202 METHODS OF FISHING 



avoid the danger of his line sagging, or having to make 

 his casts from a position which might endanger the 

 safety of his gear. If a river is not wadable, and has 

 a broad, rapid current in the centre, the fisherman 

 should content himself with fishing the rapid water 

 and his side of the stream, casting the fly well over but 

 within the rapid portion of the river, and allowing it 

 to come round into the slacker water towards his own 

 bank. 



METHOD OF FISHING THE RIVER 



When the fisherman has fished a cast out, and has 

 satisfied himself that no fish is likely to take the fly, 

 he can again cast over the same water, either higher or 

 lower, as he may think necessary. By standing on 

 one spot and gradually increasing the length of the 

 line, a very considerable amount of river can be 

 covered, the shortest length always being used in the 

 first cast. If the line has been fished straight and 

 down-stream, and no fish have been moved after 

 repeated efforts, it is by no means a bad plan to try 

 the same water, but to allow the line to sag. If a 

 slight downward belly of the line be now permitted, it 

 will at any rate, over a certain portion of the water 

 fished present the fly to the fish with an altered 

 appearance and a different speed. In heavy water 

 it is advisable to allow the fly to sink as much as 

 possible below the surface, and it is not an uncommon 

 plan to put a shot on the trace above the salmon fly. 



