88 KEEPING THE LINE CLEAR 



or of losing his last train. By facing west he can still 

 detect the rise of feeding fish, and even if fish are 

 rising close to the opposite bank and out of sight 

 amid its shadows, the sound of the rise will very 

 frequently guide him in making an accurate cast, 

 and eventually landing a big fish. The rise of the 

 fish at his fly will in most cases be seen, felt, or heard 

 seen, because a comparatively big ring will be caused 

 by a rise, and on the slopes of the attendant ripple 

 the glint and reflection from the western sky will 

 be detected, even amid the blackness of the shadows 

 under the opposite bank; heard, because the evening 

 rise of a fish at a floating fly, owing to his more 

 limited vision at night-time, is frequently more 

 sudden and less dignified, and therefore, in most cases, 

 more clearly audible amid the general hush of Nature ; 

 felt, because the fisherman's line at night should be 

 as short and straight as possible, and when the fly is 

 taken by the fish the tug will in most cases be distinctly 

 noticeable. 



KEEPING THE LINE CLEAR 



A word as to casting and fishing when daylight has 

 ceased and before the moon makes her appearance. 

 In order to keep your line clear in casting, bring the 

 rod back a little to the left of the vertical, and return 

 it slightly to the right, or vice versa. This should 

 effectually prevent fouling, always allowing plenty of 

 time for the line to extend itself behind. The line 

 should, however, be drawn through the fingers every 



