OVERHEAD CAST 215 



line should run out in a straight line in front of the 

 student. 



If the left foot is foremost, the back cast can perhaps 

 be as easily made, but it is against the experience of 

 every sport, and it most certainly detracts from the 

 command over the forward cast. The right hand 

 dominates the cast, therefore the right side and right 

 foot should be in such a position as will give the 

 greatest power and assistance to the right-hand for- 

 ward impulse. 



The object is not to throw the fly as high into the 

 air as possible, but to a point opposite to that at which 

 it has to alight. 



Assuming that this practice is taking place down- 

 stream on running water, the point of the rod should 

 be lowered well towards the water prior to making the 

 back stroke ; the current will then take out all the 

 slack line, and as the rod is steadily raised to an angle 

 of about 50 degrees the line will rise well to the surface 

 of the water (see Diagram 14, Fig. B). The back- 

 ward action for the salmon rod is then precisely 

 similar to that used in the backward action of the 

 trout rod, the force applied to the line being a pull 

 which increases in strength as the rod goes back, 

 culminating as the butt of the rod passes the vertical, 

 the reel being the pivot of the backward action of the 

 salmon rod, instead of the elbow (see Diagram 14). 

 The rod should come to a sudden stop at an angle of 

 about 35 degrees behind the right shoulder (see 

 Plate XXIV.). The line is here shown as curling back, 



