This is a short line cast, useful for really overgrown areas. Here's what we do; we get hold of the fly with our free hand and trapping the line with our forefinger of our rod hand we force a bend into the rod, then sighting up our target with the tip of the rod we release the fly, and out it flies to our chosen point. Not a long cast by any means: but a really useful one.

One of the difficulties posed by this cast is how to hold the fly, bend the rod and not hook oneself. There are three solutions that I know of:

• the most obvious is to grip the fly at the bend of the hook - a bit like a fly vice does - which is fine for large flies...

• another, is to hold the fly with a pair of forceps, or pliers: this is my favoured way

• the last method is quite practical, and especially useful if you don't have a pair of pliers, and is this: take a six inch length of 10lbs leader material (if you don't have any 10lbs you can double up some 5 lbs - use your imagination) and tie one end to your thumb. Next make a loop with this line and trap it between your thumb and forefinger, and use this loop to hold the fly. Lift the thumb and bingo.

You can increase the power of the bow-and-arrow cast with a little wrist snap with the rod hand.

The important thing is to practice this cast before you use it, and substitute a piece of wool in place of the fly for the first few attempts!