104 ANGLING. 



upright and the chest backward. Stand with your left 

 foot a little forward, and flat on the ground, so as to afford 

 a firm purchase, whilst the right foot should have the toea 

 turned out, and the ball of the foot touching the ground 

 with a firm springy pressure ; and if you are holding your 

 rod properly as you guide your line, you will find the butt 

 of the rod touching the under-side of your fore- arm, and 

 thereby preventing the end of the rod from falling too low. 

 A little practice will enable the tyro to throw a short line 

 with precision. He may then double the length of his 

 cast, and no longer using the wrist and fore-arm alone, the 

 whole of the arm must be used. The shoulder-joint should 

 replace the elbow-joint, so as to give the line a large easy 

 sweep, thrown well from the shoulders. 



When eight or ten yards of the reel-line can be cast with 

 ease and facility in any direction in such a manner so as 

 not to allow more than three or four feet to fall lightly on 

 the water, the angler may add the foot or casting-line, made 

 as already described, of about six feet of silkworm gut, 

 (page 25.) This will give some ten yards of line to throw 

 with, and the practice should be pursued until the gut-line 

 falls first on the surface of the water, before any of the 

 reel-line touches it. At first it will aid the beginner if he 

 practises on that side of the river where he has a good 

 breeze at his back. This will make his earlier efforts much 

 easier, and enable him to drop the flies lightly and gently 

 on to the surface of the water. When the angler can do 

 this, fish fine, and far off, he may fish from left to right, or 

 in the opposite direction to that above described It is 

 well always to practise various methods of casting, so as to 

 avoid obstructions in or on the side of the river, and occa- 

 sionally to cast underhand. The left hand may be prca- 



