THE CAPTURE 69 



or the net used. Even when I carry a net, 

 I prefer my method for all trout under 

 or up to the half-pound. And now, having 

 advocated my method, I will endeavour to 

 describe it. 



This method is almost what Stewart utterly 

 condemns (v. p. 111). But I hold there is a 

 correct and very safe way of landing trout 

 besides that of taking them in the water by 

 the hand or hands. There is a fairly safe 

 way of doing it, and an absolutely dangerous 

 way of doing it. I will first describe my plan, 

 and then give instances of its success. I 

 may add that a fishing companion unwilling 

 to be convinced has often watched me do 

 it and confessed it was 'good/ I will try 

 and describe what I almost invariably do 

 when wading out from shore with a twelve- 

 foot split-cane rod by Hardy, with a half- 

 pound or often a three-quarter-pound trout 

 on": Play out the fish until you can keep his 

 head and mouth out of water, keeping steady 

 strain as you would do if bringing him to 

 net. Preserving the same strain, no more 

 and no less, and having wound up line till 

 you can raise the top back over your shoulder, 



