HOW TO HOLD A SALMON-ROD 309 



force, and is not only very tiring and inconvenient, 

 but also prevents the line being cast with the 

 lightness and precision which are necessary. 



The rod should be held with the hands as far 

 apart as possible, the shoulders thereby being 

 thrown well open. If the stream is running from 

 left to right, the left hand will be uppermost, and 

 vice versa. 



Now, let the reader accompany me in imagina- 

 tion to the riverside. We will assume that the 

 stream is flowing from right to left. First of all, 

 let him stand facing directly across the river, then 

 let him make a half turn to the left. He will be 

 thus facing in the proper direction for making his 

 cast. He must endeavour to place his fly under 

 the opposite bank at this angle, or as near to the 

 bank as his casting powers will admit of his doing. 

 If the river is wide, and the entire length cannot 

 be covered, then he must cast as far as he can 

 conveniently manage, but always preserving the 

 position I have described at the commencement 

 of the cast. As the fly is drawn across the stream 

 by the current, he must follow its direction with 

 the point of his rod, and when it has reached the 

 extreme limit allowed by the length of line which 

 may be out, he must slowly and gently move the 

 top of the rod up and down, at the same time 

 gathering up the line bit by bit with his left hand 

 with each downward motion, and turning his body 



