ANGLING.

North Otago Times, Volume CVII, Issue 17748, 16 March 1927, Page 3

ANGLING.

THE LATEST COMPETIT1VE SPORT Casting is the art of throwmg a fly 01* a bait with fishing tackle, but independently of fishing. As cJay pigeonshooting is to shooting so is casting to fishing. Several , casting toUrnaments 1 have been held in Britain (Writes H. J. Hardy, amateur champion fly-caster of Europe, in the "Daily Mail"), and have been well supported by anglers. These competitions serv© a good object in bringing together all claseo of expert and other anglers ; and they help - in exchanging ideas and methods. But what is required ia the formation ot d'uhs as dn lawn tennis, wit'h a social side to draw people together. At fly--casting tournaments prizes are usuxilly offered for the length of east, embidextity, style, and accuracy. I11 some cases floating .' oblongs or. targets are" fixed at different distances, and the competitor has to cast into eacli in turn." In addition there is great fun in practising casting to circumveiu bushes and trees, or artificial obstacles placed as natuarally as possible to re'-i present them. The greatest distances cast , in European tournaments by sal>1011 rods, heavy single-handed trov rods, and light trout rods, are. 154C> 2ins, 108 ft, and I05ft respectively A % oz bait has been cast as far-as 138yds 2£ ins. In . Australia and America, nnder different conditions, greater distances have been recorded. All that is needed for fly cg.sting is a shee-t of water, such as a pond or reservoir. For bait-casting (in which a metal weight is used to represent the bait, all you want is water, a graSs field, or a lawii. These are to he found anywhere. A considerabl© degree of accuracy can he attained, and an expert can drop ' a fly or a bait fairly consistently on to a small disc, placed at any re'asonable fishing dis- , tance. Great distance is seldohi needed when fishing. It is possible to become proficient at the game in a few montbs ; 0116 or two lessons the novico should have mastered the rudiments. Women with a- lighter kind of tackle". can be as expert ns mem and with their graceful movements- it ' is a dehght to see tliem at work