HINTS TO ANGLERS. 161 



handed rod, and with one fly only, until they have 

 arrived at a certain degree of proficiency. Their 

 line at first should not be much longer than the rod, 

 or they will be apt to leave their fly at grass. 

 When they are tolerably perfect at this length, 

 they may use more progressively, until they find 

 themselves enabled to manage the length of line 

 generally thrown by experienced anglers. The 

 fly should never be drawn against the stream, 

 because that is not the nat ural tendency of flies on 

 the water, and the young angler should always bear 

 in mind that he will seldom err if he strictly con- 

 fines himself to the course which nature points out 

 to him. Thus his fly should be so thrown as to 

 come upon the surface of the water as lightly and 

 naturally as possible, playing the rod in such a 

 manner as to bring the fly very gently towards him, 

 but still allowing it to go down the stream. 



In throwing a fly, keep the line as nearly taught 

 as possible, so that very little of the gut should ap- 

 pear on the surface of the water. 



In drawing the line out of the water for the pur- 

 pose of recasting it, the rod must make a circle 

 round the head, so that the fly may be well behind 

 the angler before he attempts to throw it forward, 

 and never let him use any unnecessary length of 

 line, as it is not so conveniently managed. 



An angler will fish up or down stream according 

 as the wind may be, and he should always make the 



