THROWING THE LINE AND FLIES. 13 



an irregular a horse-shoe circle, and then cast 

 forward with a flinging motion of the wrist and 

 fore-arm. The motion of the wrist must predo- 

 minate over that of the fore-arm and elbow joint. 

 If you follow the above motions exactly and with 

 freedom, from four to five feet of your line, sup- 

 posing you to have between three and four yards 

 of it out, should fall lightly upon the water. If 

 that length do not you are wrong, and you must 

 go on casting and casting, practising and prac- 

 tising, until you are right. 



At first you will find, unless you are very 

 handy and a very apt scholar indeed, that nearly 

 all your line will fall upon the water, and that 

 the top of your rod will come in contact with the 

 surface of it. These are the greatest drawbacks 

 to throwing a line well, and if not overcome the 

 learner must never expect to become an expert 

 fly-fisher. With might and main he must struggle 

 to vanquish them. They are caused by letting 

 the fore-arrn fall too low whilst casting, and 

 bending the body forward with the downward 

 motion of the arm. 



Here is the remedy. When you have made 

 your casting movement brought round your rod 

 and line over the head, and propelled them forwards, 

 the wrist must be gradually checked the instant 

 the line is straightening itself in its onward course. 

 The body must be upright, the chest held rather 



