CASTING AND PLAYING THE MINNOW. 155 



possible (if your stature is more than five feet six inches, 

 you had better endeavour to advance on all fours), draw 

 out the line to the same length as the rod, retaining at 

 the same time a couple of yards of slack between your 

 right hand and the reel, the fingers of which must em- 

 brace the line along with the rod, and only allow the 

 slack to run out when the bait reaches the extremity of 

 its swing. Now cautiously approach the shallow current 

 at the head of the pool ; take the line in your left 

 hand a few inches above the bait ; bring the rod half 

 round opposite to your left side, with its point in a 

 horizontal position ; then swing off the bait, at the 

 same time elevating the rod, so as to carry it as far 

 across the water as possible ; and just as it reaches the 

 extremity of its swing, relax your hold of the line with 

 the fingers of the right hand, and allow the slack to run 

 out ; at the same time gradually lower the point of the 

 rod, so as to ease the "bait into the water as gently as 

 possible. The unloosing of the slack line will enable 

 the bait to reach a yard or two further across the water 

 than it would otherwise do ; while, its course being un- 

 checked until its momentum is expended, it will reach 

 the water without disturbance. In this manner a bait 

 may be quietly dropped into the very spot aimed at, 

 though at a considerable distance off, with the greatest 

 gentleness and precision, after a little practice. And I 

 will here, once for all, observe, that in minnow-fishing 

 the bait is always to be slung into the water as directed, 

 and never cast or thrown across the water as in fly-fish- 

 ing, although almost every bungler will be seen to do so. 



