FLY-FISHING. 109 



" Walton, in speaking of throwing a fly, says, 

 "we should fish fine and far off;" but we must 

 except very windy weather, or the result of a very 

 long line may, with a very good angler, be crack and 

 whip off. If, therefore, you have got into a par- 

 ticular current of wind, where this is the case, wind 

 up your line a few turns, or you may soon lose 

 another fly. Sometimes the wind blows very strong, 

 directly across you from the right, insomuch that it 

 becomes an exertion to raise the rod enough to 

 prevent the line from being blown back. Throwing 

 with the left hand is then a convenience ; but for 

 those who are not able to do this, I can suggest no 

 better makeshift than to raise the rod over the left 

 shoulder, and throw the line by a motion similar to 

 that used with a whip, when lightly hitting a leader 

 on the near side. (Any one who has driven in 

 double reins will know what I mean.) I make a 

 point of killing some fish this way, in order to try 

 the experiment, which is, of course, a mere substi- 

 tute for the best method of throwing. So much for 

 throwing. Now for what few finishing touches I 

 can think of. Avoid, if you can, going too close to 

 the edge of the water. Throw, if you are au fait 

 enough to do it well, rather for the fly to become, 

 for a moment, suspended across the wind, than 

 directly down the wind ; as it then falls still lighter, 



