THE WEATHER. 1G3 



The whole secret of the cast lies in this turning over of the 

 hand. If this be done properly, the angler can fish such spots 

 safely and can pitch his fly fairly and lightly across the 

 stream, while in no other way that he can devise will he 

 be able to do more than to cast it directly down the 

 stream, or if it ever chances to go across, it will go with 

 such a splash as will render the cast worse than useless, 

 while he will be perpetually fouling in the branches 

 above or catching on the surface of the water behind or 

 up-stream. This cast is difficult to learn, and requires 

 much practice ; but when once mastered the angler will find 

 it of the greatest advantage, and he will be able to drop 

 his fly just where he chooses. For this casting a stiff rod 

 is decidedly requisite, or the angler will not be able to 

 get his line quickly and cleanly enough off the surface 

 when about to make his cast, for he does not raise it 

 directly off the water, as in ordinary casting,* but rather 

 pulls it through it, and if the rod gave too much it would 

 be brought so far round before the line was got off the 

 water that the fly would catch in the bank. 



I have now told the young fly-fisher how to suit himself 

 with rod and tackle and how to fish a stream, and I will 

 add a few general directions which have been gathered by 

 long experience, watchfulness, and by thinking nothing 

 which occurs on the water, or in connection with it, un- 

 worthy of notice or consideration. And firstly as to the 

 weather when the angler should go fly-fishing ; and these 

 remarks very much apply to all other kinds of fishing. 

 Most of us are aware of the old rhyme : 



When the wind blows from the west, 

 It blows the hook to the fish's nest ; 

 When the wind blows from the south, 

 It blows the hook to the fish's mouth ; 

 When from the north and east it blows, 

 Seldom the anglor fishing goes. 



M 2 



