CHAPTER VII 



FINE AND FAR-OFF FISHING AND OTHER 

 MATTERS 



FISHING "fine and far-off" is a phrase rather 

 over-worked in the literature of fly-casting and, 

 moreover, one which we somewhat rarely see 

 put into actual practice on stream or lake. The rarity 

 of really fine and far-off fishing the words being ap- 

 plicable only to fly-fishing, and more especially to the 

 act of casting the fly is easily explained. Far casting 

 demands the best of skill and tackle, and fine fishing, 

 in addition to the requirements of light leaders and 

 small flies, calls for extreme accuracy and delicacy in 

 laying down leader and flies far-off on the water. To 

 attain to fine and far casting and fly-fishing the angler 

 must have the best of rods, a line entirely suited to 

 being cast by that rod, leader and fly-snells working 

 well together and both in keeping with the line in use ; 

 also there is requisite the skill in casting resulting from 

 long practice and, it must be admitted, natural ability 

 in that direction. Expert fly-casting is natural to some 

 men just as skilful wing-shooting is to others. So we 

 do not see very much fishing fine and far-off. 



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