CASTING AFTER DARK 215 



love is superior to hate. With the ideal companion, 

 possessed of skill, knowledge, and a poet's appre- 

 ciation, night casting is about as near a piscatorial 

 heaven as anything I know. 



Lacking the ideal companion, my advise to the 

 reader is, go alone. "How?" Listen. Seek out 

 some spot, in the day time, of course, where the 

 boat can be anchored in such a position as to make 

 casting in two or three directions a possibility. You 

 may be compelled to search some time before you 

 find such a place, but not so long as you will to find 

 the ideal companion, believe me. Quietly take your 

 position about sunset and secure your boat. Do not 

 get in a hurry to cast. Wait. The lone fisherman 

 has all the time there is. Remember the field of 

 your operations is circumscribed and do not cast too 

 much. Watch the day die. Invoke your soul. Wait. 



There comes a splash, and a widening circle of 

 wavelets close up to the edge of the weeds and 

 within range. Mortal man could not be expected to 

 withstand that temptation. "Shoot, man, shoot!" 

 Ah, he's on! What did you expect? Play him. 

 Net him. Now wait some more. There are other 

 bass there, of course, but wait for them to manifest 

 their hungry presence. This is "dry-lure" fishing 

 with a vengence. The moments slip unheeded and 

 unregarded by. Night comes on apace. Ah, 

 another splash, this time almost behind. To turn 

 about takes but a second, and the lure strikes with a 



