LANDING TOOLS; HOW TO USE THEM 171 



was! Time and again that monster had all but a 

 few yards stripped from my reel and I was almost 

 praying that he might break loose and escape, so 

 save my rod. He was well hooked. A number of 

 times I had him reeled up to within striking distance 

 but always he found sufficient strength for another 

 run. Just as I had about despaired of ever conquer- 

 ing he gave up, though I spent another ten minutes 

 making him swim after he wanted to rest. Finally 

 I brought him to my feet I was out in the water 

 waist-deep, by the way slipped my fingers into his 

 gills, my fingers being cruelly lacerated by his awful 

 teeth, and dragged him inconsequentially on shore. 

 Exhausted, I sat down and admired. That night 

 three of our neighbors, as well as ourselves, dined 

 upon baked pike, a no mean dish by the way. Land- 

 ing of fish is not wholly a matter of tools. 



