THE CASTING REEL 6l 



Irly, experience having taught me that unless it be 

 one, no amount of casting ability or thumbing skill 

 will prevent a back-lash. If you wish a demonstra- 

 tion, simply allow the line to pile up at one point, 

 do not distribute it with the guiding thumb and fore- 

 finger of the left hand, until it topples over and the 

 loops are wound over by the incoming line. You 

 have all the "makings" of a back-lash. Cast, and 

 discover for yourself. While experience soon 

 teaches a man that he must pay minutest attention to 

 spooling the line while playing a fish, the beginner 

 forgets to do so in the excitement of the battle, and 

 at times the oldest hand errs, a slip for which tyro 

 and experienced caster must pay in bitterest expe- 

 riences. 



I have already referred to the growing popularity 

 of night fishing and the advisability of using an au- 

 tomatic thumber therefor, but as between the auto- 

 matic thumber and self-spooler alone, I would say 

 without hesitation, select the latter; but when you 

 can select a reel with both features in combination, 

 for that particular sport, you are foolish not to do 

 so. As I have said several times already, I enjoy 

 thumbing the reel, and in regular daylight fishing 

 will not employ a mechanical device which robs me 

 of that pleasure ; but the matter of spooling the line 

 is, as the German said, "A horse of some more 

 color;" when the spooling attachment does not in- 

 terfere to any great extent with the cast distance 



