46 O F FISHING FOR 



the left hand, this may prevent the fish from 

 reaching his harbour : if it should not, he will 

 most likely twist the gut round roots, &c. and 

 break away. 



To kill him, the nose must be kept up as much 

 as possible ; should he be very importunate and 

 resolute, he may be lent a little more line now and 

 then, but it must be promptly retaken with tre- 

 mendous interest, and got up as short as possible. 

 After various fruitless efforts to escape, which ex- 

 hausts his strength, the nose may be got fairly out 

 of the water, he may be towed gently to the side, 

 and the landing net passed under him. 



From the time of hooking the fish, if a large 

 one. to the time of landing, care must be had that 

 the line shall not be touched by the hand, excepting 

 under the just mentioned circumstances; all should 

 depend upon the pliability of the rod. In case a 

 landing net should not be at hand, the reel may be 

 stopped from running back, the rod stuck up in 

 the ground by the spike, and both hands being 

 disengaged, the fisherman may stoop down and 

 grasp him firmly behind the gills. 



If a fish of less than half a pound is hooked 

 fairly, he may be cautiously lifted out by the line, 

 but should he begin to struggle in the least degree, 

 he must be allowed to drop into the water, where 

 he will be again under the influence of the pliable 



