2 8o 



RECREA TION. 



to go. When the force of the line is spent, 

 they will fall lightly at the desired place. 

 It might be well also to observe this in 

 ordinary casting, as it will insure a more 

 gentle landing of the flies. In fishing in the 

 wind I always cast my flies at least 3 feet 

 over the spot to which I would have them 

 go, and let them drop. I find this prevents 

 the wind from threshing them on the. water 

 with a splash. 



Now, as to hooking a fish when you have 

 a rise. This should be done as soon as you 

 feel the fish strike. You cannot jerk too 

 quickly; because it takes but an instant for 

 the fish to discover the fraud and spit out 

 the fly. 



To strike your fish, give a quick jerk of 

 the wrist, a motion similar to that made in 

 casting; but don't let it be too violent, or 

 your tackle will suffer. It is not a pulling 

 motion that does the business, but the 

 quick twitch of the wrist. It is seldom that 

 a fish hooks itself, and rarely when the line 

 is slack. 



In regard to casting in the wind, I will 

 quote from Reuben Wood: " In casting 



against the wind you must lift your line 

 from the water so that it extends behind 

 you at about an angle of 45 degrees, and 

 then bring your rod down sharply right 

 onto the water, and straight against the 

 wind; this makes the line cut through it, 

 and extend out straight onto the water. 

 The secret is to keep the line well up be- 

 hind, and then continue the forward im- 

 petus sharply until the rod tip touches, or 

 nearly touches, the water." 



There are other and more difficult meth- 

 ods of casting; but the 2 described (over- 

 hand and wind casts) will answer the begin- 

 ner's purpose, and are the ones commonly 

 used. 



Now just a word to the tyro. Don't be 

 discouraged if, at first, your casting does 

 not meet your expectations. Make haste 

 slowly, and your day will come. Let your 

 ambition be, not to see how far, but how 

 well, you cast your flies. 'Of course, it is 

 an advantage to be able to make a long 

 cast, say 60 or 70 feet, but few anglers regu- 

 larly employ that length of line; and most 

 fish are caught within 40 or 50 feet. 



A LESSON IN FLY CASTING. 

 . * 



In a recent number of Recreation, 

 some one asks how to learn to cast a fly. 

 The following is a good method: Put a 

 B.B. shot on end of the line. Be sure the 

 reel is in good working order; and with 

 left hand feed out a few yards of line, but 

 no more than you can handle easily. Place 

 a tin can, or any small object, on the 

 ground 20 feet from you. Then, using the 

 whole arm in the swing, try to hit the mark 

 with the shot. 



In making this swing with the whole 

 arm, the head must be bent to the left, as 

 the line passes over the right shoulder. As 

 you become proficient, increase the dis- 

 tance to 30 feet. Then remove the shot 

 and cast with line alone, at a shorter range. 

 Be sure the line passes over the right 

 shoulder. It can be again brought. to the 

 proper position for casting by steadying 

 the body, holding the right forearm as im- 

 movable as possible, and using the wrist 

 to do the swing. 



After this, practice with a leader on the 

 line, and blunt hooks — that you may not 

 fear their catching in you. 



F. G. R. Cole. Wellsville, N. Y. 



" What is a pigeon-hole, Uncle Julius? " 

 " A pigeon-hole is a hole that never had 

 a pigeon in it." 



HER ANSWER. 



EDITH BROWNLEE. 



Let us be friends. I cannot offer more 

 Although I know that friendship makes 

 but poor amends 

 For thy warm love. Ah! be as you were 

 before; 

 Let us be friends. 



Love to my heart its fire no longer lends. 

 It burned there once — burned out its 

 very core; 

 No quickening beat of heart thy presence 

 lends; 

 That throb comes only at the dream of 

 yore. 

 So, now that Fate has worked its cruel 

 ends, 

 Put love aside — for my sake — I implore; 

 Let us be friends. 



DANGER OF COLLISION. 



" What are you doing with your football 

 armor on? " 



" I'm going shopping, and I don't want 

 the bargain-women to break every bone in 

 my body." 



Always mention Recreation when an- 

 swering ads. 



Join the L. A. S. at once. Send in 

 your dollar and become a charter mem- 

 ber. 



