HOW TO STRIKE A FISH. 183 



up from it to the point of the rod, which should 

 hang, whenever it is possible^ right over it. The 

 advice in the last sentence is important. Neglect 

 it, and you will seldom strike successfully. I 

 contimially see persons angling with their floats 

 slanting in the water, or lying loosely upon it, 

 with the line slack or coiled, and of course I see 

 them miss seven out of every ten fish they strike 

 at. Their baits are frequently nibbled off with- 

 out their being conscious of it at the time. 



In bottom-fishing you must strike promptly 

 with a slight, sharp, wrist-jerk towards you, in- 

 clining your hand generally a little to the right. 

 If you miss your fish, and find that in striking 

 you have jerked your bait out of the water, con- 

 clude that you have struck with unnecessary force, 

 injuring and loosening thereby the bait on your 

 hook, and causing more pother in the water than 

 fish are used to. Moderate your dangerous 

 strength, and strike so as to lift the bait upwards 

 only a few inches. You need not be a bit afraid, 

 if your stroke is quick enough, that it is too 

 weak to hook your fish firmly. Striking strongly 

 is a great defect, a displeasing one, except to 

 fishing-tackle makers, who thereby get an in- 

 crease of business in making and repairing. 

 Kods are broken through it, lines and hooks 

 carried away, and fish lost and uselessly tormented 

 and rendered shy. 



