LOOSE STRANDS 207 



When Cotton advised the angler to fish " fine and 

 far ofif" he spoke with the knowledge of his time. 

 Could he forsake the shades and return to cast his 

 angle on the river he loved above all the rest, he would 

 probably find cause to reconsider his advice. It is in- 

 applicable to the conditions under which we now pursue 

 our sport. It is a relic of the days when down-stream 

 fishing was the common practice and the angler was 

 compelled to fish far off that he might escape the ob- 

 servation of his alert and quick-eyed quarry. Our art 

 has not greatly advanced since Cotton's time — if we 

 have increased the amount of " trumpery " in use — but 

 one of the few things we have learned is the unwisdom 

 of fishing far off when it is possible to fish near. The 

 ability to cast a long line the angler finds useful on 

 occasion, but he should reserve its exercise for special 

 circumstances only. It is not for every-day display. 

 The disadvantages of a long line are obvious; it cannot 

 be thrown with accuracy, and it prevents the angler 

 from striking quickly and effectively. But he must be 

 careful to avoid the opposite extreme. Though a short 

 line enables him to strike at once, it is, perhaps, even 

 more difficult to cast than a long one ; it follows the 

 rod much too smartly and strikes the water with a 

 violence certain to excite the apprehension of every 



