188 MODERN PRACTICAL ANGLER. 
PLAYING. 
The golden rule in playing all fish is to keep a strong 
and even strain upon them from the first to last, and get 
them into basket with as little delay as possible. The 
maintaining of a sufficiently heavy strain is particularly 
necessary in Pike-fishing where stiff rods are used, and 
flights containing several hooks, as the sudden slacken- 
ing of a foot or two of line is sufficient to restore such a 
rod to the straight position from which it has been 
comparatively little bent, thus removing the strain 
altogether. 
Should a fish run under or into weeds, there is but one 
plan to be pursued ;—instantly tighten the strain upon 
him to the very utmost that rod and line will bear : by this 
means the line will frequently act as a knife and cut its 
way with the fish, through all obstacles. But whether the 
expedient fails or succeeds it is the only one that can 
be adopted: if once the fish passes under the weeds 
without carrying the line straight over him, the latter 
forms an angle at the point where it strikes the obstacle, 
and all power over the fish is instantly lost. 
LANDING, 
There are many conflicting opinions in regard to the 
landing of the Pike, as on all other angling matters. 
Nobbes suggests that you “ put your fingers in his eyes.” 
—adding “some will adventure to take him by the gills, 
