CASTING 139 



the back cast, the pause and the forward cast. Let us 

 consider them one at a time. 



THE BACK CAST 



The novice caster should first assume a natural, 

 easy position, and not a stiff pose. The rod, with 

 thumb extended, should be pointed straight ahead, be- 

 ing held a little above parallel with the water and about 

 fifteen feet of line should be lying stretched out straight 

 in front. With the left hand pull a little line from 

 the reel, between the reel and the first guide and this 

 should be held in the left hand at all times so that the 

 cast can be lengthened when desired and to give the 

 angler instant control over a hooked fish. Now take 

 in the slack of the extended line by pulling a little of 

 it back through the guides and then start the back cast. 



The back cast is made by lifting the rod smartly 

 and forcefully. This movement is executed by the 

 wrist and forearm only, the upper arm and elbow be- 

 ing held close to the body. This is important and 

 some instructors place a book under the arm of the 

 young caster to make him keep his elbow in, the ob- 

 ject being to teach the novice to use his wrist and fore- 

 arm only which makes the spring of the rod do most 

 of the work and gives the line an upward, as well as 

 a backward, direction thus helping to produce the 

 much-desired high back cast. 



In making the back cast the rod can be brought 

 straight back toward the right shoulder or it can be 

 directed toward the left shoulder to throw the line 



