206 FLY FISHING AND SPINNING 



so ; but, before proceeding, may I draw your attention to 

 the fact that you have a smut on your nose ? " Whereupon 

 the lady's hand immediately went up to her nose, much to 

 her astonishment. She made this .quite natural action 

 subconsciously ; her thoughts being taken off her shoulder^ 

 subconscious activity instantly lifted the arm from the 

 elbow in its usual way. In endeavouring to keep her wrist 

 stiff, she had unconsciously included the muscles of the arm 

 as being inhibited, and endeavoured to raise her hand with 

 the wrong muscles the muscles of the shoulder. 



THE MEANING OF A STIFF WRIST 



To tell the student therefore that a cast depends on a 

 " delicate wrist action " is to focus his attention on his wrist 

 and land him in a mental muddle. The thought should for 

 choice be focussed in the ball of the thumb or forefinger. 



If we hit at, or even reach out and firmly touch, a definite 

 object in front of the body, the hand has become an inflexible 

 socket, stiffening the wrist in every direction, and permitting 

 the muscles of the forearm to supply the force necessary to, 

 and controlling the blow, or the action of touching. 



I hope my reader will not confuse my meaning. The 

 wrist, before and leading up to the hit by the stick, the 

 racket, the golf club, the cricket bat, the touch by the bow 

 of the violin, etc., may, if so desired, be bent at will, yet at 

 the moment the attention is consciously applied to striking 

 the object, playing the chord, etc., the wrist will be so 

 controlled that unless it be desired, it will not be bent. 

 Now in the case of the fishing rod, this control is absolutely 

 necessary all the time the rod is being used for the purpose 

 of casting, if it be desired to project the fly most accurately 

 and effectively, because, there is a wide difference between 

 the action of striking an object with a stick, hitting a tennis 

 ball, etc., and casting a trout fly. 



