44 AMERICAN FISHES. 



mode is identical, and the instructions which alone can be given arc 

 alike few and simple. 



The first thing to be observed is, that the rod must not be firmly 

 grasped, but held with a loose and delicate play of the thumb and 

 fingers, as a cue should in billiard playing, or a foil in fencing. 

 Secondly, that in throwing out the fly, nothing like a jerk or snap 

 should be performed, such as is done with a four -horse whip in flank- 

 ing a leader. It is very difficult to explain, except by comparison, 

 what that movement is ; but it may perhaps be described as by a 

 sudden checking of the propelling power, or as almost a retroversion 

 of it at the moment of its greatest impetus, somewhat such as that 

 which is termed spinning, or Englishing, a ball at billiards. 



The rod being held lightly in the fingers, the butt of it must be so 

 moved in front of the person, with all the muscles of the arm relaxed, 

 the elbow and the wrist free and pliant, that the tip shall describe a 

 complete circle above and something behind the head, and it will be 

 not amiss for the tyro to practise this motion without attempting to 

 cast as yet any line. 



Secondly, it must be remembered, when the line and fly is brought 

 into play, that by the circular motion of the tip, the whole line, with 

 its cast of flies, must be made to stream out at full length, and to 

 describe a semicircle, so that at the instant previous to propulsion, if 

 we desire to throw directly forward, the flies shall be at the whole 

 length of the extended line, exactly behind us ; when they must be 

 thrown out by a direct and even motion, without any jerk, and yet 

 must be in some sort checked rather by a gradual holding up or 

 cessation of the impelling force, than by any sudden stop or retro- 

 gression. 



The mode of casting which I have endeavored to describe for a 

 forward throw, must be used in all cases ; if to the right, the line 

 must stream out, and the flies be extended at full length to the 

 extreme left, and vice versa ; and this is the method by which accu- 

 racy and precision in casting can be acquired, and by perseverance in 

 which, with experience, the fisherman will ultimately succeed in 

 throwing his stretcher, or last fly, with certainty into a smaller circum- 

 ference than that of his own hat. 



This it is which we call precision. 



