CHAPTER IV 

 FLY-CASTING AND FLY-FISHING 



IT is quite possible for an angler to take a good 

 many brook trout without being an expert fly-cas- 

 ter. Mere mechanical proficiency in casting is by 

 no means the most important factor in resultful fly- 

 fishing. A good many other things, such as knowledge 

 of trout haunts and habits and what is fishable water, 

 have weight in deciding the success or non-success of 

 the angler's day on the stream. 



But notwithstanding the fact that fly-casting is not 

 all of fly-fishing, it is very well for the angler to be 

 able to cast better than the other fellow; given two 

 anglers of equal stream experience and like knowledge 

 of brook trout characteristics, the better caster will 

 assuredly make the better showing. The very poor 

 caster, too, no matter how wise he may be in general 

 angling affairs, will certainly offset his superior theoreti- 

 cal knowledge by his awkwardness in practical fishing. 

 Also, apart from the application of fly-casting to fly- 

 fishing, it is a fact that mere fly-casting is good sport 

 witness the popularity of tournament casting. The man 

 who has acquired some expertness in casting the fly 

 gets a great deal of pleasure from this alone. 



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