THE TIP-OFF

Pauline Cathcart, American Casting Assn. national champion in accuracy and distance casting for 1971, 1973-76 and instructor at Pasadena Casting Club, offers some tips for beginners in casting:

* Good posture is a must. Don’t stand in an awkward position. Feet should be slightly apart, but no wider than your shoulders.

* Get good equipment--start with an average-sized fly rod, 7 1/2 to 8 1/2 feet long, medium-weight line (perhaps 6 in heaviness) and a fly reel in the mid-price range.

* Get instruction from the start to learn proper form. Bad habits are hard to break.

* Fly casting is a gentle sport, so you don’t need a lot of strength. You pay a lot of money for the rod, so let it work for you. It should be an extension of your arm.