THE ANGLER'S SOUVENIR. 



is scrubby that is a great advantage, as lie is not 

 bothered by the line catching in the thistles and 

 grass. Then if he desires change, there is a thick 

 india-rubber ring on the butt of the rod, and this 

 he slips down to the reel, so that it catches the 

 circumference and acts as a brake, transforming 

 the reel instantly into an excellent check one. 

 Then he fishes with the line in coils at the feet, 

 or gathered in ringlets in his left hand, although 

 the latter method is open to the objection that 

 both hands are engaged, which is occasionally 

 awkward. 



The bait is drawn to the top of the water, and 

 then shoots erratically downward until every inch 

 of the pool has been systematically fished. In the 

 next pool the master feels a slight check to the 

 line. Is it a fish or a weed ^ There is a tremulous 

 motion of the rod, and a slight movement of the 

 line through the rings. It must be a fish ; and the 

 master lowers the point of his rod, and suffers 

 the line to be drawn out without a check, and the 

 fish shall have ten good minutes to gorge. (Don't 

 those ten minutes always seem to be half an hour 

 at the least ?) The fish is uneasy. It moves about 

 a yard or two at a time. The master is in doubt 

 whether the bait has been pouched or not ; never- 

 theless his patience cannot last more than ten 

 minutes, so he tightens his line. The pike is on, 

 and fights well, although it is only a small one 

 say three pounds in weight. It is conquered, and 



