62 THE DRY-FLY MAN'S HANDBOOK 



handkerchief. It is then held in the left hand, the 

 cast being made and the fly let go simultaneously ; 

 if accurately timed a very fair cast may be made in 

 this way. 



It is often said that the presence of a stream or 

 pond is not absolutely necessary for the ' beginner 

 when practising the art of throwing a fly. This is 

 true of every kind of cast except the downward 

 finish, but in this case the finish on the water-level 

 would in all human probability break the rod if tried 

 on terra firma. I would suggest that the best pos- 

 sible practice of casting and the best method of 

 improving one's style is to let out, say eight or ten 

 yards of line, and while walking from one part of the 

 stream to another at a considerable distance from the 

 river to keep the fly moving backwards and forwards 

 just as one does when drying the fly between two casts. 

 This exercise is most beneficial in training the muscles 

 and getting a correct notion of timing, and, above all, 

 is most efficacious in thoroughly drying the fly. 



Under all possible conditions it is desirable that the 



dry-fly man should cast up- 



Upstream and down- stream. The normal position 



stream fishing. of a fish is with its mouth 



pointing upstream, not only 

 because in that position it is best placed to intercept 

 and annex any dainty morsel drifting down to it, but 

 also because the respiratory organs of a fish work 

 naturally with the water flowing towards its mouth. 

 There are occasionally places where upstream fishing 



