THE COMPLETE ANGLER. 261 



his rod, and to cast it, is no manner of encumbrance, except in 

 woody places, and in landing of a fish, which every one that 

 can afford to angle for pleasure has somebody to do for him. 

 And the length of line is a mighty advantage to the fishing at 

 distance ; and to fish fine and far off is the first and principal 

 rule for Trout angling.* 



Your line in this case should never be less, nor ever exceed 

 two hairs next to the hook ; for one (though some, I know, 

 will pretend to more art than their fellows) is, indeed, too few, 

 the least accident, with the finest hand, being sufficient to 

 break it : but he that cannot kill a Trout of twenty inches long 

 with two, in a river clear of wood and weeds, as this and some 

 others of ours are, deserves not the name of an angler.f 



Now, to have your whole line as it ought to be, two of the 

 first lengths nearest the hook should be of two hairs a-piece ; 

 the next three lengths above them of three ; the next three 

 above them of four ; and, so of five, and six, and seven, to the 

 very top : by which means, your rod and tackle will, in a 

 manner, be taper from your very hand to your hook ; your line 

 will fall much better and straighter, and cast your fly to any 

 certain place to which the hand and eye shall direct it, with less 

 weight and violence, that \vould otherwise circle the water, and 

 fright away the fish. 



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



* An artist may easily throw twelve yards of line with one hand ; and 

 with two he may as easily throw eighteen. 



t See the direction for your rod and line, in the notes on chap. xxi. 

 parti 



J Till you are a proficient, every throw will go near to cost you a hook : 

 therefore practise for some time without one. H. 



Management of the line, when fishing either with one fly, or two or 

 more flies. When you have fixed your rod properly with your winch 



half long, made of good, strong, single silkworm gut, well tied, and the 

 knots neatly whipped, running (very little) finer towards the bottom end, 

 at which place there must be a neatly whipped loop : then take your end-fly, 



or stretcher, which should be made with one or two lengths of good level 

 gut, full as fine, or a little finer, than the bottom link of your foot-length, 

 tied and whipped neatly together, and looped nicely at the end: loop this 

 to the end of your gut length ; and then, your drop-fly just above a knot, 

 where whipped, about a yard from the end fly, to hang from the line, 

 not more than two or three inches. If you choose to fish for more, keep 

 them all about the same distance. And observe, that if your droppers be 

 larger than, or even as large as, your stretcher, you will not be able to 

 throw a good line : but a beginner should never use more than one fly. 



When thus prepared, let out the line, about half as long again as the 

 rod; and holding the rod properly in one hand, and the line, just above the 

 fly, in the other, give your rod a motion from right to left : and as you 

 move the rod backwards, in order to throw out the line, dismiss the line 

 from your hand at the same time : and try several throws at this length. 

 Then let out more line, and try that; still using more and more, till you 

 ean manage any length needful ; but about nine yards is quite sufficient 



