HOW TO CAST A FLY. 



279 



want it. When you can cast within a foot 

 of what you aim at, then let out a little 

 more line. 



When you can manage say 40 feet of line, 

 without trouble, reel up your line, put on 

 a leader and flies, and go and catch some 

 fish; but put back all the small ones. 



Cuts show position of rod and line dur- 

 ing cast. Figs. 1-5 " lift; " Fig. 6 

 " pause; " Figs. 7-12 the " cast." 



HOW TO CAST A FLY. 



R. F. SHAFFNER. 



Having noticed requests in Recreation 

 for instructions as to how to fish with the 

 fly, I will endeavor to give some points, 

 which, if followed closely, will bring suc- 

 cess. 



I will not describe the tackle required. 

 Any responsible dealer in fishing sundries 

 is able to advise you, and supply just what 

 you need. 



Having been properly equipped, go to a 

 stream, taking with you some one who 

 knows nothing about fly casting, and begin 

 operations. 



It might be well, at first, to put a book or 

 block under your right arm, in order to 

 keep it close to your side; as the casting is 

 to be done not with the arm, but with the 

 wrist. Always remember that " it is not 

 muscle, but ' gentle art ' that is required," 

 and that it is not your, but the "rod's sinews 

 that must do the work. At first use but 

 few feet more of line than the length of your 

 rod, and then cast. Recover the flies from 

 the water with a quick jerk of the wrist, let- 

 ting the rod go back with decreased mo- 

 tion, until it has reached the perpendicular; 

 pausing long enough to give line and leader 

 time to straighten out behind you, and no 

 more. Then make the forward cast with the 

 same motion of the wrist, as that with 

 which you made the backward cast. Don't 

 stop the rod suddenly, in doing so; but al- 

 low it to go forward, decreasing its motion, 

 until it has reached a horizontal line about 

 the height of your chest; being sure to put 

 your line and leader straight and lightly on 

 the water. If you see the line is going to 

 drop curled up, or in a heap, it might be 

 well, just before the flies touch the water, 

 to gently raise your rod. This will straight- 

 en the line, and allow the flies to fall in 

 proper position. Then draw your flies 

 along the water toward you, at any angle 

 you wish, but not too far, or you will be un- 

 able to retrieve your line for the next cast. 

 If your rod be raised too near the perpen- 

 dicular, it will be impossible to lift the line 



quickly enough to carry it back with suffi- 

 cient force to straighten behind you; and 

 the result will be a dropping of the line in 

 a heap, perhaps enveloping you in a most 

 undesirable tangle. Always endeavor to 

 have enough line tension to drive the line 

 straight backward; bring the rod back- 

 ward and forward in a line parallel with the 

 side of your body, and don't be afraid of 

 scraping your ear. 



Now station the person with you, some- 

 where in your rear, out of reach of the flies. 

 , Let him tell you, as the line comes back, 

 whether or not it has straightened out', un- 

 til you are able to tell that yourself. If you 

 make the forward cast before the line is 

 straight, you will lose a fly; if it begins to 

 drop before you make the forward motion, 

 the cast will be a failure. It is difficult, at 

 first, to tell how long to pause when the line 

 is behind you, as the space of time varies 

 with the length of line, and the wind. This 

 you will learn gradually, but much sooner, 

 if you have some person behind you to keep 

 you posted. For ordinary casting some 

 casters count (w r hen the rod is pausing in 

 the perpendicular position), one, 2, and 

 then make the forward cast as they say 3, 

 or longer, according to the amount of line 

 out. 



When you can place your flies on the 

 water properly with 20 or 25 feet of line out, 

 you are on a sure road to success. As you 

 continue to practice, you will be able to 

 cast 30 or 40 feet with as great ease; but 

 it is by far better to cast a short line well, 

 than a long one badly. 



When you wish to increase the length of 

 line out, take it off the reel with your left 

 hand, give the rod a little more impetus in 

 making the forward cast, and, as the line 

 goes forward, let slip 2 or. 3 feet of it from 

 your hand. No more, however, at each 

 cast than will permit of the flies falling 

 smoothly. Never, in putting out line, cast 

 the flies directly on the water, but 2 or 3 

 feet above the spot where you desire them 



