92 The Atlantic Salmon 



the fly is, and throwing it out behind to its full 

 length before casting it forward. This is the 

 most important part of casting, as, if not done, 

 and there is a slack in the line at the time of 

 the forward cast, the fly is frequently snapped 

 off, and line and fly alight in front in a tangled 

 mass far in direction and distance from where 

 they should. In raising the line from the water, 

 a little jerk should be given just as the fly leaves 

 the surface, which makes it travel up and back 

 much faster than it otherwise would, and prevents 

 the line from hitting the ground or the water on 

 the back cast. It is desirable that the straight- 

 ened-out line behind should not fall to a lower 

 level than that of the angler's head, and if kept 

 higher than that it is better. The rod on the 

 back cast, to accomplish this, should go as little 

 as may be beyond the perpendicular. To see men 

 casting from a canoe, and not only a good bit 

 of the line, but often the tip of the rod, striking 

 the water behind, is far from a pleasant spectacle. 

 The higher the fly on the back cast, if straight, 

 the less force is required to send it forward, and 

 the knack of getting it into this position or any 

 other whereby the fly is straightened out on the 

 back cast is in applying sufficient sudden force 



