THE COMPLETE ANGLER. 267 



In casting your line, do it always before you, and so that 

 your fly may first fall upon the water, and as little of your 

 line with it as is possible ; though if the wind be stiff, you 

 will then of necessity be compelled to drown a good part of 

 your line to keep your fly in the water : and in casting your 

 fly, you must aim at the further or nearer bank as the wind 

 serves your turn, which also will be with and against you, on 

 the same side, several times in an hour, as the river winds in 

 its course, and you will be forced to angle up and down by 

 turns accordingly, but, endeavour, as much as you can, to 

 have the wind, evermore, on your back. And always be sure 

 to stand as far off the bank as your length will give you leave 

 when you throw to the contrary side : though when the wind 

 will not permit you so to do, and that you are constrained to 

 angle on the same side whereon you stand, you must then 

 stand 011 the very brink of the river, and cast your fly to the 

 utmost length of your rod and line, up or down the river, 

 as the gale serves. 



It only remains, touching your line, to inquire whether 

 your two hairs next to the hook are better twisted or open ? 

 And for that I should declare that I think the open way the 

 better, because it makes less show in the water, but that 

 I have found an inconvenience, or two, or three, that have 

 made me almost weary of that way ; of which, one is, that, 

 without dispute, they are not so strong open as twisted ; 

 another, that they are not easily to be fastened of so exact 

 an equal length in the arming that the one will not cause the 

 other to bag, by which means a man has but one hair upon 

 the matter to trust to ; and the last is that these loose flying 

 hairs are not only more apt to catch upon every twig 

 or bent they meet with, but, moreover, the hook, in falling 

 upon the water, will, very often, rebound and fly back 

 betwixt the hairs, and there stick (which, in a rough water 

 especially, is not presently to be discerned by the angler), so 

 as the point of the hook shall stand reversed j by which means 

 your fly swims backward, makes a much greater circle in the 

 water, and till taken home to you and set right, will never 

 raise any fish, or, if it should, I am sure, but by a very 

 extraordinary chance, can hit none.* 



