.127 



H fish. Circumstances of locality must, however, govern 

 m respect to the practice; but, .under the supposition 

 that, there be no impediment in the way of the rod's ac- 

 tion ; that the line can be drawn and kept nearly straight 

 from the tip to the float,, without causing the latter to 

 vibrate or be displaced j then, a very slight turn of the 

 wrist will cause sufficient removal of the. tip, and conse- 

 quently, of the whole line, to make the hook take 



The, elasticity of the line will cause a kind of secondary 

 motion, such as tends to fix the hook, and to make the 

 fish instantly attempt an escape. 



In the foregoing instance I have supposed every matter 

 to be favourable ; that the bite is obvious; and that there 

 can be no hesitation as to the moment when to strike. 

 But we very often see the float suddenly change from an 

 erect to an horizontal position. 



This is caused by the fish having not only taken the 

 bait into his mouth, but having ascended with it so high 

 above the level at which it stood in the water, as abso- 

 lutely to bear up the shots, and to liberate the float from 

 their weight. 



From this we see the necessity of a previous operation 

 ere we strike; for it becomes expedient, by an in- 

 stantaneous motion, to draw the line tight, and then to 

 strike^ sufficiently strong to cause the hook to bury its 

 barb. 



The bad effect of striking with a part of the line slack, 

 is so obvious, as to preclude the want of further instruc- 

 tion on that head. I shall therefore piesent a case pre- 

 cisely the reverse. 



G4 Let 



