i6 



accurate casting can be made than with one of all 

 silk ; and the late David Foster, the inventor of it, 

 says that by using it he increased the length of his 

 throw from 29^yds. to 32jyds. with a single-handed fly 

 rod. But this is extraordinary casting, such as few 

 can accomplish. At the Casting Tournament, held 

 at Hendon five years ago, I saw soyds. 6in. thrown. 

 Anyone who can throw a fly 25yds., clean and 

 straight, and pitch it within a yard of the object 

 aimed at, may consider himself a pretty good hand. 

 Where one can do it, ninety-nine cannot. 



The gut or casting line should be moderately stout 

 at the upper part, and tapered down to the point, 

 and if stained of a dull blue or green colour is less 

 likely to be seen than when quite white. 



I always make up my own casts by picking out 

 suitable lengths of gut and tying them together by 

 a fisherman's knot, and if anything gives way I have 

 no one but myself to blame. In cutting off the ends 

 of the gut do not cut them quite close to the knot, 

 but leave just sufficient to take hold of with a pair of 

 tweezers. Flatten out the ends by pinching them ; 

 you thus prevent the knot from drawing, and it need 

 not be clumsy. It is far more economical to use the 

 best gut that can be obtained than to whip off your 

 flies, or lose a fish, by having a cheaper article. 



The whole rod, running line and casting line, 

 wholly and separately should taper from one end to 

 the other, and should be in thorough proportion to 

 each other, and nothing but experience will enable 

 one how to ascertain when this is so. If the rod is too 

 stiff for the line you cannot deliver the latter properly, 

 and if the line is too heavy for the rod you run the 



