THE ART OF CASTING 



advent of the first exponent of this style of 

 fishing in Ulster County, New York, about the 

 year 1898, and the excitement he caused by 

 the many big bass that he caught in the then 

 novel manner in local lakes. The baits used 

 generally some of the innumerable varieties of 

 artificial lures, whether wooden minnows or 

 otherwise, and generically designated "plug"- 

 have some of them as many as five gangs of three 

 hooks each! Many if not most and whether 

 for "top water" or "underwater" use carry nine 

 hooks. However we are glad to note that a 

 recent development in this class of baits is a 

 line of miniature wooden minnows carrying 

 only a double or even a single hook and de- 

 signed for use with the long rod; they are called 

 in the trade "fly-rod wigglers." 



The most insatiable bait-casting addicts are 

 known as "plug fans" or "pluggers." If the 

 plug fisherman finds himself in the way of at- 

 tempting to invest in and try out every variety 

 of bass lure that is advertised in the sports- 

 men's magazines as a "sure killer," his path 

 surely will lead either to bankruptcy or to the 

 insane asylum. The following equipment of this 

 class is sufficient: An underwater bait of the 

 wooden-minnow type, say with green back and 

 white belly; a red and white small "Tango" 

 minnow; a surface bait of the revolving-head 

 type, colored white, or yellow with gold spots; 

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