CASTING 145 



usually drives its importance home. Accuracy is much 

 more desirable than the more spectacular ability to 

 handle a long line. In actual fishing the average cast 

 is thirty or forty feet while fifty or sixty feet is con- 

 sidered a long cast. 



OTHER CASTS 



While the overhead cast is the most used there are 

 modifications of it that are useful under certain condi- 

 tions. One of these is the wind cast. It is made the 

 same as the ordinary cast except in the forward cast 

 which is made with a strong outward as well as down- 

 ward motion of the casting hand. It is far from being 

 a pretty cast and is tiring to the arm and wrist but is 

 useful when working against a heavy wind. 



The side cast is analogous to the " side swipe " of 

 the bait caster. It is made with the rod held about 

 level with the waist during the entire cast. The back 

 cast is brought back a trifle behind the caster, the pause 

 is necessarily short, as the line is only a few feet above 

 the water, and the forward cast is made by a strong 

 forward sweep. It is used mainly for casting under 

 overhanging trees and brush and to avoid being " hung 

 up " on the back cast. 



The Spey cast is also used under the same circum- 

 stances. William C. Harris described it as follows: 

 " With the line at full stretch down stream and the 

 hand grasping nearly the extreme end of the butt, the 

 rod is raised so that as much of the line is cleared from 

 the water as possible, then a forward stroke is made 



