72 SALMON FISHING 



rod. There are many places where with a 16 

 feet rod, the fly cannot be made to hang properly 

 on the fish, while an 18 feet fishes it perfectly, 

 and makes all the difference. The casts in a 

 streamy river vary so greatly that while a 16 

 feet rod may be more suitable than an 18 feet 

 for the majority, it may be rather short in one 

 or two places, and where this extra length is 

 desirable, the only remedy lies in holding the rod 

 out as far as possible. 



In fishing sluggish water, the length of the 

 rod is not so important, as the fly sinks and 

 travels more slowly, therefore the fish have a 

 better chance to see it. Perhaps the most 

 difficult cast to fish successfully is a rather 

 slow-running pool, when the water is dead low 

 and clear. After fishing such a place by casting 

 down at the usual angle of forty-five degrees 

 unsuccessfully, it should be fished from a posi- 

 tion above with any sober-coloured fly dressed 

 with long heron or other hackles, in what is 

 called the "dropping down" method, to get 

 the fly well down in front of the fish, and 

 work over them with a sink-and-draw motion, 

 letting out a few inches of line when you 

 think the fly is on them, and generally working 

 it by drawing in and letting out line. If this 

 does not succeed, the following method may be 

 tried. 



