Advances in Tournament Casting 
The Surf Stick Is Rapidly Gaining Devotees 
DMITTING that 
surf casting tour- 
naments have not 
risen in popularity 
as rapidly as the 
great American 
game of golf or as 
fast as the indoor 
sport of Mah Jong, 
still the art of cast- 
ing has made ad- 
vancing strides 
until at the present time it is a national 
sport which is ever enrolling more and 
more enthusiasts. It is generally 
known as a national sport, but how 
few people know that it also has an 
international aspect. Though the plans 
have not as yet matured, nevertheless 
it is not due to any lack of enthusiasm 
or effort on the part of the American 
casters. The committee which was ap- 
pointed to arrange for the international 
match was headed by R. H. Corson, who 
is an ardent follower of Izaak Walton 
and interested in everything connected 
with fishing. The only reason that the 
proposed match was not held is be- 
cause of the fact that the American 
casters have progressed more rapidly 
than their brother anglers from across 
the sea. A match at this time would 
not be much of a contest because of 
the great inequality of the casters of 
the two nations, but as soon as the 
English casters feel that they are able 
to compete with the Americans there is 
great likelihood that the dreamed-of 
international match will become a 
reality. 
The sport on this side of the ocean 
has been fostered by many of our lead- 
ing fishing clubs. 



ROBABLY a single act which has 
helped. the advance of casting 
tournaments more than anything else 
was the donation, by the Ocean City 
Fishing Club, of a handsome and valu- 
able loving cup to be contested for 
annually by teams representing vari- 
ous fishing clubs. The club whose team 
wins the annual contest has possession 
of the cup until won by some other 
club at a subsequent tournament. The 
members of the winning team are pre- 
sented with medals which remain their 
personal property. Since the donation 
of the cup in 1916 it has changed 
hands many times which shows how 
strong has been the competition. The 
results of the Ocean City Cup Tourna- 
By F. S. ASTARITA 
ments from 1916 through 1924 are as 
follow. 
1916—Won by the Asbury Park Fish- 
ing Club. 
1917—Won by The Asbury Park Fish- 
ing Club. 
1918—Won by The Ocean City Fish- 
ing Club. 
1919—Won by The Ocean City Fish- 
ing Club. ; 
1920—Won by The Anglers Club of 
Ocean City. 
1921—Won by The Ocean City Fish- 
ing Club. 
1922—Won by The Anglers Club of 
Ocean City. 
1923—Won by The Anglers Club of 
Ocean City. 
1924—Won by The Asbury Park Fish- 
ing Club. 
Along in 1915 when the casting game 
had first begun to be noticed by the 
sporting world in general, there was 
formed an Association of Surf Angling 
Clubs whose purpose it was to have all 
the tournaments, which were run under 
its sanction, governed by the rules and 
laws of the Association. 
T the present time there are four- 
teen fishing clubs which belong to 
this association, two of which were 
added only last season. Practically 
every one of these clubs holds an annual 
tournament which is becoming more 
popular each year. This great popu- 
larity is caused in no small way by the 
fact that all contestants have an oppor- 
tunity to share in the fine and useful 
prizes that are awarded. This oppor- 
tunity to all the contestants was the 
result of the adoption of a system 
whereby percentage classes were 
formed and the exceptionally long 
casters were prevented from winning 
all the prizes. The system is worked 
_out on a percentage basis which rep- 
presents certain classes. In general 
these percentages have been 100%, 75% 
and 50%. Just for an example to show 
how the system is carried we will say 
that in the event of the longest cast 
the distance made was 450 feet. Since 
this is the longest cast it is called 100% 
and is first place in class A. First 
place in class B would be 75% of the 
longest cast in class A, namely 75% of 
450 feet or 337.5 feet. This figure rep- 
resents first place in class B. First 
place in Class C. would be 50% of 450 
feet or 225 feet. Second and third 
places in each class are determined by 
the casts which are the two casts near- 
est to the percentage casts, in this case 
450, 337.5 and 225, being the per- 
centage casts. 
N the events which call for an ever-~ 
age of several casts the percentages 
are figured out the same way with the 
exception that the 100% represents an 
average instead of an individual cast. 
By the adoption of this system a num- 
ber of contestants have been en- 
couraged to come out to the tourna- 
ments that would not have come had 
there been prizes for only the very 
best of casters. This method of scor- 
ing has been very successful at all the 
tournaments which have used it, in 
every case the number of entries has 
been increased and the matches made 
more interesting and enjoyable. This 
scoring system is only one of the many 
attractive parts to a casting tourna- 
ment. 
The Association of Surf Angling 
Clubs has endeavored to keep the cast- 
ing game at its highest standard by 
adopting various rules which tend to 
keep the sport under control so that 
there are no irregularities or misun- 
derstandings at the tournaments. The 
Association has defined all the terms 
so that there can be no misinterpre- 
tation of the meaning. It has put cer- 
tain limitations as to the line, the 
weight of sinker, and the type of reel. 
The rod has been unrestricted so there 
is ample room for experiment in the 
length and the weight of the rod. At 
every tournament there is always some 
rod that is just a little freakish which 
commands attention and comment. It 
shows that the people are interested in 
making advances and in developing the 
art of casting. It shows that casting 
is an art just as much as the writing 
of music or the painting of a picture 
is classified as such. A more perfect 
coordination of movement cannot be 
found than that used in making a cast. 
HERE is a combination of physical 
power with deftness and perfect- 
ness of execution. By this statement I 
do not mean that a slight man cannot 
be a record caster, but I do mean that 
there is required that amount of physi- 
cal power necessary to put the final 
“wallop” into the cast. A perfect cast 
(Continued on page 64) 
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