The overhand cast 
out, the longer must be the pause. 
When a very long cast is required 
in the overhand method the extra 
force brings the upper arm into 
use along with the wrist and fore- 
arm. Practice only will tell you 
just what power is required bv 
the feel of the backward curve. 
This overhand cast is the basis 
of the other styles and should be 
mastered thoroughly before the 
others are tried. When that cast 
can be performed fairly well, the 
amateur should practice sending 
his line as high in the air as pos¬ 
sible when making the backward 
cast, the forward cast being made 
as before. This is known as the 
steeple ’ cast, and by its means 
a very long line can be got out 
and the line is not likely to catch 
any obstruction behind the angler. 
1 he hand when traveling back 
must be raised above the level of 
the head, so as to lift the line as 
high as possible behind. As a 
general rule the distance an an¬ 
gler can cast is limited by the 
length of line he can keep in the 
air behind, with the addition of 
several feet he can slide from the 
hand while delivering the fdy r . 
The best description of this cast is 
given by Mr. Halford, as follows: “Com¬ 
mencing with quite a short line, the 
right hand holding the rod is extended 
nearly straight from the shoulder, and 
carried up almost perpendicularly so as 
to lift the fly well up in the air, as if 
trying to clear some high obstacle im¬ 
mediately behind the angler—and hence, 
the name of the steeple cast. While 
drying the fly backwards and forwards, 
the length of the line required is gradu¬ 
ally drawn off the reel with the left 
nand and allowed to pass through the 
guides. Plenty of time must be given 
behind, in fact, it is barely possible to 
gi\e too much. The action of throwing 
should be a steady swing without the 
slightest jerk, and little force should be 
Page 243 
expended in making the cast, so as to 
allow the rod and weight of line to do 
the work. After the first cast has been 
made the line is gathered in with the 
left hand in loose coils until short enough 
to return with ease. While drying the 
fly, the line is gradually liberated, a coil 
at tach forward motion of the rod and 
paid out from the left hand, the action 
in front being so timed as to let go a coil 
as the rod is in the position where the 
cast would have been made, and thus 
allow the fly to travel out in the air to 
the full extent of the line, but not suffi¬ 
ciently to let it touch the surface of the 
water. By the time all the coils are oui 
the fly is thoroughly dried. If it is a 
very long cast keep two or three coils 
in hand, and let them go when casting. 
- I use the steeple cast more often 
than any other of the five styles 
when the water is deep to the 
very edge and trees line the shore 
of a very narrow river. It is a 
cast that often gets the fly snarled 
unless distance is well judged, and 
great care is taken to watch out 
for obstacles.” 
In short, no matter what style 
of cast you practice, get a notion 
and keep it, that all movements 
are slow, and stately. At once, 
after the fly is in the air, by slow 
and deliberate action of the wrist, 
you may keep the fly floating back 
and forth as long as you please. 
It is my general custom to ware 
from one place to another while 
the fly is waving in the air. This 
hqs a double advantage—first, 
you don t have to reel in line to 
keep the fly from being water¬ 
logged ; second, at the new situa¬ 
tion you approach right to the 
spot with the fly completely dry 
and your first cast is bound to be 
a good, accurate one. 
(Continued in Next Issue ) 
