BODY-BELT. 407 



not more than 18 inches in depth, the " Body-belt " provides the only 

 means of fishing wild waters dancing between the rocks in downhill rapids. 

 The sense of safety that always comes in using it inspires one with a 

 feeling of the utmost confidence. 



" Upon my word," writes a well-known Fisherman who is just now 

 trying mine, " I feel safer than I ever did in wading before ; but I ought 

 to tell you that the first time I tried I was washed off my legs. This was 

 entirely my own fault, as I forgot to follow your directions." 



The belt is best made of similar material to that used for saddle 

 girths. It buckles round the waist and fastens in front. A ring is fixed 

 in the centre at the back, through which a fairly strong rope passes, form- 

 ing a pair of reins. The Angler puts the rope round a tree or a post and 

 lets out rope as he moves down-stream. It is a sure means of support, 

 provided the Fisherman leans forward ; but if he allows his legs to get in 

 front of him in other words, if he leans back, the force of the current 

 may wash him " off his legs," as in the instance of my correspondent. 



Open rapids can be covered without casting a very long line, as 

 this kind of water generally pursues a course through narrow channels of 

 the river. In fishing the fly, the great secret is to locate oneself as much 

 as possible in front of the " catches," so that the fly may be brought 

 across them at any pace the Angler thinks best. But when, by force of 

 circumstances, he is driven to let the fly travel fast, the size of it should 

 be considerably increased. 



Sometimes we encounter narrow fast-running waters shut in between 

 rocks. As a rule, the Catch is situated in the tail of the rapid where the 

 water is usually very deep and " oily " on the surface. Upon such 

 occasions as these, when it is well-known that the fish rise in a perpen- 

 dicular manner at the fly, the method of presenting it differs from the 

 orthodox fashion. The cast is made in the usual way, but, in playing the 

 fly, instead of the motion of the rod being of a steady backward and 

 forward character, it is a quick up and down movement. The point of 

 the rod vibrates with a rapidity of beat equal to about double that of a 

 man's pulse. It is not held pointing to where the fly fell, but is brought 

 round at a pace corresponding with that of the fly in its course, the up 

 and down movement being continued throughout. This compels the fly 



