THE SPEY THROW 229 



fly at the extreme end of the line (see Plates XXXXIV. 

 and XXXXV.). If he wishes to cast to the left, the rod 

 must be held right hand up, and brought back to the 

 right shoulder, etc. 



The motion of the arms is most impoitant, the usual 

 forward motion of the hand being continued, the final 

 effort being made with a circular downward curve ; 

 the elbows are slightly lifted and advanced as the 

 forward stroke is made, and at the point when the 

 final effort should have shot the clay off the rod tip, 

 the elbows are brought slightly down and back. It 

 will thus be seen that although the loop is made in 

 very nearly one plane, it in reality comes distinctly 

 under the head of the straight and curved casts, the 

 backward motion being in one plane, but the point of 

 the rod being continued in every respect as a vertical 

 curve in its after movements. Indeed, if this motion 

 were not somewhat in the nature of a circle the forward 

 loop would not be formed. 



THE SPEY THROW 



The river from which this method of throwing the 

 fly takes its name, and on which, from Loch Spey to 

 the Moray Firth, it is principally used, is one of the 

 most noted salmon rivers in the kingdom, and the cast 

 has become famous as much for this reason and on 

 account of its reputed difficulty, as owing to the 

 general acceptation of its merits. 



The Spey manner of throwing the fly is as simple in 



