THE BREAM. 193 



little time the float continues in the same position, raise the point 

 of the rod gently so as to lift the line and float just clear of the 

 water till the former begins to tighten with the fish before you 

 venture to strike, otherwise you will strike with a slack line, the 

 disadvantages of which have been already pointed out.* If the fish 

 goes quite off with the float and draws it under water, you must 

 not be too hasty to strike, but allow him line lifting it gently out 

 of the water, and advancing the point of the rod in the direction 

 he is taking in order that the fish may not be checked, taking es- 

 pecial care however at the same time not to let the rod drop so low, 

 but that you may have the fish fairly within the bent when you 

 strike ; then, having your reel all clear to run off, get your line 

 nearly tight with the fish strike gently, and don't pull away too 

 violently in order that you may the more quickly land your fish ; 

 for though a bream does not struggle so hard as a carp, or in fact 

 offer very great resistance, he has yet from his very peculiar for- 

 mation a firm hold in the water, and cannot readily be drawn 

 through it ; consequently, if both yourself and the fish exert your 

 full strength, something or other between you, must inevitably 

 give way. This is a consequence that should be particularly guar- 

 ded against in bream angling, as this fish, like the perch and 

 other gregarious fishes, if he escapes after being once hooked, will 

 so alarm his brethren, that not one of them will bite afterwards. 

 The proper way when you have hooked a lusty bream is to keep 

 him firmly within the bent of your rod, when he will soon give 

 up the contest, and turning on his flat side you may drag him 

 easily along on the surface to the hnd. In so doing you should 

 however keep his head above water, as he will not then be able so 

 distinctly to discern surrounding objects, for he is apt to be alarm- 

 ed if he catches a full view of your person, and will often make 

 a fresh struggle just as he reaches the pond side. 



Daniel in his Rural Sports refers to a very pleasant day he once 

 enjoyed at New Hull pond, in Essex. The weather:he informs us 

 was cloudy, and the wind brisk ; there were seven rods used by the 

 party, and there were frequently bites at all of them at the same 

 time. When a fish was taken and played on the top or near the sur- 

 face of the water great numbers were seen to follow him, and as 



* See sup. p. 128. 



B B 



