22 
A HANDY GUIDE TO 
EXERCISE VI. 
NOT A BENE j SELF-DELUSION. 
You must not aim directly at it. Rather aim at 
about a yard over the spot on which you wish your 
fly to fall ; that is, imagine the level of the water to 
be a foot or two higher than it really is. This will 
prevent your fly striking the water with a flop that 
would scare any fish (save perhaps a chub), or from 
giving him rappee on his nose and making him 
sneeze, but will cause it to fall gently on the spot 
like a gossamer. 
Never forget this rule. It is of first-rate impor- 
tance in casting the fly lightly and making it alight 
naturally, and for preserving you from that fisher- 
man’s curse — a blank day. 
