116 BAIT FISHING. 



times it should be constantly played and kept actively spinning and 

 turning at different depths, never being quite brought up to the 

 surface, and never permitted to rest at the bottom. As a general 

 rule the best place to make your cast is in the eddy, as near the 

 head of the pool as you can, or in the eddies near the bank. The 

 best places in fact are the stickles or rather the rapids at the 

 higher end of the pools, and the more quiet parts close by the banks 

 just clear of the rapid current ; or in narrow spaces between weeds, 

 or where the stream flowing over them causes a counter under cur- 

 rent ; to reach which the bait should be cast in the opposite 

 eddy, and allowing it to sink rather deeply, draw your line across, 

 when the bait being below the power of the stream will reach the 

 desired spot. When the force of the main current is considerable, 

 the eddies only should be fished. 



As soon as you feel a bite be careful not to check the fish, and 

 after waiting till such time as you think he will have gorged the 

 bait, get your line nearly tight with him, and strike upwards in 

 the contrary to which you find him moving. When you have 

 hooked him, if he is a little one, pull him slap out at once; if a 

 large one play him as carefully as you can, using every precaution 

 to keep him clear of the weeds, as also of the roots under the 

 banks, moats, or other strongholds he may strive for. 



Sometimes a trout carries your line under the banks amidst 

 roots and all sorts of incumbrances ; promising fairly to get you 

 as well as himself into difficulties, but if you are desirous of get- 

 ting easily out of them, as also of catching the fish, you must be 

 even content to take your chance, and not disturb him till you 

 think he has swallowed the bait, trusting to your good fortune to 

 get him out afterwards, which most probably if he's firmly hooked 

 you'll succeed in accomplishing ; but if you miss, the chances are 

 that the loss of the fish is not the only one you will incur, there 

 being a very long odds that the hook will lay hold of some root or 

 other which it will be pretty certain to stick fast in. Should the 

 latter at any time occur to you, don't stamp your foot on the ground 

 or swear after the manner of some who shall be nameless ; nor 

 drive the spike of your rod furiously into the earth as I have 

 known others do smashing their reels to pieces with the concussion ; 

 neither take off your hat and dash it forcibly to the ground for 

 none of these things can avail you anything; but, " if you feel 

 angry at the occurrence, count ten, if very angry twenty." Count 



