18 A RIVER OF NORWAY 



(like many another fallacy) from old books 

 into new, that when a fish jumps, the point 

 of the rod must be smartly lowered and 

 the line in consequence dropped loose on the 

 water, in order that (as is supposed) there 

 may be no sudden jerk or strain when the 

 fish re-enters the river. This practice may be 

 ail very well in a lake, or in still pools, but in 

 swift running streams it is a fatal error. The 

 stream at once catches the slack line and forms 

 a bag or belly of it, and when the strain comes, 

 it is against the dead pull of the water. On 

 the other hand, if the rod is held weU up, as 

 it almost always should be in playing a fish, 

 its natural pliancy will prevent any sudden 

 jerk on the fish's return to the water, and 

 there will probably be a restoration of the 

 status quo ante. Well, at any rate, a fish that 

 jumps soon "breaks his heart or the hold," 

 and it does not take many minutes to bring 

 this one to bank. And a fine fellow he is, 

 scaling fully 20 lb., sleek and shining, and 

 sprinkled with sea-lice. Meantime on The 

 Bank D. has hooked a 17-pounder, and dis- 

 daining the assistance of the gaff has dragged 

 it high and dry on to the shore. This is 



