316 THE SALMON FLY. 



second-rate subtleties should he succumb. He should be caught only with 

 a fly. 



Occasionally he allows no fly to pass him. Occasionally he refuses 

 all flies ; and in this respect he passes all understanding. Only the 

 expert himself, familiar with the peculiarities of every river from varied 

 experience and persistent observation, who knows and practices all the 

 casts, sits and dresses his own flies, and with them makes experiments 

 wherever he goes only such a man can be assured of anything like 

 general success ; and, even for him, an endless variety of patterns is an 

 indispensable condition. 



Now in using a fly, men's ways are wonderfully diverse ; but if the 

 student aims at taking high rank in the art, the first step is to learn to 

 propel the fly by every recognised method so as never to miss, never to 

 pass by, but to cover and command each and every one of those "in- 

 numerable havens of rest," either by the " Overhand," or the less tiring 

 " Underhand " ; by the " Switch " with the " Peter" ; or (among other 

 methods special) by the scientific " Spey." 



Having frequently instructed friends mycelf, I learnt in teaching to 

 observe carefully the motions necessary for the successful accomplishment 

 of the casts most commonly used, to what faults the inexperienced are 

 prone when attempting them, and in what manner such faults may be 

 corrected. 



THE OVERHAND CAST. 



I may here refer to an incident which will illustrate my point. It 

 took place on the greensward, and with a pretty "toy " made by Farlow 

 after my own pattern. By my directions my pupil proceeded to make a 

 plain Overhand cast, and in doing so was not long in betraying his ante- 

 cedents. 



" A Trout throw," I ejaculated, watching this his first effort. " You 

 are throwing from the point instead of casting from the butt." 



" Kindly show me the practical difference," he replied, handing me 

 the rod. 



" Toy " though I called it, I complied with his request, and sent out 

 thirty yards of line with it. My " trouty " friend then reeled up to about 

 four and twenty yards, and yet he was not happy in his method. 



