EVILS OF VIOLENT STRIKING. 33 



fish by any unnecessary violence ; for it cannot 

 have escaped the observant angler, that, when a 

 trout has been harshly tugged in striking, he 

 commences at once a more determined resistance 

 than when the stroke has been less violent, and 

 his alarm less sudden. Neither can we wonder 

 that his efforts should be extreme, when he is 

 made sensible of his situation by a stab and a 

 drag which have half pulled him out of the water.* 

 If such critical nicety be required in striking, it 

 may be here asked, how is it that fish are ever 

 taken by novices ? Such a question is reasonable, 

 but may be easily explained. Many eager and 

 hungry fish hook themselves in* taking any bait 

 without hesitation. Their seizure of the fly, their 

 closing their mouth on it, and the passing it 

 backwards, are all one instantaneous effort; and, 

 on examination, such fish will be found to have 

 partially gorged the bait. But if the number of 

 fish so taken were arrayed against the number 

 of those lost by a defect in striking, the difference 

 would be as five to one of small fish, and as ten 

 to one of those of mature growth.' This extract 

 contains much of the sound rationale of striking 

 a fish, and should be read and digested carefully. 



* The practical philosophy of this sentence, and of the latter 



part of the previous one, is correct and valuable, and refers also 



to the danger, whilst playing a fish, of suddenly and violently 



checking him the instant he is hooked. But of this more anon. 



D 



