This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1918 edition. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER VII ARTIFICIAL AND NATURAL BAITS BAIT casting received its first great impetus toward popularity with the advent of the short rod, and the artificial bait, by which we mean the wooden or metal casting plug. Without attempting to draw any odious comparisons, artificial baits possess certain advantages over live or natural bait that bulk large in the eyes of the average angler. In the first place, live bait is not always obtainable, you must know where to find it, then you must catch or dig it, and, finally, you must give it more or less care to keep it in usable condition. All this is troublesome and fishermen who count each moment golden are not likely to grow enthusiastic over anything that takes unnecessary time and labor. Aside from its great convenience, however, your true and confirmed plug caster believes (and in a great many instances is ready to fight for his beliefs) that taking all conditions of water and weather into consideration, the artificial will catch more fish and bigger fish than will live bait. Also, the impaling of a live minnow, worm, or struggling frog on a hook is decidedly distasteful to some people. On the other hand, some fishermen object to the artificial, claiming that it is unsportsmanlike, that owing to its weight it does not give the fish a fair fighting chance, and that one might as well use a net as the gangs of treble hooks that grace (or disgrace, depending on your viewpoint), the average casting plug. Also they say that the treble hooks frequently snag fish and that this fact makes the plug inhumane. The fact that some of pur most expert casters take this stand on casting plugs gives weight to these contentions. Whatever the facts may be, it is interesting to note that both sides of the...