IN TROD UCTOR Y 27 



assuming there is enough of it, the largest cod that is to be 

 found round our coasts could be killed on it without great 

 difficulty. 



Secondly, the spring of the rod and yielding of the line 

 prevent many a fish from breaking the tackle at the first or sub- 

 sequent rushes. Imagine a large, vigorous, fresh-run salmon on 

 a hand line ! Snap would go the stoutest gut in an instant. 

 Even if the line was not broken, the hook would be torn 

 from the jaws of the fish. What prevents a disaster is the 

 spring of the rod and the free yielding of the line which 

 rolls off the screeching reel. In the sea are fish not a wit less 

 fierce in their first rush than salmon. A big bass will some- 

 times make a glorious run when first hooked, and so will a large 

 grey mullet ; while the downward bolt for its home among 

 the rocks and weeds of the pollack, is a thing which would 

 startle even a salmon fisherman. If we are using a hand line we 

 have to pay it out in clumsy fashion between thumb and first 

 finger. We get our hands cut, and as likely as not the loose 

 coils of line catch in something and the fish breaks away. If 

 the tackle is so very stout that it will hold the fish, then the 

 hook may tear out ; and if the water is at all clear and the day 

 not very rough, we catch very few fish because of that same 

 stoutness and visibility of line. 



Thirdly, on a rough day the hand-liner's lead responds to 

 every movement of the boat, and dances a wild jig just above 

 the bottom of the sea. With the rod, on the other hand, the 

 lead can, as a rule, be kept still on the bottom. Though the 

 butt end of the rod shifts with every movement of the boat and 

 the angler, the rod point can be maintained in one position 

 without much difficulty. When angling for some species of 

 fish the advantages of being able to keep lead and bait steady 

 are great. 



The drawback to the method I am advocating for certain 



