64 FLOATING FLIES 



not. If the horizontal cast cannot be used, 

 owing to the conformation of the banks or 

 other reasons, the caster in employing the over- 

 head cast should direct his fly at an imaginary 

 point in the air some two or three feet di- 

 rectly above the spot where he intends to place 

 the fly; the greater delicacy in delivering the 

 fly resulting from this will tend to multiply the 

 chances of cocking the fly. 



As I have said, the horizontal cast is made 

 by swinging the rod, in the back and forward 

 casts, in a plane parallel with, or slightly above, 

 the water. The back of the caster's hand 

 should be turned toward the water, the fingers 

 uppermost. The attempt to cast too long a 

 line, or the slightest delay in starting the for- 

 ward cast, will cause the fly to fall upon the 

 water behind you a thing to be religiously 

 avoided. 



The above includes the essential details of 

 the first phase of casting the dry fly the actual 

 cast which places the fly, cocked and floating, 

 upon the water over a trout which has freen 

 seen to rise or where the angler may have rea- 

 son to believe a fish is lying, the latter being 

 more frequently the case upon American 

 streams. We come now to the second phase of 

 dry fly casting, the subsequent manipulation of 



