CASTING THE MINNOW. 419 



brings the right hand across, and touching the body, to a 

 point in front of the left hip, the thumb and reel upward, 

 but inclining toward the body, and the rod extending in 

 the direction of the line A D, with the tip downward, as 

 shown in figure 6 ; he now turns his face in the direction 

 of the objective point Z, inclines his body and advances 

 his left foot in the direction of D ; and makes a cast from 

 left to right, from below upward, and ends the cast with 

 the right arm and rod fully extended in the direction of 

 the line A C, as shown in figure 7, while the minnow 

 takes its flight toward Z. This is a back-handed cast, 

 and is somewhat analogous to the pitching of a quoit. 



In making either cast the body should sway slightly and 

 simultaneously with the rod arm, in the direction of the 

 cast, to add force and steadiness ; but on no account must 

 the cast be made by " main strength," for it requires but 

 slight muscular exertion to cast forty yards; and on no 

 account must the rod be carried further toward the line 

 X Z than an angle of thirty degrees, otherwise the bait 

 will be thrown behind the angler. Particular care must 

 be taken to give the bait an upward impulse as it leaves 

 the rod. 



The first cast that the beginner makes will be likely to 

 throw the bait behind him, for reasons just given. He 

 should, by all means, begin by making short casts, and 

 lengthen them as he perfects himself by experience in 

 managing the reel and controlling the cast. While but a 

 few yards of line can be cast directly in front of the be- 

 ginner, he should practice casting at various angles with 

 the line X Z, to the left and right. He should avoid over- 

 head casting, for that is the pot-fisher's method of throw- 

 ing a bait, and is not only an awkward, but a very 



