MAY-FLY FISHING. 371 
obviated, or at least delayed until the fly is below the feeding- 
place of the trout, by throwing the line in a curve with the 
convex side directed up stream, and until the pressure of the 
water has deflected this curve into a straight or concave line no 
drag can take place. Ina very wide stream, with the current 
throughout nearly uniform in force, the same tendency to drag 
exists, and the same remedy can be applied. 
Another place where the artificial fly travels more quickly 
than the natural insect is where the fish is rising on a smooth 
glide immediately above a rapid run, and in this case the drag 
can be delayed until the fly is below the fish by throwing a very: 
slack line—that is, placing the fly with the last yard or so of the 
gut extended, and the upper part of the cast and a portion of 
the reel line loosely or in curves on the water. The check 
referred to in the instructions for making a cast is the most 
effective method of producing this result, and it is far easiest to 
accomplish when wading in a direct line below the fish. 
If a fish is rising in a slow running bay, the artificial fly cast 
with a tight line will be carried down at the pace of the faster 
stream outside, and in this case again the slack line is the only 
means of preventing the drag. With a strong wind blowing 
straight up stream a fly cast in the ordinary way, and fished 
from directly below, will be dragged down by the extended line 
from the moment it reaches the water until it has floated a 
short distance, and thus left slack line below the fly. To 
prevent this keep the point of the rod well up until the fly has 
landed on the water, then at once drop the hand and rod-point 
so as to slacken the line. 
When the lower part of the reel line lies on an eddy, it will 
cause the fly to drag by making it float more slowly than the 
pace of the stream. Slack line will naturally delay this. When 
drifting or using the half-drift, the line as it commences to 
tighten delays the pace of the fly, and thus causes it to drag. 
Plenty of slack, lowering the hand as the fly travels, and even 
walking slowly down the bank, will retard this. 
In a small eddy where the natural insects float ina direction 
BR2 
