96 The Atlantic Salmon 



high rocks, some other method of getting out the 

 line must be adopted. There are various kinds 

 of these underhand casts, as they are called, the 

 general principle of all being to so apply the 

 force to the rod that the fly, instead of going 

 above and behind the caster, travels low, and near 

 the surface of the water toward the centre of the 

 stream, and then by a sharp forward and outward 

 motion the fly is thrown high in the air, and as 

 it descends straightens out and alights in the 

 chosen spot, never in the course of its travels 

 going behind the angler. It is delightful and 

 astonishing to see how far a line can be thrown 

 by underhand casting, and any angler who has 

 seen a good exhibition of this art will be fired 

 with a desire to attain a practical knowledge of 

 it which I fear cannot be taught from books. 

 Major Traherne says on this subject: 



" Of all the various undercasts the one as practised on the 

 Spey is the most pleasant and satisfactory to make, and, as far 

 as I can judge, a longer line can be got out with it than with 

 any other. It is generally believed this cast can only be ac- 

 complished when wading, but if any one knows how to do it, it 

 can be done with quite as great ease and to as great perfection 

 when standing on the bank ; but in the latter case it requires a 

 sharp stream to be running evenly close into the bank which is 

 being fished from. ... To make a Spey cast successfully the 



