66 THE DRY FLY AND FAST WATER 



consolation to know that he has not been dis- 

 turbed by the casting. A change of tactics is 

 very often effective in such cases; and, if the fly 

 be placed very close to the fish instead of being 

 floated down to him, its sudden appearance, 

 giving but little time for investigation, may 

 cause him to rise to it. 



When a rising fish may be cast to without 

 disturbing those below him, the angler is in a 

 more favourable position. Where practicable, 

 the effort should be to make the throw with 

 the leader curved and above the fly. Natu- 

 rally, this is more easily accomplished when the 

 fish looking up-stream is on the angler's left 

 hand. Unless one be ambidextrous, or skilful 

 enough to throw with the right hand from over 

 the left shoulder, a fish under the right-hand 

 bank is difficult to reach in this manner. Until 

 the cast has been mastered, no attempt should 

 be made to throw the curve; but one need not 

 despair of taking fish in this position, even 

 though this skill be lacking. The fly may be 

 thrown straight, but from a more obtuse angle; 

 and if, instead of being placed directly over or 

 above the fish, it be placed slightly above and 

 a foot to the near side of the spot where he 

 rose, the danger of scaring him off with the 



