CASTING IN WINDY WEATHER 207 



Francis Francis who states that, in his opinion, 

 the best wind for fishing is ' no wind.' Certainly 

 the very worst are north and east. A wind blow- 

 ing from any other quarter save these two will 

 not necessarily mar sport on the contrary, may 

 conduce to it, always provided the fisherman can 

 get his line out. 



At times a contrary wind can be most trying 

 and vexatious to the temper, and nothing will go 

 right. If it is necessary to change a fly, a puff of 

 wind probably whips it away out of one's fingers, 

 possibly others out of the book or box going too, 

 and the chances are a hundred to one against 

 finding them again. Matches won't light, and 

 smoking is a farce. Nevertheless, in the back- 

 waters of the bends, and always in the most inac- 

 cessible places, the fish are feeding, and a quick 

 eye will readily detect the slight bubble made by 

 the rise, even in the roughest, most wind-tossed 

 waters. Under such circumstances, if it is 

 desired to catch fish, the fly must be got over 

 them somehow or other. How to do it remains 

 to be shown. 



First of all a weak rod and a light line are use- 

 less for such work ; the latter must be heavy, and 

 the former stiff enough to carry it. Too long or 

 too fine a gut-cast is also useless, and not only 

 cannot be forced out against the wind, but coils in 

 hopeless knots and tangles all over the place, 



