BAIT-CASTING FOR THE BEGINNER 9 



stays on the line wound on the reel. As the rod 

 sweeps to a perpendicular position, release the thumb 

 pressure but not entirely and out shoots the 

 plug carrying the line from the reel. 



Keep your eye on the plug, although it's a hundred 

 to one shot that you will watch the reel instead. 

 While the plug is still in the air and just before it 

 hits the ground, press the thumb down firmly on the 

 reel, which stops it from revolving. If you fail to 

 do this, Old Man, the reel will keep on turning from 

 its momentum, and having no heavy plug in the air 

 to pull it along, the line will snarl up on the reel and 

 you will be introduced to your first " back-lash," with 

 which you will become well acquainted, anyway, as 

 you get along in the game. 



If your plug did a pretty flight straight up in the 

 air, you released your thumb pressure before the rod 

 was perpendicular, and if it did a Brodie right down 

 into the ground in front of you, then you failed to 

 release the thumb pressure soon enough. Remem- 

 ber this point: the thumb pressure is never entirely 

 removed from the line on the reel and the lighter 

 pressure on the line keeps a " pull " on the bait and 

 prevents back-lashes " Bad cess to 'em." Always 

 jam the thumb down hard just before the bait lands, 

 stop the rod in its sweep when it is much higher than 

 the target, and keep your eyes on the plug. Then 

 as it flies cut and settles, slowly lower the tip of the 

 rod, keeping the plug, line and rod on a line as 



