FLOAT-TACKLE AND ITS USES .165 



spaces at the tails of islands and other eddies. It 

 will be convenient to consider each of these methods 

 in its order. 



I have described in the previous chapter the 

 difference between casting out a line in the Thames 

 fashion and the Nottingham method of casting from 

 the reel. In live-baiting with float-tackle the Notting- 

 ham method is most convenient in almost all cases. 

 If an extraordinarily long cast has to be made, 

 perhaps the Thames method is to be preferred ; but 

 then precautions will have to be taken to prevent the 

 loose line at the foot of the angler from becoming 

 entangled with anything. Of late years bait-casting 

 competitions have taken place, and enormous casts 

 have been made by placing a piece of waterproof or 

 other material on the ground, and carefully coiling 

 down the line, which must not have a suspicion of a 

 kink in it. In actual fishing, however, such extreme 

 care is hardly ever necessary or possible; but we 

 may, of course, find ourselves placed at the side of a 

 sheet of water, with no boat available, and the best 

 bit of fishing ground lying almost out of reach, 

 rendering a supreme effort desirable if we are to 

 make a bag. 



The first difficulty in Nottingham fishing is to 

 prevent the reel over-running, but this is soon 



