26 PRACTICAL BAIT CASTING 



rod at the target. Bring rod straight over the shoulder, 

 back far enough to bring the reel on a level with right 

 ear. Drop wrist. Make forward cast straight at tar- 

 get, slower at first, accelerating speed as you go. When 

 rod is little past perpendicular release thumb pressure 

 some, but not entirely, from reel. Hold rod so that the 

 back of hand and reel handle point upwards. Finish 

 cast with forward snap of wrist. Shift rod to left 

 hand. Point rod directly at the weight. Reel in, 

 guiding line on reel evenly. 



CASTING FOR FISH 



FOR ADVANCED PUPILS 



After the novice has tried his hand at dry land cast- 

 ing, he becomes anxious to test his skill on real fish, 

 which is a natural and laudable ambition. 



One of the first things to be learned in actual fishing 

 is to cast sitting down not at all difficult. Casting 

 standing up is hard work, is dangerous in anything but 

 a mud scow, and besides when the water is smooth and 

 clear one must cast farther to prevent being seen by 

 the fish as a fisherman standing in a boat is outlined 

 against the sky and looks like the proverbial "house 

 afire" to the fish, 



One of the troubles experienced by new casters is 

 casting on too direct a line "shooting the bait" it is 

 called. To overcome this, cast at an imaginary spot 

 above and behind the place you want to strike, and 



