120 PRACTICAL BAIT CASTING 



that his head rests in the bend of the hook. Remem- 

 ber, a crawfish travels backwards. 



Soft shell crabs are not a separate species. They 

 are simply ordinary ones changing coats and that 

 they are soft is due to the fact that the new shell has 

 not had time to harden* "Soft shells" should always 

 be used with a rubber band, otherwise they are likely 

 to be jerked from the hook when a cast is made. 



Crawfish are usually used as a small mouth lure 

 and this means in most cases stream fishing. They 

 can only be used for casting when the water is clear 

 and even then a spinner usually helps to attract the 

 fish to them as they are naturally not very conspicuous. 



OTHER NATURAL BAITS 



Worms are seldom used for casting, although a 

 generous "gob" of them behind a spinner and retrieved 

 slowly when the fish are feeding deep is a good bass 

 bait and almost irresistible to pickerel. Another fish 

 susceptible to this lure is the channel catfish, one of 

 the very best of food fishes and incidentally a hard and 

 persistent fighter. 



Worms should be dug about a week before using 

 and then "scoured" to be at their best. This is done 

 by washing them and putting them in a jar or box in 

 damp moss and leaving them there for a week. This 

 removes all earthy matter and toughens them, to say 

 nothing of making them cleaner to handle. They can 

 be carried in damp sand. 



