62 PLAYING A FISH 



the big fellow right under the bank. He has shifted 

 in quite close, so I shall hit that grass above him with 

 my fly, and let it fall into the water and float down quite 

 close to the edge. See, I have done so, and there it 

 comes, now sailing outward with a little sweep, and now 

 siding quite close in to the bank and almost stationary. 

 There ! what did I tell you ? I have him, and this time 

 I am into a good fish. You noticed how I dropped the 

 point of my rod when he jumped ? There he goes 

 again. What a fighter ! Now he is going for those 

 weeds down-stream. Observe the tug as I check him. 

 He has the stream to help him, but I must hold him up, 

 for if he gets into the weeds we shall lose him for a cer- 

 tainty. I have beaten him, I think. No, not I. 

 Look how he clears the water and goes again to the 

 bank. He's all right there, for you can see that the 

 bottom is gravel and there are no weeds or snags. 

 Now to get in a little line. Steady does it. No, he is 

 off again down to the weeds. How the reel screams ! 

 and the rod look at it bent nearly double. I have 

 still all my work to do to keep him from those weeds. 

 Ah ! he is beaten at last, and now I can get some of the 

 line in on the reel as I go down-stream to get close to 

 him. A little more that's it ; now take this landing- 

 net, crouch down, as much out of sight as you can, 

 and hold the net slanting well in the water, between 

 the trout and myself. I shall draw him over and into 

 it, and when I say " Lift," do so with both hands. 

 " Lift !" Well done ! Now bring him up the bank, and 

 let's have a look at him. What a beauty ! Are not 



