December, 1920 
FOREST AND STREAM 
639 
SOME METHODS OF WEIGHT CASTING 
INTERESTING NOTES ON THE VARIOUS MEANS OF THROWING A LINE AS 
PRACTISED BY FISHERMAN THROUGHOUT MANY COUNTRIES OF THE WORLD 
I N piscatorial language “casting” is the 
expression used to designate the act 
of throwing at a distance a “lure,” fre- 
quently in combination with a weight at- 
tached to a line; the term “weight-cast- 
ing” was selected for this article to col- 
lectively designate the casting of one or 
more objects of sufficient density and 
mass to effectively overcome the resist- 
ance of the air. Weight-casting is there- 
fore to be distinguished from fly-casting, 
in which the cast object is too light to 
effectively resist the counter-pressure of 
the air during casts. 
In weight-casting there may be distin- 
guished “bait-casting,” in which the bait 
only — mostly less than one ounce in 
weight — is delivered, and in “weight- 
casting proper” in which, in addition to 
the bait, a weight, the sinker — as a rule 
not less and frequently more than three 
ounces in weight — ds utilized. 
Where accuracy is important and fre- 
quent retrieving necessary, as in bait- 
casting, the delivery of the tackle is pref- 
erably accomplished by means of a rod 
and a reel. But in general, weight-casting 
may be executed by various methods. 
O NE. By so-called heaving; in this 
method the inner-end of the line (the 
tail-end) is tied to a stationary or loose 
object or to the body of the operator 
(mostly around the waist) , or simply 
held in the hand ; the properly coiled line 
either rests on the ground or is held in 
the hand and several feet of the tackle- 
end of the line (hereinafter conveniently 
called the linehead), with the object or 
objects to be cast suitably attached there- 
to are mainpulated with increasing speed 
in circular motions around the head or 
sideways to the body until sufficient ve- 
locity for “heaving” has been gathered. 
This method is in use in all countries of 
the world, both inland and along the sea- 
shores. The average distance heaved is 
150 feet, but experienced casters heave 
considerably farther. 
T WO. In another method practised in 
the swampy districts of the Siberian 
Tundras bat-like implements are utilized. 
The simplest form comprises a flat, 
jhngated board (Fig. 1), provided at one 
-ittd with a handle (2), and at the other 
end with a transverse bridge (3) ; the 
material is coniferous wood. A more 
elaborate form made of resilient wood re- 
sembling ash, often treated with hot fish- 
jil (Figs. 2 and 3), comprises a cross- 
sectionally round body (4), provided with 
BY JULIUS PRELEUTHNER 
a handle (5) at one end and a spoon 
(6) at the other end. It greatly resem- 
bles a golfstick. The casting-tools are 30 
to 36 inches long. For the purpose of 
casting the tail-end of the line is suitably 
anchored to the ground; the line lies 
coiled on the ground several yards in 
front of the operator; the baited hooks 
and an additional sinker are placed be- 
hind the bridge or in the spoon ; the cast- 
ing-tool is then manipulated with both 
hands similar to a golfstick. ,. The bat- 
tik' caster is easier to be operated than 
Ihe spoon from which the centrifugal 
fox ce tends to prematurely throw the 
tackle. But if the trick is once mastered, 
'Ha 2 
5 3- 
greater distances, averaging 200 feet, 
may be cast with the spoon. 
The invention of these casting imple- 
ments is obviously the result of the dif- 
ficulties which the natives encounter 
when fishing. Tundras are relatively 
shallow reaches of water, densely grown 
IT©. 3 
4 1 
"" i n"" . * — 
The Spoon is SHOWN 
IN Section on the. 
MiDDcel-ine (S-fl 
wit! reeds, particularly near the shore; 
the use of boats and nets is prohibitive; 
for not only is the advance with boats 
very slow and in certain localities even 
impossible, but fish, congregating in the 
approached locality, quickly seek other 
quarters at the unavoidable commotion 
caused by boats and nets. Fishing from 
shore must be therefore resorted to. 
However, the swampy nature of the shore 
i’onders the approach to deeper water im- 
possible; frequent patches of quicksand 
compel the fisherman to remain on dry 
soil; casting is an imperative conse- 
quence; heaving is out of the question on 
account of the reeds which also grow on 
shore, so the described method seems to 
be the only solution. 
T HREE. Peasant boys along the Dan- 
ube and its tributaries have long ago 
become aware of the peculiar habits of 
certain fish to strike at a lure which sud- 
denly hits the water. These youngsters 
enjoy shooting the lure by means of rub- 
ier slingshots, using, instead of the flat 
leather-pad, a cone or cup of metal or 
leather with a bottom or loop in the back 
to be able to manipulate this casting-gun 
without bruising the bait. Frequently, 
out not generally, green rods cut from 
poplars, willows or hazelbushes are util- 
ized. The rods are vertically pushed into 
the ground and immediately after the 
lure is shot the slingshot — usually at- 
tached to the body — is dropped and the 
rod grasped. Aim is taken at a point in 
front and beyond the suspected hiding 
place of the anticipated prey, but by a 
slight motion of the wrist the lure is 
s + opped in its flight and deftly delivered 
just at the desired point. 
F OUR. Another method is practised all 
over the world where bamboo may be 
bought or cut from the plant. The poles 
used have an average length of 16 to 18 
feet; frequently they are shorter and oc- 
casionally longer up to 25 feet; in certain 
districts of Japan, Korea and China poles 
up to 50 feet are sometimes used. Up to 
14 feet length the poles may be manip- 
ulated with one hand, but the longer poles 
r< quire both hands. The tail-end of the 
1 ne is tied to the tip of the pole and 
usually several feet of the line ax - e wound 
thereupon in order to be able to adjust 
the line to conditions. The line-head is, 
as a rule, from 1 to 3 feet shorter than 
the pole, but when the cast is made from 
an eminence the line may be even longer 
than the pole. To execute a cast the pole 
is at first held vertically and the line- 
head held in one hand. The pole is then 
lowered in the direction of the casting 
aim and the now released line-head 
swings pendulum-like fox - wax’d; when the 
lackle tends to strike the water sux-face 
the tip of the pole is elevated, to be low- 
ered again at the delivery of the lure. 
The distance cast is about 1 and l /$ of 
the length of the pole, but distances up to 
1 and % of the length of the pole may be 
