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and twenty yards. Although from a high stand with 

 the aid of a strong wind this is possible, the ordinary 

 cast is not over half that distance, amd to exceed one 

 hundred when standing on a level with the water is rare. 

 Seventy five yards is a good cast, and no man need be 

 ashamed who can put out his line fair and true that dis- 

 tance. The length of cast is in a measure controlled by 

 the direction and violence of the wind and the elevation 

 of the stand above the water. In a contrary wind the 

 best angler will find it difficult to reach seventy-five 

 yards, while from a high rock with a favorable wind he 

 will cover that distance with ease. 



Casting the menhaden bait is similar to casting the 

 float and sinker, only the power applied is enormously 

 increased, and difficulties aie proportionally magnified. 

 The line is wound up till the bait, if a single one, is 

 almost two feet from the tip, the rod is extended behind 

 the fisherman, who turns his body for the purpose, and 

 then brought forward with a steady but vigorous swing 

 that discharges it without a jerk, like an apple thrown 

 from a stick. The reel is so far restrained by pressure of 

 the thumb, that it revolves no faster than the bait travels, 

 but does not detain it, and upon the accuracy of this 

 manipulation mainly depends the result. If too much 

 pressure is used, the line cannot escape rapidly enough 

 and falls short; if too little, the reel overruns and en- 

 tangles the line, stopping the cast ere half delivered with 

 a jerk that threatens its destruction. The fisherman 

 must be able to use either hand on the reel to rest his 

 arms and to take advantage of the wind. 



Neither shrimp nor soft crabs are used in this style of 

 fishing, and the eel skin which is used earlier in the 

 season, is prepared by stripping the skin off the tail of an 

 eel from the vent aft for about a foot, turn it inside 



