TOURNAMENT FLY-CASTING 133 



ing the line in with the left hand you put the full 

 strength of the rod into lifting a tight line. Re- 

 member, too, that you cannot lift a long line 

 if you wait until it sinks, or drowns. 



In picking up quickly and in stopping the rod 

 when it reaches the vertical, you will be able to 

 keep the line high up in the back cast, and this 

 will give the line plenty of time to straighten 

 and go forward without touching anything, The 

 higher the back cast, the more time you can 

 give it and you will seldom wait too long. 

 When the line pulls hard, start the forward 

 cast, carrying it through steadily but without 

 snap, stopping the rod just above the horizontal. 

 At the same time let a little line run through 

 the guides. Then pull in, lift with a vim, and 

 wait patiently for the pull behind. On the next 

 cast, if you feel the small line in your hand, let 

 the line run, and do not retrieve. We will call 

 this a scoring cast. 



In shortening line you can strip in several 

 yards, then lift, but in a contest this wastes 

 time, and when you have only five or eight min- 

 utes in which to do your best casting, every sec- 

 ond is valuable. Therefore, strip in ten or fif- 

 teen feet, then make a strong switch cast, fol- 

 lowed by a quick lift. II the cast that follows 

 be a good one, and the line pulls nicely in the 



