OX STRIKING. lL>3 



At a contest held by the Piscatorial Society lately, the 

 longest cast from the stand-point to the bait was fifty- 

 two yards ; the next longest only forty-two and forty-one 

 yards. A moderately springy rod, a fine line, and fairly 

 heavy bait, are desideratums in long throwing. 



With respect to the pace at which it is desirable to spin, 

 as I have before said, I prefer slow spinning, as it gives 

 the fish more time to see the bait ; but it must not be so 

 slow as to spoil the spinning. From thirty to forty draws 

 per minute, if the left hand be carried well back, will give 

 a fair medium pace. 



To fish a stream properly, that method is the best which 

 enables you to cover the most water with the greatest ease 

 and in the shortest time, and the best way is to cast across 

 and rather down stream, and to repeat it three or four yards 

 further down and nearer to you until you have fished all 

 the water you can cover when move on. Always fish 

 your cast out, and do not be in a hurry to withdraw the 

 bait, as pike often follow it and take it close to the boat 

 or the bank. Grcville F. tells a story in the ' Field ' of one 

 following the bait with such good will that, missing it, he 

 ran his head against a post and stunned himself, and was 

 thus lifted out in the landing-net without more ado. Some 

 anglers prefer to cast up stream where there is not much 

 current, and draw down, ifnder the impression that the fish 

 have thus a better chance of seeing the bait ; but straight 

 casts up or down should be avoided as much as possible, 

 as the fish sees too much of the line. 



If* the angler feels a check or stoppage of the line while 

 lie is drawing it home, he has to decide whether it is a fish 

 or a weed or other obstruction. Usually if it be a fish he 

 will feel the tug ; or, if he drops the point of the rod, the 

 line will move off; but, if he feels nothing of this, let him 

 tighten the line by raising the point slightly, when he will 



