1046 
FOREST AND STREAM 
THE GENTLE ART OF PLUG CASTING 
AN ARTICLE FOR THOSE WHO FOLLOW THAT METHOD OF TAKING THE 
PISCATORIAL SUBMARINE-THE BLACK BASS—A WORD AS TO OUTFIT 
A S THE time draws near when the advocates 
of the short rod and plug—with single 
hooks—will have an opportunity to once 
again cast away for that “piscatorial submarine” 
—the Black Bass—a word as to outfit necessary 
for this modern method of fishing seems appro¬ 
priate. The fishing crank has most decided views 
as to what he should or should not pack along 
with him, so to that class of individuals efforts 
to describe a casting outfit would be a waste of 
time, but to the neophyte at the game who is 
generally at sea when a “casting with plug” out¬ 
fit is mentioned, the following is hereby dedi¬ 
cated. 
To determine the best rod, reel, line and plug 
for bait casting is a question hard to answer, 
as bait casters each have their likes and dislikes. 
The likes of one and the dislikes of another may 
be however all good or all bad, therefore to lay 
down a hard and fast rule as to what is or is 
not the best equipment for the beginner is an 
impossibility. 
As one noted authority puts it, “The prefer¬ 
ence of different anglers of equal experience and 
skill varies in about the same proportion as do 
the noses on their respective faces.” It must 
therefore be borne in mind, “you regulars,” that 
the following outfit is not claimed to be the one 
and only one for the method of land the “pound 
for pound fish,” but as the equipment mentioned 
is the same as is used by a number of well- 
known followers of “Friend Walton,” and has 
always been found to be satisfactory in every 
respect, it is, therefore, at least food for thought 
and worthy of more than passing consideration 
by “Mr. Beginner.” 
The Rod. 
Bait casting rods are made of split bamboo, 
lancewood, greenheart or steel and run in 
lengths from 4V2 to 6V2 feet. They are built in 
three styles—short butt and long tip, rod with 
butt and tip of equal length, rod in three pieces 
and in one piece construction either with at¬ 
tached or detached butt. 
Between the rod with the short butt and long 
tip and the rod with butt and tip of equal lengths, 
there is not much difference. It is claimed, how¬ 
ever, that in the rod with the short butt and 
long tip, the chance of breakage is reduced to a 
minimum as the strain in casting and in playing 
the fish after he is once hooked does not fall on 
the wood at the ferrule, whereas in the rod with 
butt and tip of equal length, the ferrule coming 
as it does in the center of the rod, the greatest 
strain is placed during action at the ferrule, 
which is considered to be the weakest part of 
any rod, the chance of breakage at this point 
is necessarily somewhat increased. 
While the writer has seen some good size 
fish played and landed on the rod with tip and 
butt of equal length without this looked for 
break occurring, he has a strong preference for 
the rod with the short butt and long tip con¬ 
struction made of bamboo and in lengths from 
5 to 5% feet. It is therefore this type of rod 
that is recommended to “Mr. Beginner.” The 
three-piece rod is passed over with the statement 
that its only advantage lies in the fact that it is 
convenient to carry. Its disadvantages are many. 
After the neophyte has reached that stage where 
he feels fairly sure of himself, the rod of one 
piece construction is suggested either with the 
attached or detached butt, as the added casting 
power and action of this type of rod will re¬ 
compense one for any inconvenience that may 
be experienced in transportation. 
The cost—were that we were all born rich 
instead of handsome—while it is well to remem- 
By George Langworthy Buguey. 
ber that, generally speaking, the best is the 
cheapest in the long run, “Mr. Beginner” is not 
advised to lay his last penny down for the first 
casting rod for two reasons: The first: There 
will be other paraphernalia that it will be neces¬ 
sary for him to purchase before his outfit is 
completed. The second: It is possible to obtain 
a popular make of casting rod (short butt, long 
tip construction) that will not only answer the 
purpose but at the same time serve him well 
for the nominal figure of $2.00. 
When the neophyte is more proficient, he can 
then purchase a rod more to his liking and re¬ 
quirements. He will either know or think he 
knows them by this time. 
The Reel. 
“The reel question is not a real question.” One 
thing is certain. It must be a quadruple multi¬ 
plying one that revolves four times with each 
turn of the handle. As to price, they can be 
purchased at most any old price, but “Mr. Be¬ 
ginner” must bear in mind that money is well 
spent in buying a reel, as in bait casting much 
depends on this item of the outfit. A most de¬ 
pendable one can be purchased for $3.50 and if 
the angler desires a “free spool” (handle of 
reel not revolving when cast is made—which is 
not a necessity, a $5 bill will get it for him. 
Lines. 
The line to a bait caster is just as important 
as are the lines first assigned to the budding 
tragedian. In both cases, if they are poor, the 
result is a catastrophe and is therefore one of 
the most important subjects that a bait caster 
has to contend with. It is not all of us, by any 
means, that can explain what efficiency in this 
part of the outfit consists of. I am not going 
to try in this article, “Ye Editor” would use the 
blue pencil, I fear to good effect. However, one 
of the best rules for “Mr. Beginner” to follow 
in selecting a line, and at the same time be 
reasonably sure he is getting something to suit 
the plug he is using, is to buy a line from any 
of the several plug manufacturers who have 
recently put out lines adapted to the plugs they 
manufacture. Their catalogues are obtainable 
on application for same. 
Plugs. 
Plugs—Old man Noah, he of dictionary fame, 
defines the word as “Any piece used to stop or fill 
a hole”; “a worn-out horse.” 
Yet the magic word “plug” has another dis¬ 
tinctive definition, dear to the ears of that 
great army of fishermen, known as “bait casters.” 
The late James Heddon has said, “Bait cast¬ 
ing is surely the sport of a thousand thrills.” 
To the neophyte of the game the baits or plugs 
used in this alluring sport seem to be endless. 
Take up any fishing catalogue and the following 
phrases meet one’s eye: “The very best bait in 
the market.” “This is the most successful black 
bass plug used in a decade.” “This is the plug 
used by John Jones when he made his wonderful 
catch of fourteen black bass in an hour.” Mr. 
Neophyte immediately says, “I must have this; 
I must have that”—with what result? He loads 
up with all kinds of plugs, surely enough to 
meet all conditions, yet the same condition can 
be met with a few well selected types. 
Plugs can only be divided into three classes: 
(1) Underwaters. (2) Semi-underwaters or 
wobblers. (3) Surface lures. What are the 
best of each class is the question and one with¬ 
out doubt a hard one to answer. This being due 
to the fact that what is a killing lure to-day, 
“Mr. Bass” will hardly notice to-morrow, yet 
the poor plugs cannot be blamed, as they are 
all good—at some time or other. 
The most tempting live food for black bass is 
the minnow. Naturally artificial lures are made 
to pattern more or less after this delicate morsel. 
The Underwaters—The underwaters, the first 
division of plugs to be considered, are ones that 
sink deep when cast and are mostly used when 
the fish are feeding deep. They are made in all 
colors to meet the fancy of the caster, or the 
conditions of water being fished. Standard! 
colors in red, green, white and yellow are quite 
effective. 
The underwaters, while they are fish getters,, 
are not advised for Mr. Beginner, as many ai 
one rests well hung upon some hidden log, due 
to the caster being unable to retrieve the lure 
when that vocabulary straining back lash occurs. 
The Semi-underwaters—Now, “Brothers,” here 
is the plug. It’s practically new, yet it’s the 
goods, and it gets the fish. The semi-under¬ 
water, or wobbler, is a spinnerless plug that 
sinks slowly to a certain depth and when re¬ 
trieved moves with the wobbly motion that at¬ 
tracts the fish, and last, but not least, when the 
back lash occurs, who of us don’t get them at 
times?—“Mr. Plug” rises majestically to the 
surface, awaiting our pleasure as to future casts. 
Surface Baits—Ye gods! There are more 
surface baits than one has fingers and toes, yet 
who will deny that all have some redeeming 
feature? Here, again, the spinner at each end 
of the plug is frequently eliminated, the manu¬ 
facturers depending on a collar or winged rotary 
motion device to throw the water and attack the 
fish. 
Thus, if “Mr. Beginner” desires to save plugs, 
and plugs mean money, let him use either “the 
underwater” or the surface or both. 
So much for plugs. Now about a tackle box 
to keep them in. There seems to be a fascina¬ 
tion about tackle boxes, the more boxes one 
acquires the more he seems to want. As to the 
fisherman a tackle box that meets his require¬ 
ments is a gift from the gods when once found. 
The writer has found two, both desirable from 
a plug caster’s point of view and both within 
reason as to price. The first is made of a good 
quality of tin. There are two trays, each tray 
being divided into compartments. Each compart¬ 
ment holding one plug of large size or two of 
the small. There is also space for two reels 
and spaces for smaller articles. The angler who 
likes to take a lot of spoons along for trolling 
or casting will find that they can be carried in 
this box without getting into a hopeless tangle. 
The cost of this box is $2.00. Now listen care¬ 
fully, for you will hear, brother, not of the 
midnight ride of Paul Revere, but of the very 
latest tackle box for “Mr. Plugger.” It’s good. 
This box is built to look like a leather grip fin¬ 
ished in a durable brown baked enamel and is 
built to stand the gaff. It has leather handles 
and a Yale lock. It has also two trays, numer¬ 
ous compartments for plugs, reels, spoons, etc., 
a real example of “a place for everything, and 
everything in its place.” The price of this box 
is $4.50. 
One last word. A little article found to be 
of the greatest use, especially in fishing strange 
waters, when you often have to change plugs 
to get the right one, a swivel snap on the end 
of your line will save not only the line but will 
prevent one straining his vocabulary. 
With best wishes for success to Mr. Beginner, 
let him remember: 
“It’s easy enough to be pleasant, 
When they’re striking so fast, and so thick, 
But the man is worth while 
Who wears a broad smile 
When he lands nothing more than a stick.” 
