12 THE FORWARD CAST 



strokes the line follows the movement made by the 

 point of the rod, whether that movement be made in 

 a plane or in any more or less extended curve. 



THE FORWARD CAST 



In following the line in its backward journey it will 

 be noticed that it takes some little time to extend itself 

 before falling to the ground, and a pause is therefore 

 necessary between the back stroke and the forward 

 cast in order to allow this extension of the line. It is 

 precisely the timing of the correct length of this pause 

 which is one of the secrets of a successful forward cast. 

 This pause will vary in duration : the wind, the quality 

 of rod, the length of line, and the force and speed of the 

 back cast, will all influence the velocity of the backward 

 moving line, and, consequently, no fixed length of time 

 for this pause could possibly be given. It must not 

 be of such duration as to permit the line falling to the 

 ground. 



Under average conditions I have found that, with 

 15 yards of line out, a pause equal in length to 

 the time taken in making the back cast is sufficient; 

 but by following back your line with the eye in practice, 

 you will soon be able to seize the psychological moment 

 for your forward cast. 



The forward action of the rod, when commenced, 

 must be made more rapidly than the backward motion. 

 In the latter, the line being on the ground or water 

 cannot suffer by falling any lower, however slowly the 



