FISHING AS A SPORT 



care is to see that he is properly hooked, and then to 

 tire him out. The fisher gives him a minute in which to 

 swallow the fly comfortably; and then, with a subtle 

 twitch, he fixes the hook firmly. What will follow is 

 problematical. The fish, at the first touch of pain, may 

 double himself up and spring into the air, kicking and 

 plunging, to get rid of his tormentor ; he may rush about 

 backwards and forwards as if possessed, not knowing 

 which way to turn ; again he may, and probably will, 

 dash up or down the stream for all he is worth ; in any 

 case, "give him plenty of line, 1 " say the authoritative 

 anglers. Whatever course his unfortunate victim may 

 choose to follow, the sportsman has now a good hour's 

 hard work before him if the catch is of any size ; perhaps 

 three or four hours. 



His excitement must be tempered by watchfulness and 

 judgment and dogged perseverance. The fish is darting 

 up or down the river at lightning speed, and the sports- 

 man, utterly unable to control it, is meekly following. 

 Suddenly, perhaps, it turns and courses at a similar pace 

 in the opposite direction, thinking nothing about the 

 costly tackle which it is jeopardizing, except to rid itself 

 of it. At last it pulls up short; it has found a pro- 

 jecting bank on the other side of the stream. Here it 

 can " sulk " at its leisure ; and it does, perhaps for an 

 hour, till the exasperated fisher begins to long for a stout 

 hempen cord with which to haul it in, hand-over-hand 

 like a cod-fish. Tugs and jerks will not move it; the 

 only sign of life that it gives is an occasional start, and 

 an unqualified and persistent refusal to be " wound up." 



79 



