FROM STRIKE TO GAFF 201 



twelve to fourteen inches long flopping in a death 

 struggle, for he had been struck by a big fish. I 

 immediately unlimbered my rod, selecting as bait a 

 Hildebrandt Double Spinner and a large minnow. 

 Then I pushed back against the wind into the bay, 

 so as to float down the current, and started to cast 

 among the weeds along the shore. 



A HARD DEEP WATER FIGHT 



" Just as I got near the end of the bay and was 

 turning the boat, I got a heavy strike. I immedi- 

 ately set the hook and then the trouble commenced. 

 It was fully ten minutes before I was able to see what 

 I had on my hook. He fought hard, keeping deep 

 in the water all the time, and as the boat was drift- 

 ing out into deep water, and having no one to handle 

 the boat, I took my time about landing Mr. Wall- 

 Eye. 



" Finally, he began to tire. His plunges became 

 less and less vigorous, and I was able each time to 

 bring him closer to the boat. Without gaff or land- 

 ing net, I was compelled to prolong the fight until 

 my opponent was completely exhausted. When at 

 last he was ' all in/ I brought him alongside the 

 boat, slipped my right hand under the center of his 

 body, and, with the leader and line loose in my left 

 hand, gently lifted the big beauty into the boat. 

 Then I sat and gazed in amazement, entirely for- 

 getting my hunger and wet feet in contemplation of 

 my eleven and one-quarter pound pike." 



