62 THE FINE ART OF FISHING 



when casting is one of the most difficult things in fly- 

 casting, particularly if you have become accustomed to 

 one-handed casting, but it is certainly worth the 

 trouble of acquiring it; in fact, its advantages and 

 applications in various directions both in casting 

 and fishing the flies are so numerous that they can 

 merely be suggested at this point. Particular reference 

 is made elsewhere to certain situations wherein the two- 

 handed fly-caster has every advantage over the caster 

 whose education has not progressed thus far. In the 

 writer's opinion and, it may safely be said, in the opin- 

 ion of every man who has done much fly-fishing, the 

 one thing above all others is to learn how to handle the 

 line with your left hand. 



Following the above suggestions should certainly 

 result in adding a number of feet to your average cast- 

 ing without any determined effort to gain 

 Distance vs. ji stance> j n f act t h e gaining of distance 



^* by mere muscle should be studiously 

 avoided if for no other reason than that very long cast- 

 ing is usually very poor fishing, except, of course, where 

 reaching out is absolutely necessary on account of 

 natural conditions. The chronic distance caster gener- 

 ally overcasts his water, neglecting good water near- 

 by for the sake of seeing his flies come down far-off. 

 There is a certain satisfaction in this without doubt, but 

 it is not good fly-fishing. Strenuous effort is not at all 

 necessary for reasonable distance fishing casts; tourna- 

 ment casting is another thing. If you can succeed in 

 getting the true science of casting down to a fine point, 

 the harmonious action of wrist, rod, and line, everything 



