52 KEEP A TAUT LINE 



mainder of the oil on the brush can be used on the 

 cast and line, as before. We are now ready again. 

 The scissors are closed, the knife I have placed in 

 my pocket, the cork is in the oil-bottle ; and I take 

 the rod, lift the spear out of the ground, get my 

 length, and cast again. Now watch ! There ! He 

 has risen, you see, and this time, by a slight turn of 

 my wrist, I have hooked the trout, and before he 

 has time to realize what is the matter I have drawn 

 him below and away from the dangerous vicinity of 

 the weeds. See ! how he fights to get back to his 

 retreat, but it is no good. Now he is trying to bore 

 down into that dark hole ; there may be danger there, 

 so I keep him well up. I have plenty of water, and 

 firmly, and by wrist work alone, I check every rush 

 he makes, and finally bring my prize well below 

 the unfished water. My left hand is on the reel, 

 which is bringing him nearer and nearer. Watch 

 the end of the rod ; it is well up, and the bend is nearly 

 always the same. The line must never be slack after 

 a fish is hooked, and this important point is achieved 

 by delicacy of wrist play alone. By firmness and 

 tact I have at last beaten him, and the line is short 

 enough to make the landing-net available, so my left 

 hand leaves the reel and steals to the net ; it is lifted 

 out of its ring and flicked out to its full length, and 

 then, gently stooping, I bring the fish slowly towards 

 the net, which you see I hold diagonally, well under 

 the water, keeping it quite stationary until the trout 

 is above it. Then, by a steady lift, I have the 



