Notes on casting

[Old Man River]

And here is an example of how saltwater anglers used to cast a Scarborough centrepin reel .In the below clip, the reels are what is called a Scarborough Oil Bath reel, quite an rarity these days. The drum ran on a spindle and bush that was encased in an oil bath .



Not for the fainthearted, I can imagine the queue at A&E of men with fractured knuckles.

As a matter of interest, I do a lot of saltwater angling, both boat and shore, and there is still a chap uses similar tackle fishing Filey Brigg, now he can swing a lead,and catch fish despite his age.


I will stick with my fixed spools and multipliers where salt water is concerned I think.


David.

Really enjoyed that!!!
I would love to give it a go...
I have a couple of low mounted reel seats that I use with my side cast Alveys... this though is a different ball game.
I would love to get my hands on one if them old oil bath reels.
Thanks for posting that... so interesting so many different casting techniques nation wide.
Ps.... and they looked in pretty good shape for a bunch of pipe smoking boozers!
Good times.

I have a big Alvey with a stainless backplate similar or maybe even identical to yours Mr B, although your rod looks more suited to it than mine. When I was last in Australia I watched a big rather muscular looking chap using a big sidecast Alvey, he made it look like he was waving a wand around. .
I used my Albbey with a veteran Conoflex DC5 semi carbon with an alloy Butt. The Alvey has been retired as it is such a big heavy unwieldy thing, even used Reel down as they were designed for.
The Alvey is now in the cabinet alongside several other large vintage stainless / alloy / Tufnol saltwater centrepins .
I must admit I never even considered casting a Scarborough reel .

David

[Liphook]

Interesting viewing David, thank you for posting that video Does anyone know what distances were achieved by these big 'pin casting setups?

[Old Man River]

No idea Alastair, but I can say that watchng the chap on Filey Brigg who still uses the above techniques , he gets somewhere around 30-50 yards without really trying , which is all you need there ,no idea what somebody with more muscle and technique could do.

David

[Rod Fisher]

Interesting viewing David, thank you for posting that video Does anyone know what distances were achieved by these big 'pin casting setups?

I don't know about big pins, in casting tournaments the reels used weren't usually larger than 3¾".

[Rod Fisher]

Light Bait-Casting from the Reel by Alfred Holden Illingworth
March 30th 1907.

Illingworth explains the invention and utility of the reel that bears his name.


Fishing at home & abroad by Sir Herbert Maxwell, 1913

Maxwell discusses the American single-handed cast, the Schooling double-handed overhead cast, and the Nottingham side-swing. Also casting from a tray, a Malloch (side-caster), and the Illingworth.

[Rod Fisher]

The American style of bait-casting
Fishing gazette, February 29th 1908

The single-handed overhead cast.

[Duckett]

And here is an example of how saltwater anglers used to cast a Scarborough centrepin reel .In the below clip, the reels are what is called a Scarborough Oil Bath reel, quite an rarity these days. The drum ran on a spindle and bush that was encased in an oil bath .



Not for the fainthearted, I can imagine the queue at A&E of men with fractured knuckles.

As a matter of interest, I do a lot of saltwater angling, both boat and shore, and there is still a chap uses similar tackle fishing Filey Brigg, now he can swing a lead,and catch fish despite his age.


I will stick with my fixed spools and multipliers where salt water is concerned I think.


David.

Is it my imagination, or is that the ancestor of the modern pendulum cast for multipliers David? I recall that a few younger and more talented members of New Brighton Sea Angling Club were taking that up in the 1970s when I first went beach casting. I never did master it and stuck with fettling and tuning my ABU7000 or boat fishing, which I preferred and was better at.

The only sea angling I’ve done in the past 25 years is lure angling, so I’m a bit out of touch with the dirty finger brigade at sea

Phil

[Wanderer]

Interesting stuff, David.
If you don't mind me asking, what tackle and baits would you recommend for success at Filey Brigg ?

[Old Man River]

Hi Phil and Neil,
Firstly, The cast does look something like a half pendulum, but I dont know when “ swingin the lead “ became a full blown cast in its own right or who first thought of it . I think in the USA they were using a Hatterras cast which is similar back in the 50’s using multipliers .

So far as tackle for Filey Brigg, it depends upon what species you are targetting.
Lure anglers use standard spinning gear. Bait anglers use rotten bottom rigs with the lead on a lighter bs line than the main laine so it can break away if it gets snagged in the rocks . I can pm you some more exact info if you are interested .

David

[Olly]

Very interesting that video - like a backward cast over the shoulder!

I remember reading about it in the '60s - and noted it uses a big lump of lead!!