io8 PRACTICAL BAIT CASTING 



ibility. One of its chief merits from the standpoint 

 of economy is the fact that a strip or two will usually 

 be good for a full day's fishing. 



Chunks and hams are made wedge-shape with high 

 fronts to create a disturbance on the water and are 

 used as surface baits. Sometimes the fish get into the 

 lily pads, spatterdocks, and other weeds and refuse 

 to be coaxed out. There is just one answer to this 

 problem: a pork chunk or ham on a good weedless 

 hook. In the Middle West the use of the pork chunk 

 is considered by many to be the most artistic form of 

 bait casting if one may speak of art and pork at the 

 same time. The directions given for using surface 

 baits will apply also to the pork chunk. The idea in 

 casting a chunk is to make it land on the water with 

 not too much commotion, to start it back quickly with- 

 out "skipping" it, and to keep it on the surface during 

 the entire retrieve. It is usually cast halfway between 

 the overhead and side cast. 



It is a common practice among casters to cut their 

 own pork on special models of more or less merit. For 

 this purpose use dry salt pork. Remove all lean meat 

 as only the fat is used. Always cut each piece with 

 rind on one side, preferably the top. A sharp razor 

 or thin-bladed knife is necessary for this work. 



A favorite design to be used under water is the ar- 

 row-head or a thin wedge-shaped piece with "swaller" 

 tails. It is used on a weedless hook with or without 

 a spinner. Similar to this is the frog-shaped. This 

 is cut in the outline of a frog with the hind legs out- 



