70 THE WONDERFUL TROUT 



gently lift by the last gut strand as near to 

 the fish's head as you can with the right 

 hand, dropping at the same time the point of 

 the rod, and a second after drop the rod itself 

 into the hollow of the right arm. Lift the 

 fish by the same steady, never increasing 

 nor diminishing strain, and carefully avoid- 

 ing any jerking, until it hangs limp and 

 played out, opposite say the third or fourth 

 button of your coat or waistcoat. Seize the 

 fish with the left hand simultaneously with 

 its touching your breast. Thus you have 

 both hands free to disengage the hook. 

 But, before doing that, break his neck against 

 the under side of your right-hand wrist. 

 ('Blood!' says some one, but that is easily 

 guarded against by a protecting cuff and a 

 pad, or if you are fishing in a waterproof it 

 will wash !) Then, retaining the same hold 

 of the fish, release the hook, and basket your 

 fish in your pannier, which, I presume, you 

 carry on the left side, or under the left arm, 

 with a Foster-strap. Voila! 



Now, we have often in a day's fishing 

 quietly lifted every fish under and up to the 

 half-pound when wading ; and out of a basket 



