THE ILL-EFFECT OF WIND. 323 



rod barely declines to the right in ascent, nor inclines to left in descent. 

 Indeed the nearer the course of the rod's point to its course taken in the 

 thrash-down the better will the line be sent back in the air, and the 

 straighter and farther will it be laid on the water. 



(The " recovery " of a rod in the back part of the cast depends for 

 the most part upon its material and make : in other words, one rod 

 straightens quicker than another. The action would, of course, be 

 delayed were the line in use too heavy for the rod ; but, apart from that, 

 a cane is quicker than a greenheart, and, in my opinion, a " Kelson " is 

 quicker with a long line than one having a steel centre, therefore the 

 delay spoken of is of less duration. The consequence is that the Angler 

 is less fatigued because he has not to hold up the rod so long in the air.) 



I have referred to the mishaps to which the unwary Fisherman is 

 exposed who may attempt the thrash-down before the line is sufficiently 

 extended ; but sometimes the series of troubles is increased, and 

 especially so when the wind blows down stream. More flies are lost on 

 those occasions than on any other. This is occasioned by the resistance 

 of the wind against the line in its backward course whereby the " tug" 

 is lost. It is just here that a semi-circular sweep of the rod is advisable 

 before the thrash-down is made, in order to prevent the fly and perhaps 

 some of the gut being " snicked " off. The radius of the necessary semi- 

 circle depends on the velocity of the wind. There is, however, another 

 expedient by which all mischief is obviated, and it is far better for the 

 novice to adopt. He may put on a second fly (or "dropper") three 

 feet above the other, and find it act as a perfect safeguard ; and then he 

 will find that far less care in making the sweep of the rod is needed. 

 Personally, I never work with two flies, as I support the view that the 

 practice separates one from the proprieties of usage conducted on the 

 lines of true sportsmanship. If an expert were Spey-casting left-handed, 

 and a high down-stream wind sprung up, he would renew the cast right- 

 handed. After shifting the rod, he would drag the line towards him on 

 the near side and switch it out immediately dead across water. But in 

 the event of a long line being requisite he would make a similar switch 

 and then pick up the line and cast it across by the " Overhand," leaving 

 the wind to carry the fly to its proper quarters. 



Y2 



