish. If 

 cit^'^'^'*"^ you fail to cast lightly, aim at an im- 

 aginary point in the air two feet above 

 where you wish the fly to fall. When the over- 

 head cast and underhand cast are mastered, the 

 angler should try what is called the steeple cast, 

 which is sending the 

 line as high in the air 

 as possible when mak- 

 ing the backward cast, 

 the forward cast being y^ 

 made as before; by ^ 



this means a very long Curve followed by rod-point in 

 ,. u 1. i speycast. 



hne can be got out, 



and the line is not so likely to catch impediments 

 behind the angler. There is still another method 

 called the switch or spey cast, most 

 useful where, owing to high banks or 

 trees, the line cannot be extended at all behind 

 the angler. 



It is necessary to fish down stream. We are 

 looking down the river with a rock behind us, our 

 rod-point is rather low, pointing toward the fly, 

 and our line is extended down stream. Suppose 

 our rod-point is at A, we raise it smartly, follow- 

 ing the curve shown to B, when our line will be 

 off the water: then we depress it again to C and 

 raise it to D, by which time the fly and a portion 

 of the line will be touching the water almost at 

 our feet; then we switch the rod forward sharply 

 198 



