THE ART OF CASTING 



(Theodore Gordon did not grease his leader, but 

 preferred to have this part of his tackle to lie 

 just under the surface.) In addition, several 

 false casts, between the actual fishing casts, are 

 made by switching the fly backward and for- 

 ward through the air, to keep it dry. If you 

 will carefully watch an expert while he thus is 

 carrying his line in the air, you will note that 

 his back- and forward-casts differ from those 

 movements of the fishing cast in that they are 

 less extended and are uniform and continuous 

 there is no definite pause; also that he inclines 

 the rod to the right, in making the backward 

 movement, so that the line is less likely to 

 strike the rod. All the while his wrist is working 

 his rod-hand smoothly backward and forward, 

 the hand itself is swinging in a little circle from 

 right to left opposite to the direction of a 

 clock's hands. 



The cast is made up or up and across the 

 stream, and especially over quiet pools and still 

 reaches of water, and the fly is not drawn through 

 or over the water, but is allowed to take its 

 course with the current as it floats naturally 

 upon the surface. If the fly does not alight 

 with its wings standing upright "cocked" 

 retrieve it immediately and cast again. The 

 slight retarding of the line by the left hand just 

 before the fly drops, as noted under discussion 

 of the overhead cast, almost invariably insures 

 57 



