198 THE PRACTICAL FISHERMAN. 



else's, as he does in the earlier part of the passage of which the quotation 

 just given forms a part. Anyhow the reader may depend I am right in 

 advising the sink and draw movement, and if he does not catch his fish 

 with it he can play what antics he likes with his bait on the off chance. 

 In conclusion, do not ever draw in too much, so as to lose command over 

 the line. All fish seem to have an uncomfortable knack of taking 

 you at a disadvantage, and BO my advice is reduce your number of 

 disadvantageous moments to the minimum. 



Now, supposing you have risen and hooked your fish according to 

 directions given about striking, the next question is how to play it. 

 Of course, during the first rushes of a large, determined fish, it is absurd 

 to try to stop it by any means of a really drastic nature. If it is at all 

 advisable, for the sake of guiding the fish safely past a submerged rock 

 or stump, I would recommend the rodster to use the butt ; but ordinarily 

 it is quite impossible to check it in its headlong rush. Usually it takes 

 its way down stream, and this is always the best way for the angler, 

 who should endeavour to keep up with it, never conceding one yard of line 

 if his legs will obviate doing so. If he does so, and allows a long line to 

 follow his fish, should the salmon turn and bolt up stream, the line lies 

 looped in the water, and in all probability caught round all sorts of 

 roots and branches, stones and stumps, of whose existence he has hitherto 

 been in ignorance. Of course, the chances are, in such case, that the fish 

 will sever connection without more ado. The right thing to do is to 

 pursue the fleeing fish with all celerity, letting out just so much line as it 

 requires, and will have, and no more. When the preliminary rush is over 

 it will get more manageable, and now is the time to assert a little of your 

 authority. If the fish shows a disposition to go over a fall or into a 

 rapid or other place equally undesirable, where you cannot follow it, you 

 must "butt" it. Do not do so, however, unless under the severest 

 necessity. In this operation it is well not to present the butt too much in 

 the direction of the fish, lest your middle joint snaps, as I have had one do, 

 like a carrot. The only thing required is that the fish should be made to 

 feel the check of the entire spring of the rod. This is done by placing the 

 rod against the stomach, and holding it at about 45deg. A little more 

 force gradually applied will do no harm, but the idea of reclining the 

 rod over the shoulder is absurd, and simply means breaking one's rod in 

 nine cases out of ten. 



I am no advocate for brutally skull-dragging a salmon because one 

 happens to possess good and strong tackle. I hold with firm but 

 light treatment, and consequently the butting business in my case 

 is seldom put into practice. I think most unhesitatingly that it is 

 unsportsmanlike to deprive oneself of the magnificent play a fine fish 



