IN THE SULKS. 327 



often take up his position at the bottom of a deep pool 

 behind some big stone, and there he will remain without 

 moving, quietly resisting every effort to stir him, some- 

 times for a considerable space. A fish of this kind, or 

 a sluggish fish, may sometimes be induced to work by 

 getting behind him, letting out a longish line, so as to get 

 a straight down-stream pull at his head on him. Here let 

 the angler put on a steady heavy strain, accompanying it, 

 if this does not succeed, with a sawing action. The effect 

 of this is to turn the head of the fish a little broadside to 

 the stream, when the force of the stream and the line will 

 cause him perhaps to make an effort to keep his position, 

 and the effort may lead him to forget his sulky tactics 

 and aggravate him to rush forth to the battle again. If, 

 however, this has no effect, a few stones judiciously thrown 

 may startle him out of his propriety, and if your gillie can 

 manage dexterously to hit the line just where it enters the 

 water with a sharp, heavy flint, he will certainly spare you 

 all further trouble. Sometimes a fish takes up his position 

 at the side of a river, and can be dislodged by the aid of 

 the gaff handle or a pole. But if the fish still remains 

 obstinate and is unapproachable, the aid of a bit of lead, 

 which can be bent on round the line in a circle, or a bit 

 of stiff paper cut like the travellers one used to send up 

 to one's kite as tags, or a circlet of rushes plaited round 

 the line, or some such apparatus, is recommended by 

 various anglers as a method of waking the fish up. It is 

 only, however, when you can get well above your fish, and 

 so that the line can be kept well up-stream, that anything 

 of this kind can be tried. Sometimes a fish sulks on the 

 opposite side of the river to where you stand, and there 

 you are with fifty yards of line out and a heavy stream 

 between you : no position can be more helpless. In all 

 matters like these, however, it becomes pretty much a 

 question of ingenuity on the part of the angler and con- 

 venience on the part of circumstances. 



