CASTING THE GOUGE BAIT. 83 



loop left at D, or the gut or gimp may be whipped to it at 

 the same place. This great improvement in leads was sug- 

 gested by Mr Pennell, and answers admirably. It has the 

 additional great advantage of nearly preventing the annoy- 

 ing and almost inevitable " kinks " which plagued the 

 troller under the old system. The new school of trollers, 

 if I may so term them, do not use a sinker except in 

 spinning, and attach, as before stated, the reel-line to the 

 three or four feet of gimp, as shown at E, (fig. 20.) If the 

 gimp is coloured with brown or green varnish, before 

 alluded to, or clouded in the manner mentioned in the 

 appendix, the troller may proceed with a tolerable cer- 

 tainty of success. 



The casting of the bait is an operation requiring some 

 attention and skill. OntheTrent trollerscast the bait directly 

 from the reel, which necessitates a long rod and great 

 force. The more common and better plan is to uncoil 

 sufficient line from the reel to reach the distance you in- 

 tend to cast, and let it lie free at your feet. You hold the 

 rod in your right hand, and rest the butt against your hip. 

 With your left hand you draw the bait to within a yard or 

 so of the end of the rod, allow it to swing to and fro in 

 the direction you wish to cast, then throw it to the right or 

 left as the case may be, withdrawing your left hand at the 

 same time, and the line will run freely through the rings 

 as far as it has been uncoiled. This method of casting is 

 the same in spinning as in trolling proper. Short casts 

 are preferred to long ones, as a rule, and the troller should 

 bear in mind that the bait should rove about whilst the 

 line is being drawn in by the left hand by short and gentle 

 pulls. Recollect you are fishing in mid-water, and your 

 bait should be kept thereabouts in water of medium depth: 



