The Bass Family 107 



but it is questionable if it is noticed by the 

 striped-bass, a bottom and mid-water feeder. 

 And even if the common belief were true, it is 

 not likely that the bass would be tolled directly 

 toward the angler through a slick covering 

 many acres. The real attraction is in the 

 chopped menhaden that sinks below the surface. 

 Casting the menhaden is quite an art. It is 

 somewhat in the nature of casting a minnow for 

 black-bass as described on a previous page, 

 though the rod is a two-handed one and the bait 

 much heavier. The bait is reeled up to within 

 a foot or two of the rod tip, and the rod grasped 

 by both hands, one just above and one below the 

 reel, with the thumb of the lower hand resting on 

 the spool of the reel, and protected by a woollen 

 or leather thumb-stall. With the rod at one side, 

 it is given a preliminary whirl, or swing or two, 

 and the bait cast, underhand, much like striking 

 at a hip-high or shoulder-high ball with a bat. 

 The cast is made from either side, and while 

 some anglers place the right hand below in cast- 

 ing from both sides, it is not the best way. In 

 casting from the right side the left hand should 

 be below, and the reel controlled by the left 

 thumb; while in casting from the left side the 



