46 A BOOK ON ANGLING 



add to the ten feet allowed for the rod ; but he wants to get 

 the float five or six feet farther out how is it to be done ? 

 The tackle is dace tackle, and is therefore too light to cast 

 from the reel, for with such a light weight the reel would not 

 revolve ; he cannot place any line on the grass at his feet, 

 nor allow any to hang loose from the reel, because a line so 

 light as the fine Derby twist would inevitably twist up and 

 tangle, and it would catch at the first ring ; so, to overcome 

 all these difficulties, he with the left hand takes hold of the 

 running line above the first rod-ring, draws as much as he 

 requires off the reel, and holds it away from his left side 

 (farther from or nearer to his body as the case may require), 

 thus keeping the spare line that is to run through the rings 

 straight and tight, so that it cannot tangle. While doing this 

 he will find it necessary to hold the rod close to the reel, so that 

 the hand which holds it may be pressed against the reel to 

 prevent it from turning round and loosening the line. Then 

 poising the rod clear of his body on the right side, he gives 

 his bait and tackle the requisite swing towards the point he 

 desires to reach ; as he makes the swing he relinquishes his 

 hold on the line in his left hand, and the spare line goes clear 

 and fairly through the rings without tangle or catch. (See 

 Plate IX, Fig. i, p. 211.) By extending his left hand farther 

 out and away from his side he can increase the quantity 

 of spare line up to a certain point. Should he require more 

 still, he will have to take hold of the line above the second 

 ring instead of the first, or even if need be the third or fourth, 

 and so on, and thus he will be able to get out sufficient line 

 safely to enable him to cast his tackle without catch or tangle 

 to almost any reasonable distance he may require for roach 

 and dace-fishing.* 



We will suppose that the float is cast to its destination, 

 which should be a little up-stream from where the angler is 

 standing, with the point of the rod raised always if possible 

 above or up-stream of the float, and just so much as to keep a 

 moderately tight line, not sufficient to lift or check the float 

 (for if this happens the float is drawn inwards towards the 

 bank, and probably out of the swim), but sufficiently to 

 enable the angler to strike the instant he perceives a bite, 

 and without having any bagged or slack line. Following the 

 float with the point of the rod, and lowering the point until 



* This style of casting the bait will be found most useful to the trout- 

 fisher when wading and spinning a minnow or casting a worm. F. F. 



