ioo HoW) When, and Where to Fish for Mahseer. CHAP. vi. 



is movement, the slightest movement, that catches the eye. It is by 

 sitting motionless as a stone for hours together that the cat kills a 

 squirrel. Motion is a sign of life, and when it is absent, animals, as 

 well as men, are prone to doubt their eyes, and to take the object for 

 some inanimate thing. 



But do not trust to this if you are fishing, for it is unnecessary 

 as it is difficult that you should see your fish at all, and as above shown, 

 the chances are about ten to one that he sees you before you see him, 

 and then your catching him is a thing out of the question. You do not 

 want to interview the fish, you want to catch him. Take a distant 

 survey of the water, and when you see a likely-looking bit, take its 

 bearings, and decide whence you shall make your approaches on the 

 enemy's position. Then stalk it as you would a sambre. Stalk not 

 any particular fish, but stalk all the positions in which any fish are 

 likely to be ; in short, stalk the pool as if it were a living thing full 

 of eyes, which, in fact, it is, and if any one of them sees you, and its 

 owner darts frightened away, the probabilities are that the rest also will 

 take alarm from his movements, and not a fish will you take in that 

 pool. Do not stalk for too close a shot either ; you do not need to be 

 nearer than just to see your line fall, than just to see the surface of the 

 water you are fishing, so that you may keep clear of rocks and snags 

 and fish it properly. But you do not always require to do even that. 

 If from your first distant observations you know that the coast is all 

 clear in a certain direction, then fish it round the corner of a rock 

 without even seeing it. This is the best position in which you can 

 possibly be. You do not need to see. You will feel fast enough if 

 a good Mahseer has got hold of you, and then all you have to do 

 is to return the compliment by holding on to him. If your hand is 

 practised, you will know how your bait or your fly is deporting itself, 

 though round a corner and out of your sight. Please note that I refer 

 here to Mahseer only. Striking generally for different fish is described 

 further on as a separate subject, and the page may be found in the 

 index under the word " Striking." 



In so stalking, perhaps, you have attained a snug position in which, 

 by lying down or otherwise, you are invisible to the fish, but in attaining 

 it have unavoidably shown yourself at some awkward corner that you 

 had to get round. If so, do not begin fishing at once, but wait long 

 enough for the scare to pass off. When confidence is re-established 



