FISHING WITHOUT FISH

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 51, 28 August 1926, Page 20

FISHING WITHOUT FISH

THE LATEST'COMPETITIVE

SPOBT.

Casting is the act of throwing a fly or a bait with fishing tackle, but independently of fishing. As clay pigeonshooting is to shooting, so is casting to fishing. Several casting'tournaments have been held in Britain (writes H. J. Hardy, amateur champion fly-caster of Europe; in the "Daily Mail"), and have beon woll supported by anglers. These competitions serve a good objact in bringing together all classes of expert and other anglers; and they help in exchanging ideas and methods. But •what'is required is the formation, .of clubs as in lawn tonnis, with a social side to draw people together. At flycasting tournaments prizes nre usually offered for the longth o£ a cast, embidexterity, stylo, and accuracy. In. some cases floating oblongs or targets are fixed at different distances, and the competitor-jiiaa. to cast; into each in turn. In addition there is great fun in practising casting to circumvent bushos and trees, or artificial obstacles placed as naturally as'possible to represent thena Xhegroatest distances cast in European tournaments by salmon rods, heavy single-handed trout rods, and light trout rods, are 154 ft 2in, 108 ft, and 105 ft respectively. A 2Joz bait has been cast as far as 138 yds 2Jin.: In Australia and America, under _ different rules and climatic conditions, greater distances have been recorded. All that ii needed for fly-casting is a sheet of water, such as a pond or reservoir. For bait-casting (in which a metal woight-is used to represent tho bait) all you want is water, a grass field," or a lawn. These are to be found anywhere. A considerable degree of accuracy can be attained, and an expert can drop a fly or a bait fairly consistently on to a small disc, placed at any reasonable fishing distance. Great distance is seldom needed when fishing. It is possible to become proficient at the game in a few months; and after one or two lessons the novice should havo mastered its rudiments. Women, with the lighter kinds of tackle, can be as expert as men, and,,with their graceful movements, it is a delight to see them at work.