HOW TO STRIKE 7 



in the bottom of the solid one. Then having set the float at 

 what you judge to be about the depth, drop the plummet into 

 the water to the bottom, keeping a tight line, and lift it once or 

 twice to see that all is clear. If the float goes under water, slip it 

 up the line. It it does not reach the water but is above it, drop 

 it down, and so on until it is adjusted, so that the hook shall 

 just touch the bottom while about an inch of the float is above 

 the surface. Some fish require the bait to drag a little more 

 than others, and for them, of course, a longer allowance of 

 depth on the line must be made. Having ascertained the depth, 

 take off the cap of the float, take a half-hitch of the line on the 

 top to secure it, and replace the cap, which should fit pretty 

 tightly to prevent any slipping or coming off. Then bait the 

 hook, drop the tackle into the water, and let it go with the 

 stream ; as it goes down follow it with the rod-point, keeping 

 the point always as directly over the float as possible. If there 

 be no disturbance of the float but it swims serenely on, let it go 

 on to the point which you have marked out as the end of the 

 stream, or as far as the time allows ; and before withdrawing it 

 in punt-fishing always strike ; for fish will often take the bait 

 just as it reaches the end of the swim as it begins to rise from 

 the ground, owing to the tension of the line not permitting it 

 to go further while the stream still carries it on ; and as this is a 

 sort of running away on the part of the bait, it is often attractive 

 to fish that have been following it ; or it may be that it 

 comes more prominently into view. However that may be, 

 always strike at the end of the swim pretty sharply. But 

 should the float, in its progress, dip suddenly down under 

 surface of the water, strike instantly. In punt-fishing this 

 should be done from the elbow, because there is a good deal of 

 slack line between the rod-point and float to be tightened, and 

 there is a long angle to be brought into a straight line before 

 the rod-point can be brought into direct action on the hook, 

 and the further off the float is down the stream the more acute 

 this angle is, and the more power is required to reduce things 

 to a straight line again between the rod-point and the hook ; 

 and this is the reason why it is necessary to strike harder 

 towards the end of the swim than when the float is directly 

 under the rod-point. In bank-fishing, however, there is no 

 such angle, and the rod is always over the float, so that the 

 slightest jerk of the wrist suffices to fix the hook in the fish. 

 If the float only dips slightly, strike ; and at any suspicious 

 behaviour on the part of the float, still strike. Different fish 



