396 Book of the Black Bass. 



somewhat similar to the straight imderhand pitching of a 

 base-ball. 



In making the cast, the right elbow should touch the 

 body, sweeping across it. and only leave it at the end of 

 the cast, making the fdrearm do the work. At the end of 

 the cast, the reel and thumb are upward, and the rod forms 

 an angle of 30 deg. with the line of the shoulders X Z, and 

 the minnow, instead of following the direction of the rod 

 A D, as some might suppose, will, from the slight curve 

 described by the rod during the cast, diverge toward the 

 left, and drop at X, when the thumb should immediately 

 stop the reel by an increased pressure. 



Casting to the right is just the reverse of the above pro- 

 ceeding. The angler being in the same position, brings 

 the right hand across, and touching the bod}", 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 some- 

 what 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, as 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 



