12 HOW TO HOLD THE FLY-ROD. 



You are now ready to begin. Grasp your rod, 

 not tightly, in your right hand, your hold being 

 a little above the winch. Your hand must not 

 close upon your rod with the thumb turned over 

 your knuckles, as if you were about to strike 

 a blow. Your fingers round the rod must simply 

 entwine it, not squeeze it, and your thumb must 

 lie straight with your arm on the upper part of 

 the butt, the first joint being very slightly bent, 

 and the fleshy or flat forepart of the thumb press- 

 ing on the rod. Hold your rod up nearly per- 

 pendicular, and pointing rather to the left side. 

 Take the tip of the line between the fore-finger 

 and thumb of your left hand. Poise your rod 

 loosely and easily, and see that it balances freely 

 in your right hand. Be devoid of that fear which 

 begets awkwardness. What injury can you do ? 

 You are not going to explode a mine. You are 

 merely going to throw a thin line with a thin 

 limber rod upon the water. What if you shiver 

 them to pieces in the attempt ? The damage can 

 be remedied. 



I suppose you now on a bank above some 

 river's surface, all ready for your first cast. Move 

 your right wrist and fore-arm round to the right, 

 letting go, just as it begins to get taut, the tip of 

 the line in your left fingers, and bring round from 

 left to right over your right shoulder the upper 

 part of your rod, describing with the point of it 



