DIFFERENT METHODS OF CASTING 199 



become quite dead, and is falling to the water. If the rod 

 is not lowered and extended a little forward, the rod point 

 will become the centre of a circle of which the line is the 

 radius, and the line at its heaviest end being held at this 

 point, cannot fall vertically, but is drawn backward in a 

 curve towards the fisherman, and by this backward curving 

 action it draws the fly after it, and produces the drag. 



This error grows greater the higher the fisherman be 

 situated above the water ; when casting from a high bridge, 

 for instance, it is almost impossible to avoid this sort of drag. 



A common form of drag can also occur even when the 

 line has correctly fallen on the water. 



If a fish be rising in an eddy on the far side of the stream, 

 and the fly be thrown directly across the rapid water into 

 the still water the middle portion of the line will alight on 

 the more rapid part of the current and will travel down 

 stream faster than the cast and fly ; this will most certainly 

 create the drag. 



AVOIDING THE DRAG 



Under such circumstances, to place a dry fly which will 

 remain on the water sufficiently long to give the fish an 

 opportunity of rising, is, perhaps one of the most difficult 

 casts which have to be made. 



If the following variation of the side cast be made up- 

 stream, the immediate drag can be avoided. 



The reader may remember that in my instructions in the 

 downward action of the rod, I say that the rod should be 

 brought forward with accelerating force ; starting the move- 

 ment gently and without a jerk, etc. A jerky start may not 

 only fail to extend the line, but will certainly bring the belly 

 of the line downward towards or on the water before the 

 line has extended itself. 



Starting either motion of the rod in casting with a sudden 



