46 FLY-FISHING AND FLY-MAKING. 



its neatness and precision. The fundamental idea is, 

 "Let your rod do all the work its strength allows" that 

 is what it is for. 



The overhand cast is that which is most generally used, 

 and it is probably the easiest. Let out your line in 



Fig. 7. OVERHAND CAST, BACKWARD MOVEMENT. 



the water, allowing the current to take it ; then recover 

 it till the fly appears on the surface of the water. At 

 this point, sharply throw the point of the rod back over 

 the right shoulder, so that the line is impelled back, as 

 shown in Figure 7. When the limit is reached, and not 

 till then, the rod is urged forward and the cast, shown 

 in Figure 8, is made. This movement ought to be made 

 as the line is falling (see #, fig. 7), and is a matter 

 rather for the intuitive perception of the hand than 



Fig. 8. OVERHAND CAST, FORWARD MOVEMENT. 



for nice calculations on paper. If this forward throw or 

 cast is made before the limit of the line is reached, the 

 latter curls and snaps (see a, fig. 7) like a whip, and the 

 result is the loss of your fly. Now, there isn't much in this 

 to learn, and I purposely refrain from giving further and 



