ON CASTING THE LINE AND FLY. 45 



towards his success in hooking and catching his fish. In 

 the first place the fly-fisher should keep as far off the stream 

 as possible, and make it a rule, whenever he can, to angle on 

 that bank from which the wind blows, as it will enable him 

 to command the whole stream from side to side, and throw 

 the flies across to the opposite bank, and draw them gently 

 and playfully down the stream, bringing them in to his 

 side, and moving backwards as they approach him. When 

 lifting the flies out of the water to cast them again, he 

 should raise them quickly out, and with a backward sweep 

 of the arm, let the line stretch to its full length behind him 

 so as to prevent the flies from whipping off, and then, with 

 a sudden, but not violent, jerk of the wrist forwards, convey 

 the line over the stream, letting the flies fall lightly on the 

 surface without splash or ripple, and when he causes a fish 

 to rise he must give a little time to the closing of the broken 

 water, and then raise his hand with a gentle pull, and I 

 warrant him success. I generally fish down the stream 

 myself, but it is of little consequence whether the stream be 

 fished upwards or downwards. To prevent the shadow of 

 the rod falling on the water, fish with your face to the sun. 

 In landing a fish, I have always found it the most con- 

 venient and sure plan to place the landing net in the water 

 immediately under the head of the fish, and let his nose 

 drop into it, and he is sure to fall towards the bottom head- 

 foremost when fatigued after having been well played. 



" When you commence to fly -fish for salmon, you must 

 be careful not to cast too long a line, and when you become 

 master of throwing a short line, let it out piece by piece 

 till you are enabled to cover the whole pool with ease, 

 keeping the point of your rod well up, but not too high, 

 and drawing the fly in a slanting direction down towards 

 your own side of the bank, letting it fall gradually with the 

 current, and when you bring it, as you suppose, immedi- 



