160 RECREATION 
lashing. The line should be immediately re- 
trieved, first by raising the tip of the rod 
enough to keep the bait in motion “until the 
handle of the reel is secured and the process of 
reeling-in the line has begun. The reeling-in 
should not be too fast, just fast enough to keep 
the spinners in motion, if any are used, and if 
no spinners are used, then just fast enough to 
keep the bait in motion to make it look as if it 
were alive, carefully spooling the line evenly 
back and forth over the reel with the thumb and 
finger of the left hand as it is reeled in so that 
it will be in proper condition for the next 
cast. 
It is best to cast over-head, as in this way one 
can cast more accurately than in the under- 
handed cast. A slight ‘“‘twirling” motion, as 
in cracking a whip, adds to the ease of the cast, 
but this should not be attempted at first. It is 
well, of course, to be able to cast under-handed, 
so that in case of overhanging bushes inter- 
fering, one is still able to get out his bait. 
Have the reel on top of the “rod with the 
handle to the right. Be sure to practice and 
learn casting while sitting, as after thus learning 
it will be easy to cast standing. Not much 
force is necessary. The cast should be made 
entirely with the arm, principally with the 
forearm and most of all by the action of the 
hand from the wrist. 
Casts of fifty to -seventy-five feet properly 
made are much more successful in catching 
fish than longer ones badly made, although, of 
course, at times it is beneficial to make long 
casts, and it is at all times gratifying to be 
able to make long casts accurately and deftly. 
A suitable rod is indispensable for easy and 
effective casting. The rod which is becoming 
more popular every year is about equal in 
length to the height of the angler, pretty flexible 
and springy and strong enough to stand a good, 
hard strain, which means that it should be of 
good quality; it may be of bamboo, wood or 
steel. All kinds have their advocates. It 
should have three medium large guides and 
an agate top, and be preferably in two pieces. 
The reel should be a good one, not necessarily 
a high-priced one, and a quadruple multiplier 
is advisable in fishing; not for the purpose of 
bringing in the fish more speedily, but to bring 
him in more surely by taking up the line more 
rapidly, and thus preventing the fish’ from 
getting slack line and shaking the hook out 
of his mouth in case it has only caught slightly. 
A light, firmly braided silk line, the usual 
No. 5, gives me the greatest satisfaction in 
casting; but all lines require pretty careful at- 
tention, as they have a tendency to become 
weak unexpectedly and cause the loss of a big 
fish, or a bait, or both at the same time. 
Let us now suppose that you have learned the 
rudiments of casting and have procured a 
satisfactory outfit, and are justified in going out 
and trying your luck in actual fishing. When 
you cast, try to attain accuracy by always 
aiming at some particular object, such as a 
bunch of rushes or weeds, or a lily pad or 
splatter dock, or a leaf floating upon the water, 
or, in the absence of all these, a particular wave 
upon the water, as thus you gradually increase 
your efficiency in placing your bait just where 
you wantit. Be attentive to your business when 
casting, to avoid failing to respond instantly 
when you have a strike, as it takes but an in- 
stant for the fish to discover the deception and 
the next second you may be too late to get him. 
When you have hooked your fish, do not fail 
to keep a taut line upon him, and let him have 
all the play he wants before you try to reel him 
in close to the boat, as then you will not beso - 
likely to lose him because of a hard rush. 
Never catch fish when they are on their 
spawning beds, even if it is in the open season; 
to do so is as bad as to kill a hatching bird on its 
nest or when it is protecting its young. 
Do not try to catch all the fish in the lake, but 
be satisfied with a decent catch, leaving some 
of them for your next trip. . 

