18 CRACKING OFF THE FLY 



words, be alive, and not dead. The end G of line 

 A G in Diagram 3 should therefore still possess back- 

 ward energy when the forward cast is made. The 

 wind, when against the back cast, will frequently 

 destroy the backward energy of the line before it has 

 fully extended itself, the end of the line thus becoming 

 dead. This is a fruitful source of danger, as the 

 forward switch of the rod communicates itself to the 

 dead portion of the line with a jerk, which cracks 



DIAGRAM 3. SHOWING POSITIONS OF ROD IN FORWARD CAST. 



A G, position of line when commencing cast (see Plate V.). 



A F B, angle of forward cast. 



B CD, line coming forward as fore cast is finished the 



moment for lowering the rod. 

 F E, final position of rod (Plate II.). 



off the fly. The same result may happen if insufficient 

 energy is not applied to extend the line fully back- 

 ward. 



Diagram 4 shows the increase of force used and 

 the direction taken by the line in the forward 

 cast. 



The beginner should, at the commencement of the 

 backward strike, hold the line between the finger and 

 thumb of the left hand, having a few feet of slack 



