THE BRITISH ANGLER'S LEXICON. 21 



beyond the spot he wishes the tail-fly to drop on ; he also 

 should practice casting with his left hand, and from both 

 left to right, and vice versa ; also underhand casting and 

 switching side-ways, which is done by lowering the back of 

 the hand holding the rod, and bringing it up again sharply, 

 the line circling in front of the angler from side to side. 

 This stroke or style of casting is of great use when fishing a 

 stream where branches overhang low on the water. All of 

 these modes come into play some time or other during a 

 day's fly fishing, and the sooner they are learnt the better. 

 Now, having practised throwing the line for a short time 

 until the awkwardness wears off, the fly fisher should seek 

 the haunt of the nimble trout, and having a approached the 

 water," begin casting up the stream on his own side, and 

 allow the flies to be carried down gently with the current, 

 until they get a little below where the angler stands. Then 

 make a fresh cast a little further out, and so on, until the 

 whole breadth of the stream has been fished over that is 

 provided the water is not wider than the line will cover ; if 

 it is so, he must wade, or leave that portion out of reach for 

 some brother angler who may come up on the opposite side. 

 A movement up or down the stream may now be made ; if 

 it is a good fishing stream, not a yard of it should be missed. 

 The main line should not be permitted to sweep the water, 

 or as little of it as possible. The flies should be kept lively 

 but not pulled ; watch the manner of the natural fly 

 touching the water and try to imitate it. However, this 

 remark applies more to dry fly than to wet fly fishing, 

 as it is only with the latter first going on the w r ater that they 

 can be kept on the surface, but it is not necessary that they 

 should be maintained there ; in fact, it is impossible to keep 

 them floating, and an inch or two under the surface is just 



