THE ART OF CASTING 



quietly. The line is doubled back behind the 

 leader as it hits the water, the force of the cast 

 sending the leader upward and onward in a slow 

 curve that drops the flies on the water some 

 distance ahead. The caster may aim to have 

 the loop strike some definite object as a rock 

 or log, beyond which it is intended that the 

 flies shall alight. 



Line slapping water before flies alight (loop cast) 



This is the style of cast also and of necessity 

 employed in tournament distance casting, the 

 record being 135 feet or more for a single- 

 handed rod. Special, very heavy lines are used, 

 greased with graphite, and about thirty feet of 

 this distance represents slack line shot out 

 through the guides. It has been demonstrated 

 that the most effective tournament lines are 

 made with a long front taper, a moderately 

 short heavy belly, a quick back taper and with 

 a small level back-line to facilitate shooting the 

 line. In tournament work the line is not carried 

 on the rod on a fishing reel, but is unwound from 

 a large wooden tournament reel that lies on the 

 casting platform near the caster's feet. 



The wind or steeple cast employs the usual 



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