FLY-CASTING PRACTICE 115 



targets. Start with the line the length of the 

 rod, making several false casts, then a scoring 

 cast at the first mark; three or four dry casts, 

 then score at the second mark, and so on. This 

 is pretty work, and good fishing practice. 



Five targets are used in dry-fly accuracy con- 

 tests, each one a thirty-inch circle. Wooden 

 barrel hoops attached to a line will serve. The 

 standard distances for light rods are 20, 27^, 

 35, 42^, and 50 feet. Three scoring casts 

 are made at each target, with at least one false 

 cast in between. A cast inside the circle counts 

 o, or perfect; within one foot of the circle, I 

 demerit; within two feet, 2 demerits, and so on; 

 If the fly fails to float, I additional demerit. 

 If you score 60 demerits, divide 60 by 15, the 

 number of casts, giving 4; deducting 4 from 

 100 gives the percentage, 96. 



A few words regarding rods may not be 

 out of place here. For all-round trout fishing 

 a rod of five or six ounces is perhaps best, and 

 the favorite length is 9 or 9^2 feet; but quicker 

 rods are now used than formerly, though it is 

 possible to carry stiffness to extremes. There 

 are few prettier rods to fish the fly with than 

 those having slow action, and although the stif- 

 fer rods are better for windward work and for 

 fishing the floating fly, if you can have only one 



