24 PRACTICAL BAIT CASTING 



this point, as we know the temptation to cast for dis- 

 tance is great, but he must keep in mind these facts: 

 Accuracy is the very foundation of a bait caster's edu- 

 cation ; distance will follow naturally. Very few casts 

 over sixty or seventy feet are made in actual fishing and, 

 as Samuel Camp remarks: "The man who trids to cast, 

 'clean across* the lake usually gets more exercise than 

 fish." The man who can drop his lure where he wants 

 to is a betteir and more successful fisherman, always, 

 than he who can cast far but with only a general idea 

 as to where his bait is going to strike. 



The cast described above is the "over-the-shoulder" 

 or "overhead" cast. It possesses several advantages 

 over other styles. It it far more accurate (all tourna- 

 ment casters use this method) and there is less danger 

 of hooking your companions when fishing with more 

 than one in a boat. The side caster, if he is right- 

 handed, must always be placed in the right end of the 

 boat and this is sometimes an inconvenience. 



It seems to be the general idea that the "overhead" 

 cast is harder to learn, but this is not so. It is so easy 

 to master as the other casts, and should be learned first 

 by all means. The others are simply modifications of 

 the overhead and are easily learned once you know 

 that style. 



In the side cast, or "side-swipe" as it is sometimes 

 called, the rod is brought back to the right side of the 

 body, parallel with the water, and is then whipped 

 forward. It is useful when fishing ovdr the end of a 



