92 



invariable practice of our father, and we never 

 knew him to lose a fish by adopting it. We 

 have seen him kill very large fish in this way, 

 rejecting the advice of lookers-on, who urged 

 rapid winding-up, and bearing strongly on the 

 fish; and we have observed him, notwithstand- 

 ing the many advisers against him, give the 

 fish line with a confidence that would have been 

 jeered at as conceited and obstinate presump- 

 tion, had it not been justified by success. 



Playing a fish with fair length of line, takes 

 the stress off the weaker portions of your tac- 

 kle and rod, and distributes it in proportion 

 equal to the strength of the different parts of 

 them. Whilst in the act of playing a fish, 

 avoid sinking the upper part of your rod too 

 low, for if you do you will lose nearly all power 

 over him ; and he will dart towards the bottom, 

 giving you a world of anxiety and trouble to 

 raise him to the surface or to mid-water again. 

 Ever keep your fish " under buckle," which 

 means, never if you can lose your hold of him, 

 which is done, as we said before, by presenting 

 the but slightly towards the fish.* As soon as 



* " When a fish is hooked in the upper part of the mouth, 

 by the strength of the rod applied as a lever to the line, it 

 is scarcely possible for him to open the gills as long as this 

 force is exerted, particularly when he is moving in a rapid 

 stream ; and when he is hooked in the lower jaw, his 

 mouth is kept closed by the same application of the 



