CHAP. V. THE COMPLETE ANGLER. 405 



two, in a river clear of wood and weeds as this, and 

 some others of ours are deserves not the name of an 

 angler*. 



Now, to have your whole line as it ought to be, 

 two of the first lengths nearest the hook should be of 

 two hairs, apiece; the next three lengths above them, 

 of three ; the next three above them, of four ; and, 

 so, of five ; and six ; and seven ; to the very top : by 

 which means, your rod and tackle will, in a manner, 

 be taper from your very hand to your hook; your line 

 will fall much better and strailer, and cast your fly to 

 any certain place to which the hand and eye shall direct 

 it, with less weight and violence, that would other- 

 wise circle the water, and fright away the fish. 



In CASTING YOUR LINE, Do it always before you t, 



* See the direction for your rod and line, in the notes on Chap. XXI, 

 Part. I. 



f- Till you are a proficient, every throw will go near to cost you a hook: 

 therefore practise for some time without one. Haivkins. 



Management of the line when Fishing either with one fly or TWO OR. 

 MORE FLIES. When you have fixed your rod properly with your winch 

 thereon, [see ante pa. 199. n. describing luincb and rings,] and brought your 

 line from it through the rings of your rod, loop on to it, by the strong- 

 est end, your foot-length ; which should be about three yards and a half 

 long ; made of good, strong, single silkworm guts, well tied, and the 

 knoti neatly whipped, running a (very little) finer towards the bottom* 

 end, at which place, there must be a neatly-whipped loop : Then take 

 your end-fly, or stretcher; which should be made with one, or two lengths 

 of good level gut, full as fine as, or a little finer than, .the bottom link of 

 your foot-length tied and whipped neatly together, and looped nicely at 

 the end ; loop this to the end of your gut-length; and then, your drop- 

 fly just above a knot, where whipped, about a yard from the end-fly, to 

 hang from the line not more than two or three inches. If you chuoe to 

 fish for more, keep them all about the same distance. And observe, that 

 if your droppers be larger than, or even as large as, your stretcher, you 

 will not be able to throw a good line ; but a beginner should never use 

 more than one fly. 



When thus prepared, let-out the line, about half as 7 t t' f 

 long again as the rod : and holding the rod, properly, , '" C /f-'/CT 

 in one hand,-and the line ju.t above the fly, in tbro tn tbe ltne > 

 the other, give your rod a motion from right to left, and as you 

 move the rod backwards, in order to throw out the line, dismiss 

 the line from your hand at the same time; And try several 

 throws, at this length. Then let-out more line ; and try that; still using 

 more, and more, till you can manage any length needful; but about 

 nine yards, is quite sufficient for a learner to practise with. And observe 

 that in raising your line, in order to throw it again, you should wave the 

 rod a little round your head, and not bring it directly backwards: nor 



