LONG DISTANCE CASTING. 107 



flood water to a certain extent, this river's volume is increased, 

 and a much more rapid and dangerous addition is therefore 

 made to the already swollen waters of the Thames. 



Always remember that in very weedy water, it is better 

 to let a trout go up stream into the tail of a bunch of weeds 

 than to pull him down stream, and let him get sideways into 

 the thick of such a danger. A fish which may seem 

 hopelessly entangled in weeds and brushwood may with 

 patience and nerve be ultimately creeled. 



LONG DISTANCE CASTING. 



While not wishing to minimise the importance of being 

 able to cast a long line, and of successfully hooking fish 

 when doing so, this ability by no means stamps any person 

 as a good or skilful trout or salmon fisherman. 



Unfortunately we have at present no means of deciding the 

 championship other than by a test as to distance in casting. 



Style, delicacy, accuracy, and variety should enter into 

 the competition, and points should be allowed for each class. 

 The greatest aggregate number of points obtained should 

 decide the championship. As an argument on this subject 

 I may mention the Hardy Competition at the Crystal Palace 

 on July 28th, 1904. In this competition Mr. J. N. Lawrence 

 beat all previous amateur records in trout fly casting by 

 getting out thirty-four yards of line with an eleven feet six 

 inches rod (as against my best cast of thirty-two yards with a 

 ten feet six inch rod). 



