CASTING THE GOUGE-BAIT. 153 



distance you intend to cast to. The line must 

 fall in free coils by your feet on your left side. 

 Take the upper part of your line in your left hand, 

 drawing the bait to within a yard or less of the 

 point of your rod, which lifting, the butt being 

 propped against your right flank, throw to your 

 right or left just as occasion may require ; and 

 letting free the line in your left hand, the bait 

 will be carried, the coiled portion of the line run* 

 ning through the rings freely, the length of the 

 line out. The bait having entered the water, 

 keep it about a distance of one-third the whole 

 depth, if the water be deep, from the bottom, but 

 generally speaking at mid- water ; and drawing 

 your line towards you by short and gentle pulls, 

 moving your rod in the same direction, try and 

 give to the bait a natural and attractive motion. 

 Do not, unless in case of emergency, lift your 

 bait out of the water, until you have drawn in 

 your line. Then repeat your cast, and go on 

 casting, moving with each cast until you have 

 left no part of the water untried. Your first cast 

 should be into those parts of the water nearest to 

 you, then farther out, and lastly, as far to the 

 other side of the water as you can throw. When 

 you have a run, let the fish move off with your 

 bait, and strike as before directed. 



Very various are the methods of handling the 

 gorge-bait. Generally speaking, they are anti- 



