THE ART OF SPINNING. 201 



of soft cloth (an old duster does very well) about 

 3in. wider than the baits are long. Lay the baits 

 in a row side by side along this cloth about lin. 

 apart, cover them with another layer of salt, and 

 then roll them up into a [round bundle. In cool 

 weather they will keep fresh and bright like this 

 for some time, but they shrivel up rather. Salted 

 baits are, in my opinion, more killing than pickled 

 ones, but after a time they acquire an ancient and 

 fish-like smell, though they do not appear actually 

 to go bad, at any rate in winter, when I have 

 chiefly experimented with them. In summer I 

 have not demanded of them more than a day or 

 two of usefulness. 



Having his stock of baits and knowing how to 

 put them on the tackle, the novice next wishes to 

 use them, and here he is confronted with the diffi- 

 culty of throwing out a line. The method most in 

 vogue among the experts is casting straight from 

 the reel, whose check-button has to be pushed back 

 so that the drum may revolve freely and without 

 hindrance. The principle of this is simple ; one 

 swings the weighted line out in the direction wanted, 

 letting the line g;o from finger and thumb at the 

 beginning of the movement, the reel revolves 

 obediently, the line runs out, and the bait flies like 

 an arrow to the right spot. As it reaches it one 



