212 FLY FISHING AND SPINNING 



term a wrist action, and by which wrist action many of my 

 clients have told me that they think they give a final flick 

 to the rod. If, however, they very closely consider this 

 action, they will find out that this flick is in reality produced 

 by a deliberately executed thumb and finger action which 

 stiffens the wrist and permits the muscles of the forearm to 

 communicate in the final effort this impulse to the fishing rod. 

 In other words they permit the muscles of the forearm to do 

 the work for which they were intended, and, late as this 

 control is on the rod, it yet materially improves their 

 casting. 



THE IMPORTANCE OF THE MUSCLES OF THE FOREARM 



It is on the muscles of the forearm and the use of the 

 elbow as pivot that the fisherman must rely, and if anyone 

 doubt this, let his forearm be held rigidly by a friend in any 

 position, and let him see of how little use his hand and wrist 

 action are when making his backward and forward cast, 

 when deprived of the use of the forearm muscles. If, on the 

 other hand, he will fasten the butt end of his rod to his 

 forearm above the wrist, by a handkerchief, and then use the 

 forearm and its muscles to cast with, the elbow being the 

 pivot on which the movement is made, he will appreciate 

 the fact that this produces a controlled wrist action and 

 enables him to cast with the greatest ease and accuracy. 



When a habit is acquired of thus using the forearm in the 

 manner I advise, this independent pivotal wrist action 

 which has been so persistently recommended, and which 

 has proved a bugbear to so many learners will be found 

 to be absolutely unnecessary and prejudicial to the best 

 method of casting a fly, and he will then, as an after 

 result, find that any secondary wrist action cannot without 

 definite " attention," and without definite determination, 

 be made. If, however, such a wrist action be definitely 



