FLY FISHING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 12663, 17 September 1904, Page 6 (Supplement)

FLY FISHING.

SOME REMARKABLE CASTS. Fly fishing to ..-'those who have not tried it looks delightfully simple/ But, like most branches of sport, which to the uninitiated seem perfectly easy, it requires a great amount of skill and delicacy. , You can't use. a fly rod as an omnibus driver does his whip. Certainly some drivers "flidk troublesome insects off the. backs' of their horses in quite an artistic fashion, but give Jarvey a fly rod, ask him to make a cast,, and see what he makes of.it. .No! it's all a" matter ;of practice and "knowing how." At the recent, fly and bait casting competitions at the Crystal Palaco there were 'some remarkable caste, and the events served to give an unknown expert, Mr. J. H. Lawrence, an opportunity of exhibiting his powers. He quite surprised everyone, beat all amateur records, and lied with Mr. J. J. Hardy's professional record. Mr. D. Mail, of Argyle, won th& cup for salmon fly casting with a caet of 41yds Ift, whilst Mr. J. J. Hardy, the professional champion, made a record cast of 29yds with a 4oz rod. How easily and how delicately he and others coaxed the fly to sail gently through the air oyer the rippling water, and alight softly 40yds or "so away. You watched with envying "eyes, and then someone whispered, "That isn't fishing," which made you pause and reflect. Rut pat came your reply, " No, it isn't intended to be." Then what is the good oi it all? The practical result of the competitions held, in England, and much more, frequently in America, has been such an improvement u rods, reels, and lines as would have been impossible without them. And what is more, the improvement in various methods of casting has been most marked. Long casting is of little value unless you know how to fish as well, but seeing and hearing what professionals can do in this direction bas a encouraged amateurs to endeavour to become more proficient. Not many years ago the forty-yard castwith a salmon fly made by Pat Hearns, of Balliua, was regarded as phenomenal. Nowadays the flies of amateurs " float" gracefully ' to Pat's limit, and beyond it; while proi fessionals pass his mark by quite ten yards. ! That speaks highly for the value of these i competitions, I A lady—Miss Newham — of the I professional teacher of casting at Wimbledon Lake, gave a dexterous arad excellent display Quite' young and slightly built, she wields- rods of all sorts and sizes, and occasionally excels her father's perfoirmances. With a very heavy 16ft 6iu salmon rod she cast-34yds. ..: ,•* .* .. ' . Additional interest attached to the competifcfons owing to the'tact -that several American competitors had brought over their dainty yet powerful fly rods, weighing only a few ounces, to match them against the heavier weapons u more commonly used in England. Though perhaps they did not do quite so well as they expected vhey won several prizes.- " ; ': In addition to the fty-Castiug competitions there were bait-easting 'matches, and these served to show the superiority of the " silex" reel over the Nottingham reel. The advantage of the ,c silex" is that with it it is not necessary to control the reel with the hand in any way, except just at the start. -Everyone admired the good form shown by Miss Newham in the professional salmon fly-easting competition ; indeed, in every i variety of casting in which she entered. She I did great credit to her father's teaching. ■;> '- A pleasing feature about the competitions . was the- sportsmanlike spirit displayed by everyone ; but anglers, it is well known, are good fellows,* so one was hardly surprised to, see their readiness to help their opponents and to lend ona another rods and tackle where necessary. . Though there was a good deal of brilliant work done very few records were broken.