A DAY'S FISHING 57 



handed rod, and also when the right hand is uppermost 

 when casting with the double-handed rod. 



The following episode will illustrate the difficulty I some- 

 times experience in getting my clients to even consider the 

 advantages of using the left hand for winding purposes, 

 and of altering the position of the reel on the rod. I was 

 about to coach a military client, whom I will call Colonel 

 O'Brien, in the Spey cast, on my St. John's Wood ground, 

 and as he wanted my advice on his salmon rod he had 

 brought it with him. As I was fixing up a cast and 

 fly, he put his rod together with the reel handles facing to 

 the right this I noticed after I had fixed the cast and fly 

 to his line and the following dialogue occurred : 



" Colonel," said I, " do you always fix your reel with the 

 handle on the right hand side ? " 



" Sure," said he, " I do." 



" And do you prefer to have your right hand uppermost 

 when you are using the salmon rod ? " 



" I do," said he. 



' Then, Colonel, why don't you have the handle of your 

 reel pointing to the left hand side, so that you can reel up 

 with the left hand, without altering your hold on the rod ? " 

 I enquired. 



" Sure," said he, " I never use my left hand for anything." 



' What about eating peas, Colonel ? " 



"Faith! Are we talking about feeding or fishing?" 

 he asked, raising his eyebrows. 



" Well ! " said I, " Supposing you are loch fishing, or 

 fishing in slackish water, and the fish makes a terrible rush 

 towards you and you have not time to shift your hands, 

 what are you going to do ? " 



" Sure," said he, " If I am in a hurry I twist my rod 

 round"; and, saying this, the Colonel illustrated it by 

 twisting the rod round, continuing to hold it with the right 



