LEARNING TO CAST 27 



stop your bait as it goes over. Lengthening the 

 amount of line between the bait and the rod tip before 

 casting should cause your bait to travel higher. If it 

 doesn't the .pressure on the spooled line is not released 

 soon enough. In this connection, avoid reeling your 

 bait up too close to the tip as the metal part of the lure 

 may crack the agate lining of the tip top. Before 

 casting, be sure that the line is not wrapped around 

 the tip, or you may throw your whole outfit overboard. 



One thing the young caster will learn as he prog- 

 resses is that in actual fishing, a hard cast is not needed 

 to get a reasonable amount of line out just a slight 

 movement of the arm and wrist. Snapping the wrist 

 backwards when bringing the rod over the shoulder 

 instead of merely relaxing it will help to put the spring 

 of the rod in the cast. Hard straight arm casting de 

 feats its purpose, because as you increase the power of 

 your cast, you must likewise increase the thumb press- 

 ure on the reel or spend time that should be devoted 

 to fishing in untangling a snarled line. Cast with 

 the wind behind you whenever poswMe. 



One of the most important thir,S in casting for fish 

 is to retrieve the bait quickly it should be started back 

 before, or the very instant, it vtrikes the water. This 

 is done by aiming over and i-shind the target, as men- 

 tioned before, and stopping the bait suddenly, which 

 takes up all slack line. If- should be helped by a slight 

 twitch of the rod to oiw side. This is done usually 

 when the rod is shifted to the left hand. This quick 



