The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-06-21

THE ART OF FLY CASTING.

Have you ever gone fishing with a
cheap hook and line, few extra hooks
and can of worms for bait? If>you
have you probably did not worry about
pole. You knew you would find one
that some one else had discarded, or,
il necessary, you could cut one near
the lake or stream.
Perhaps, while sitting on the bank,
you saw a man pass you, using his
pole and line in the same manner that
driver of a circus wagon uses his
long whip. Did you think he was crazy
and laugh at him, or did you envy him
and wish you possessed a casting roo?
An ordinary still fisherman believes
that the best fisherman is the one who
catches the greatest number of fish
without using frills."
Tell him that men exist who would
prefer to catch one fish by casting
than 100 by still fishing and he win
laugh at you. Give the same man a
regulation casting rod. a few lessons
In casting and see the result If he is
a true angler at heart he will have no
desire for still fishing after that.
There is a fascination about casting
that a true sportsman cannot shake
off. says the Kansas City Star. The
swish Of the line through the air and
the whirr of the reel as il unwinds are
music to the ears of a casting fisher
man.
Then there is the satisfaction OF
throwing your fly or bait from fifty to
ninety feet in front of you and making
il strike the water within a few inches
of where you attempted TO place it.
In using a fly the real artist makes his
bait strike the water in the same man
ner that a live insect would. When he
starts TO reel in his line he must make
the fly appear TO be attempting 10 get
out Of the water. II sounds difficult,
but IL is not.
Like any accomplishment where skill
is an essential. casting can only be mas
tered by practice. You do not neces-
sarily have to be near water. You can
take your outfit and get out in the
alley or in your back yard.
If you must have water. put a buck
etful where you are practicing and cast
into it, Wien you get so you can drop
your hook into the bucket from a dis
lance of fifty feet you will be doing
pretty we'll But do not get the idea
that you are a champion then. Plenty
of men can drop a fly in a water bucket
from twice that distance.
There is a club in Kansas City whose
object is TO develop the art of casting.
It is known as the Kansas City Bait
and Fly Casting club The members
have leased a lake, and new members
are instructed as TO the proper man
ner of casting. The club has several
casting contests every year.
Every convert to fly and halt casting
practically becomes a fish warden. He
begins 10 appreciate the finer points
of the game. He will not catch 200
trout or bass just because he can, and
then permit them to spoil or give them
away. He will catch enough for his
own use and stop. Should he desire TO
continue fishing he releases the fish
he mas already caught Net fishing and
SEEMING do not appeal 10 him.
One of the greatest advantages de-
rived from artificial bait fishing is the
protection Of the minnoWs. Almost ev-
cry person who used to 60 fishing had
a trap or small seine 10 catch minnoWs
for bait II made no difference wheth-
er he sought bass or trout, he used
minnows for bait. Artificial minnOws
are now produced in $50 different
styles.
In order to obtain the best results
from casting, your outfit should be
carefully selected. The proper fly cast
ing rod is from 9]z 10 10 feet long. II
can be either split bamboo or steel
The former is preferred by the major
ity of fishermen. Your line should be
a silk enameled waterproof one as it
is necessary 10 have a firm line to
make a good cast.
The reel used today is practically the
same as has been in use for years. It
is what is known as the single action
reel. The flies are merely artificial
representations of the live insects.
There are many varieties of flies As
the season changes the fish eat diff
ferent insects. The proper fly can be
selected very easily.
1t is necessary in fly casting TO use
what is commonly called a catgut lead
er. The leader varies from three to
nine feet in length. II is not really
catgut, but is made from the cocoon
of the silk worm. This leader is neces-
sary because of its transparency.
Attach three flies of different color
10 your leader about equal distances
from each other. The one on the end
of the line is known as the stretcher,
the second one as the middle dropper
and the one nearest your hand the hand
dropper You can soon tell which fly
the fish are biting. If desired you can
use three flies of that variety.
While fly casting has been practiced
for at least a century, bait casting is
an American idea. Ii has been in use
dBOuS Inn y years A I'VE ana one
half foot pole is used for bait casting
and the reel is a quadruple instead Of
4 single action one. The casting is
sthe same. The same whiplike motion
is used. A skillful caster can drop his
hook in any spot he desires and can get
i. out again without snagging his hook
on tree roots, weeds or rocks. After a
person becomes experienced in casting
sitting on a bank and throwing the
fish over his head will not appeal to
him. If you doubt this. try it,
pAT0tortn r,o,,