186 INUTILITY OF LONG CASTS. 



take hold of this part with the left hand, and 

 now by means of the right hand, which upholds 

 the trolling stick, swing the bait-fish until it has 

 gained its momentum ; then deliver it well from 

 the hand in any direction you choose, guiding the 

 passage of the line through the ring by the incli- 

 nation of the stick, and the aid of the left hand. 

 We have known a line carried in this way nearly 

 forty yards, and we believe it can be projected even 

 to fifty, whereas it would be impossible to deliver 

 it to any such distance with the trolling rod." 



Mr. Elaine here errs : the bait with a ten or 

 twelve feet trolling rod can be thrown sixty yards 

 or farther. But these long casts or throws are of 

 no use generally, and in making them, as trollers 

 do for parade sake, the bait is injured, and after it 

 has fallen into the water it cannot be put into 

 any thing like natural motion for some time. 

 A shorter cast would have been more eifective. 

 Indeed, unless when you wish to reach some far 

 off spot having some especial attraction, do not 

 cast farther at any time than thirty yards. That 

 distance you can handily manage by casting your 

 bait skew-ways to it, causing it to enter the water 

 slantingly, and gathering up your line deftly before 

 your bait has sunk to the bottom of the water or 

 got injured by hitching in any obstruction there. 

 The truth is, a trolling rod can be very easily 

 made. One of those long tapering canes, sixteen 



