@Clive
Well-known member
Many of us give little or no thought to how we cast. Sometimes it is the purchase of a centrepin or baitcaster that reveals how dependent we have become to the fixed spool reels.
In the very earliest days casting was limited to the length of line that dangled from the end of the stick or rod. Typically rods of the Waltonian vintage had not changed from the earliest times. The rod was around 6 foot to 9 foot and the line was tied to the tip of the rod so could not be much longer than the rod itself. An associate of Walton, Thomas Barker described a 12 foot rod with a winch, the earliest mention of the reel, but was only used for trolling. The line was paid out behind the boat, not cast out.
The Revered Robert Nobbs employed a different method of trolling. He basically threw his mounted dead baits out by hand and retrieved them also by hand. If any pike was hooked that too was played by hand. If he did reluctantly use a rod, the bait was still thrown out, not cast. It took a long time for the reel as we know it to be brought into common use. The earliest reels were little more than a cotton bobbin mounted on an iron ring that the angler wore on his finger. The bait could be cast out with the line passing from bobbin to hook through a ring at the top of the rod.
Gradually as tackle developed several types of casting were known to be used from the end of the 19th century.
There is what was known as the Thames style and favoured by the likes of Cholmodeley-Pennell. The Thames style involved the angler coiling the line on the ground sometimes on a coat, piece of brown paper or in a large basket. The bait or spinner would be thrown out and the line recovered into coils by hand. As with Nobbs fish were also played by hand. Many Thames area coarse anglers used long poles where no casting was necessary, but those fishing for larger fish stuck with their coiled line technique until after the 20th century had arrived.
There are two casts that were known as the 'Nottingham Cast'. One involves the pulling of one or more loops from between the rod guides and releasing them as the rod is brought forward in the casting motion. Those who have used this cast on windy days or where vegetation was close will have experienced the frustration of tangles using this method. The trick is to release the upper loop first, then the second and so on to avoid tangles.
The second 'Nottingham Cast' was directly from the reel. This cast was used by the great 19th century Nottingham anglers William Bailey and J. W. Martin aka The Trent Otter. It developed as Nottingham reels became more efficient. The early walnut or mahogany reels had a spindle that was bolted through the wooden back. Because of the strain put upon the spindle and the wood being prone to warping the spools of the reels often began to wobble, or 'Chatter' as they decribed it. Later reels had cross or star backs made from brass that was screwed into the back of the reel to brace the spindle. The spools were often secured to the spindle by a nut. This was superceded by Centrepin reels with a spring latch that we still see on today's reels. The sprung latch Centrepins could cost four times that of the screw & nut retained reels. Those improvements resulted in Nottingham anglers being able to cast lighter rigs than before straight from the reel. Henry Coxon introduced the spoked Aerial reel that by 1905 was made from ebonite and had friction drag. The second Nottingham Cast did not involve loops, but a direct cast from the reel, latterly utilising a little pull of the line to start the reel turning. At the start of the cast the bait and weights were dangling from the end of the rod.
The Nottingham Cast was further refined by FWK Wallis who introduced the holding of the weight above the bait in the non-rod hand along with a loop of line from the reel to the first guide. As the rod was brought forward the weight was released and the reel started using a pull of the line. The Wallis Cast as it became later known meant that anglers could use rigs of 12 foot or so between float and hook without it tangling on the ground or nearby vegetation. The cast preferred by Wallis commenced with the rod almost horizontal and over the angler's shoulder. He devised an alternative cast that commenced with the rod pointing at the water directly in front of the angler. He called that 'The Underhand Cast'. This is the one most used today.
Reels were further refined as a result of the competition involved in the popular tournament casting events. Alloy allowed much better reels to be made and split-cane rods provided the power to propel baits further. Overhead casting was employed by the better casters. This is similar to how the shore fishermen and those fishing for pike or salmon used their newly developed direct-drive multiplier reels. The weight alone started the reels. No pull on the line was required.
As threadline or fixed spool reels came into use from the 1920's the overhead cast became popular for casting light rigs and spinners.
That just leaves the Sheffield Cast. This cast was utilised by anglers fishing the Lincolnshire drains and rivers. Sheffield had a lot of anglers, many of them members of clubs and associations. Each Saturday trains would leave Sheffield full of match anglers heading for the Witham, Forty Foot Drain or other destinations. Their rods were typically longer and finer than those of the Trent anglers. They employed light quill floats and fine line. The rig was cast in the manner of fly-fishing; back and forth with the whole tackle arialised and being let out yard by yard until the desired distance was reached.
In the very earliest days casting was limited to the length of line that dangled from the end of the stick or rod. Typically rods of the Waltonian vintage had not changed from the earliest times. The rod was around 6 foot to 9 foot and the line was tied to the tip of the rod so could not be much longer than the rod itself. An associate of Walton, Thomas Barker described a 12 foot rod with a winch, the earliest mention of the reel, but was only used for trolling. The line was paid out behind the boat, not cast out.
The Revered Robert Nobbs employed a different method of trolling. He basically threw his mounted dead baits out by hand and retrieved them also by hand. If any pike was hooked that too was played by hand. If he did reluctantly use a rod, the bait was still thrown out, not cast. It took a long time for the reel as we know it to be brought into common use. The earliest reels were little more than a cotton bobbin mounted on an iron ring that the angler wore on his finger. The bait could be cast out with the line passing from bobbin to hook through a ring at the top of the rod.
Gradually as tackle developed several types of casting were known to be used from the end of the 19th century.
There is what was known as the Thames style and favoured by the likes of Cholmodeley-Pennell. The Thames style involved the angler coiling the line on the ground sometimes on a coat, piece of brown paper or in a large basket. The bait or spinner would be thrown out and the line recovered into coils by hand. As with Nobbs fish were also played by hand. Many Thames area coarse anglers used long poles where no casting was necessary, but those fishing for larger fish stuck with their coiled line technique until after the 20th century had arrived.
There are two casts that were known as the 'Nottingham Cast'. One involves the pulling of one or more loops from between the rod guides and releasing them as the rod is brought forward in the casting motion. Those who have used this cast on windy days or where vegetation was close will have experienced the frustration of tangles using this method. The trick is to release the upper loop first, then the second and so on to avoid tangles.
The second 'Nottingham Cast' was directly from the reel. This cast was used by the great 19th century Nottingham anglers William Bailey and J. W. Martin aka The Trent Otter. It developed as Nottingham reels became more efficient. The early walnut or mahogany reels had a spindle that was bolted through the wooden back. Because of the strain put upon the spindle and the wood being prone to warping the spools of the reels often began to wobble, or 'Chatter' as they decribed it. Later reels had cross or star backs made from brass that was screwed into the back of the reel to brace the spindle. The spools were often secured to the spindle by a nut. This was superceded by Centrepin reels with a spring latch that we still see on today's reels. The sprung latch Centrepins could cost four times that of the screw & nut retained reels. Those improvements resulted in Nottingham anglers being able to cast lighter rigs than before straight from the reel. Henry Coxon introduced the spoked Aerial reel that by 1905 was made from ebonite and had friction drag. The second Nottingham Cast did not involve loops, but a direct cast from the reel, latterly utilising a little pull of the line to start the reel turning. At the start of the cast the bait and weights were dangling from the end of the rod.
The Nottingham Cast was further refined by FWK Wallis who introduced the holding of the weight above the bait in the non-rod hand along with a loop of line from the reel to the first guide. As the rod was brought forward the weight was released and the reel started using a pull of the line. The Wallis Cast as it became later known meant that anglers could use rigs of 12 foot or so between float and hook without it tangling on the ground or nearby vegetation. The cast preferred by Wallis commenced with the rod almost horizontal and over the angler's shoulder. He devised an alternative cast that commenced with the rod pointing at the water directly in front of the angler. He called that 'The Underhand Cast'. This is the one most used today.
Reels were further refined as a result of the competition involved in the popular tournament casting events. Alloy allowed much better reels to be made and split-cane rods provided the power to propel baits further. Overhead casting was employed by the better casters. This is similar to how the shore fishermen and those fishing for pike or salmon used their newly developed direct-drive multiplier reels. The weight alone started the reels. No pull on the line was required.
As threadline or fixed spool reels came into use from the 1920's the overhead cast became popular for casting light rigs and spinners.
That just leaves the Sheffield Cast. This cast was utilised by anglers fishing the Lincolnshire drains and rivers. Sheffield had a lot of anglers, many of them members of clubs and associations. Each Saturday trains would leave Sheffield full of match anglers heading for the Witham, Forty Foot Drain or other destinations. Their rods were typically longer and finer than those of the Trent anglers. They employed light quill floats and fine line. The rig was cast in the manner of fly-fishing; back and forth with the whole tackle arialised and being let out yard by yard until the desired distance was reached.
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