224 THE GALWAY CAST 



(see Plate XXVII.). The right foot having been 

 brought forward, the backward cast is made, but with 

 a forward action (see Plate XXIX.). While the line 

 is travelling in the direction to which it has to be ex- 

 tended the body again turns round to the left to its 

 original position, facing the place at which the fly has 

 to alight, the rod's direction, as before, remaining un- 

 altered, and exactly the same alteration of the rod, 

 thumbs, hands, and arms again takes place, and the 

 rod, arms, hands, and reel are as in Fig. 4, Plate XXX. 

 The right foot again swings forward, and as the line 

 will by this time have fully extended itself, the forward 

 cast is made, its finish being as shown in Plate XXVI. 

 The position of the feet should be carefully noticed in 

 Plates XXVII. and XXX., which are those positions as- 

 sumed immediately before the backward and the for- 

 ward strokes are made, and before the right foot has 

 been brought forward. In Plates XXVII. and XXX. 

 the feet are shown leaving the ground preparatory to the 

 forward cast being made, the line being seen extended. 

 The Galway cast is a very pretty one, and is of great 

 use when an opening occurs amid the trees behind the 

 fisherman, and when such trees are within the radius 

 of the back cast of his line and a loop or curved side 

 cast cannot be made. In casting backward in the 

 ordinary overhead manner it is nearly always impos- 

 sible for the fisherman to guide his line accurately, 

 and were such an attempt made when the open space 

 is small, the backward cast would result in the line 

 and fly hitting the trees instead of being directed 



