LANDING JACK OR PIKE. 226 



good Fish being lost by this method ; for, if they 

 struggle much, very few can hold them by a thumb 

 and finger, which is placed in the socket of the Pike's 

 eye. This method does very well with small Jack ; 

 but even those I have seen dropped and lost by the 

 momentary alarm caused by the Jack (which seemed 

 quite exhausted) suddenly gasping, twisting, an ' 

 struggling. — Note. When Jack-fishing with a winch 

 attached to a Rod, cast out your bait with the wincu 

 hanging under your hand, as represented in the plate 

 of Trolling ; because, when the rod is so held, the line 

 rests wholly upon the rings, and runs free, which it 

 will not always do if held the reverse way, especially 

 when the line becomes wet, as it is then apt to stick 

 to the rod, &c. j but when you have a run, and are 

 about to strike, turn the rod, that the winch may be 

 uppermost, because the weight, &c. of the Fish, v<^ ' 

 you are playing him, will be then on the rod ; but ii 

 the winch is underneath, the whole rests on the rings, 

 some of which may probably break away from the 

 whipping and entangle the line, or chafe it, so as 

 to endanger the loss of the Jack or Pike you have 

 hooked. 



