60 ROD & CREEL 



apart and on each side of the boat with the knees well bent. 

 Forget all about the boat and think only of your fish and you 

 will be able to stand up with ease, even if there is quite a bit of 

 sea running. 



The great danger in playing a fish from a boat is when you 

 first bring him close up. A sudden dive right under the boat 

 is quite likely to happen, and you should always manoeuvre so as 

 to have your rod well over one end as if your rod is out in the mid- 

 dle and the fish dives under the boat it is "good-bye rod." 



GAFFING FISH 



There is a right and a wrong way to gaff a fish, just as 

 there is a right and a wrong way to do everything else. There 

 is nothing more annoying to the man playing the fish than to 

 have some bungler make wild dashes at the fish with the gaff, 

 missing him several times and finally breaking the cast or 

 gaffing the fish high up in the back, thereby spoiling his beauty 

 and perhaps a great part of the flesh. 



Never be in a hurry, wait until the fish is properly tired out 

 and watch carefully until you get an opportunity to pass your 

 gaff over the fish and bring it up either into the belly between 

 the head and dorsal fin or into the head itself." Personally, I 

 always gaff a fish in the head as, though there are several 

 objections to this method, such as danger of fouling the cast, 

 and the gaff glancing off, the fish is not in the least spoilt. To 

 gaff in the head necessitates playing the fish right out and 

 bringing him up in a suitable position, which is not always 

 easy with a lively fish in swift water, in which case it is advis- 

 able to gaff in the belly. 



I heard a good story about gaffing a fish a short time ago, 

 an incident that happened in Vancouver Harbour. It is said to 

 be true, though I cannot vouch for its accuracy, I will repeat it, 

 as it will show a novice what he is not to do. It is as follows: 



Two men went out to fish for salmon, one was a fisherman, 

 the other was not. The fishermen hooked, played and brought 

 up to the boat ready for the gaff a fine salmon. The novice 

 took the gaff, held it in the water and in a state of great excite- 

 ment watched the fish, apparently being on the point of gaffing 

 it. However, though he had all the time he wanted, he never 

 made a move and the fish made another effort. Again he was 

 brought to the boat, giving even more time. Still the man with 

 the gaff never made a move, and the fish, making a final effort, 

 shook the hook from his mouth and was gone. 



This was too much for the man with the rod who, with 

 pretty forcible language, wanted to know why he had not 

 gaffed him. The answer he got was, ''How could I gaff him! 

 Why he never opened his mouth for me to put the hook in!" 



