PLAYING A FISH, 163 



the line again, and with interest. When the fish 

 " runs/' you should walk, if possible, opposite to 

 him, giving him the spring of the rod, and you 

 should neither attempt to stop him by anything 

 like a sudden check, nor, of course, permit the 

 line to slacken. Should he halt, and endeavour 

 at the bottom to disengage himself from the hook, 

 or should he slip under a weed which, be 

 assured, he will do if possible run instantly 

 below him, and, lowering the rod to a level with 

 the surface of the water, pull moderately and 

 uniformly, not, of course, so hard as to endanger 

 the rod or line, and you will probably divert him 

 from his object. If not, you may venture on the 

 experiment of a few stones, pitched, judiciously, 

 just above him. He will start off again in gallant 

 style be cool and collected or all will be marred, 

 and forget not for an instant that playing him 

 down stream is the only effectual way of tiring 

 him. Keep him in " brisk exercise," giving line 

 when necessary and drawing it in again as he 

 tires. Eelaxed will soon become his efforts, and 

 fainter his struggles ; but take the thing leisurely. 

 Look out for a good landing-place a shelving 

 bank or a pebbly beach and cautiously and 

 coaxingly lead him towards it. Now comes the 

 moment of danger. If you have a landing net, 

 M 2 



