Salmon-fishing — Casting the Fly. 121 



cuss with ability and precision. But the needs of the be- 

 ginner had been forgotten; and he, himself ignorant of 

 what was to him unknown, could not aid their memory by 

 suggestive inquiry. 



To the recollection of the mental travail and the manj 

 thumps by which this simple lesson was hammered into 

 me — a lesson which the slightest suggestion would have 

 taught equally well — to this and to the like, as well as to 

 the desire to popularize this king of all sports among the 

 hosts of my countrymen whose ideal of recreation is the 

 gentle pursuit of the angler, this book is due. 



If he who can already cast a fly with a single-handed 

 rod will but bear in mind this one simple principle, no 

 difficulty in casting equally well with a salmon-rod will 

 be encountered, and he can anticipate sport with con- 

 fidence, as far as casting properly is concerned, even 

 though he take a salmon-rod in his hands for the first 

 time on the very river-bank. 



To him who has the art of casting the fly still to ac- 

 quire, let him study the principles and follow the system 

 of practice set forth in Chapter IX. of " Fly-Rods and 

 Fly-Tackle" for two or three weeks before his trip, — 

 longer if possible, — using, of course, a salmon -rod and 

 line. Though he may not then be an expert, still he will 

 be able to cast respectably — at any rate so that inability 

 to present his fly will cause no serious embarrassment. 



Though overhead-casting is the usual, and, generally 

 speaking, the best method, still circumstances not in- 

 frequently arise under which it is desirable, and some- 

 times absolutely necessary, to dispense with the "back- 

 cast." The overhead-cast requires an arena behind even 



