S-ALM ON- FISHING. 3(51 



The Left-Shouldered Cast. — It frequently occurs, in 

 fishing down either side of a river, that an abrupt bank rises 

 immediately at the angler's back. If on the right side of the 

 river, such an obstruction makes it necessary to cast from over 

 the left shoulder ; for in making the ordinary right-shouldered 

 cast, the high bank would prevent the backward motion of 

 the rod and the backward sweep of the line. In casting from 

 over the lefk shoulder, it is not necessary, as "Ephemera" 

 directs, to shift one's hands ; that is, to grasp the rod above 

 above the reel with the left, and the end of the butt with the 

 right hand, and make an awkward attempt, for the time, to 

 become a left-handed man. A much easier plan is not to 

 shift the hands at all, but, keeping them as they are, to bring 

 the line backward over the left shoulder, and cast from the 

 left side. This way of casting, though it may appear awkward 

 at first, will become quite easy after a little practice, especially 

 to one who is used to whipping over the left shoulder for 

 Trout. The middle figure of the diagram' on the next page 

 shows the line described by the top of the rod in the left- 

 shouldered cast ; the dotted line represents the course of the 

 fly ; O is the stand of the angler. 



A greater difficulty than that just described is to be over- 

 come, when one wishes to cast directly across the stream, 

 and a precipitous bank or cliff rises immediately behind his 

 back, and, it may be, also on his left hand. In this case he 

 has first to get his fly out, down stream ; the current will 

 assist him somewhat. Then lifting it with a smart twitch of 

 the rod, he brings it back (but not too far) over the left 

 shoulder, and suddenly facing the desired spot, casts with a 

 short abrupt spring of the rod in that direction. A bird's- 

 eye view of the course described by the top of the rod in this 

 throw is represented by the right-hand figure of the cut. The 

 largest arrow points down stream. B is the point from which 

 the fly is picked up, and A the direction in which it is cast. 



