234 A BOOK ON ANGLING 



the same side as the gut first came through the eye, then return 

 it through the eye again, and you have it looped on to the eye 

 of the hook. The end, however, is still loose, and it is evident 

 that at any strain it would slip back again through the eye. 

 Then take the fly in your left hand, take hold of the fag end, 

 and make a complete turn round the gut, and put the end 

 through the tie or opening thus formed in fact, make a 

 regular tie knot, and draw it tight, after the style of tying 

 shown in Plate III, Fig. i, page 66. Repeat the operation so 

 as to make two knots lying side by side, as closely as possible. 

 Pull the knots home as tightly as you can, by taking the fag 

 end between your teeth or pliers, then pull the gut and slide 

 the knots down to the eye, cut off the end, and your fly is 

 ready to be looped on to the cast. 



And now we will suppose that the angler is suited with rod, 

 line, cast, and flies. We will assume that he knows something 

 of fly-fishing, has at least used a single-handed trout rod. 

 The motions gone through with the rod point are precisely 

 similar with a single and a double-handed rod, save that a 

 somewhat wider sweep is made with the latter. The left hand 

 holds the rod below the reel, and the right grasps it at a 

 convenient spot above ; sufficient line is let off the reel for the 

 cast ; the point of the rod is waved backwards over the right 

 shoulder ; the right hand comes almost to the level of the 

 shoulder (in long casts a trifle above it) . Give the line time to 

 extend itself backwards, making a sweep round with the point 

 of the rod, still feeling the line as you do so ; direct it towards 

 the mark as in trout-fishing. You can either make the curve 

 (or the cast rather) towards the ear or away from the ear. The 

 first will be found most suitable when fishing with a short line, 

 but the latter is indispensable when fishing with a long one, 

 as in no other way can the line be got off the water so quickly 

 or neatly. This is the right shoulder cast. To ease the muscles 

 and to suit a particular airt of wind, or the direction or bank 

 of the stream, it is often advantageous to cast from the left 

 shoulder instead of the right. To do this reverse the hands 

 the right below, the left above the reel and bring the rod to 

 the left shoulder instead of the right. The other motions are 

 the same as in the right shoulder cast, save that in the left 

 hand cast it will be found easier to make the sweep towards 

 or nearer to the ear. 



The length of your cast must be governed by your ability, 

 but always, when actually fishing, cast well within yourself 



