450 MANUAL FOR YOUNG SPORTSMEN. 
Whipping for small fish, as the dace, roach, or chub, 
where they exist, forms the best introduction to the use 
of the fly-rod, especially as these little fish may be met 
with in almost all our streams and rivers, and often in 
situations where there are no trees to interfere with the 
use of the line. Almost any small midge or gnat will 
take them; and the tackle throughout should be of the 
finest description, with a light single-handed rod of about 
11 or 12 feet in length. The young angler should now 
take as much pains in throwing his fly as if he were intent 
upon the capture of the finest salmon. In watching the 
evolutions of the general run of fishermen, it is common 
enough to see two or three feet of line touching the water 
before the fly, whereas the contrary ought to be the case; 
and the fly should alight on the water as airily and gently 
as its natural prototype, with scarcely any portion of the 
line following its example by coming into contact with the 
water at all. Ifthe angler will only endeavor to avoid 
jerking his line, and will coax his fly rather than force it 
forwards, he will soon see the difference. The cast or 
throw is effected as follows, when the rod is light and there 
is plenty of elbow-room. I am now supposing that the 
angler has a rod of 11 feet in length, and a line, altogether, 
of about 18, with either a single stretcher, or in addition 
one or two droppers, all very minute; he takes the casting- 
line in his left hand, at such a distance from the fly that it 
is quite clear of the ground, and with the rod pointing 
forward and to the left; then, at the moment when he 
looses the line, he, with a half-side, and half-backward 
movement of the arm, sweeps the line in a gentle curve till 
