174 CASTING TACKLE AND METHODS 



will require all the skill of trained arm and eye. If 

 the reader is fortunate enough to have the acquaint- 

 anceship of such a stream, let me urge him not to 

 resort to the fly rod to the exclusion of the short 

 caster. I am a user of the light rod myself, but I 

 am only beginning to appreciate the possibilities of 

 the short rod upon wadeable bass streams, even as I 

 am beginning to understand that more streams are 

 wadeable than I have heretofore imagined. True, 

 many rivers possess deep pools, rods of slack water 

 above dams or natural obstructions where wading is 

 out of the question; but the rodster can walk around 

 them upon the bank, casting a speculative lure here 

 and there beneath the fringing trees as he makes his 

 way along, until he reaches the shallows below. Even 

 the expert rodster can not become so enamored with 

 his tackle and the game he is playing as to forget for 

 a single instant his surroundings. 



As to special equipment required little need be 

 said. Obviously the lures must be carried in some 

 convenient tackle-box, of which there are few upon 

 the market as yet, for the manufacturers must cater 

 to the multitude who fish from boats. The box must 

 be small so as to be out of the day, and provided 

 with a shoulder-strap; though the belt-case is still 

 more convenient, out of the way and easily reached. 

 Personally I had rather carry a large creel; pro- 

 vided with patent harness it can be pushed well 

 around upon the back and out of the way, placing 



