36 TROUT-FISHING IN BROOKS 



contingency, only lift the fish very gingerly when 

 quite exhausted, and, if too large to attempt this 

 safely, lay down the rod and get into the stream 

 somehow with the net. 



My friend Mr. E. Distin,* of Totnes, a most 

 expert angler, was worm-fishing a long deep pool 

 on the Harbourne brook at Harbertonford 

 (Devon) late one summer evening, and got hold of 

 a good brown trout. A low thorn hedge, over 

 which he was fishing, bounded this pool, and 

 forbade the use of the net. But the place was too 

 deep to get into. As the trout, played out, lay 

 on the surface, the fisherman realised that his 

 top-joint would certainly go if he tried to lift. 

 It was a problem. A happy thought struck him, 

 and, shortening his hand-grip, he took out the top 

 and let it hang, and, having sound gut, just 

 managed to raise his fish over the hedge with the 

 two lower joints. I saw the prize next morning, 

 which scaled 2 \ Ib. 



So much for resource. 



When one reads about netting fish, the first 

 usual injunction is to reel up line. This is all very 

 well, but it can be overdone. In the act of using 

 the landing-net the rod is held back over the 



* Mr. Distin has given me leave to use his name. 



