THE BRITISH ANGLER'S LEXICON. 139* 



and many a fish has been lost by the bungling of the man 

 who was working either the landing net or gaff. Whether 

 the. angler lands his own fish or not,. there is a certain rule 

 to be observed. If an assistant is landing, he should do 

 exactly as he is told by the angler, and if he fails to bring 

 the fish to land, why, the fault cannot be laid to his charge 

 provided he has carried out the directions of the man who 

 holds the rod ami is playing the fish. If the fish is to be 

 landed by a net, the time to put it in the water is denoted by 

 the play of the fish, whether trout or salmon, and that is,. 

 when it rolls on its side or sails in quietly with its mouth 

 above water. The net should be sunk well under the sur- 

 face previous to the fish coming within reach, and be held 

 there quite steady with the side of the hoop of the net 

 furthest away from the fish in a slightly raised position, so 

 that when the fish is sailed in over the lower side of the net 

 the upper side serves as a stop, when all is lifted imme- 

 diately with a steady motion, upward and towards the 

 lander. Never mvve the net to meet the fish; doing so is 

 apt to frighten it, as, when seemingly unable to make 

 further exertion, it suddenly darts off with renewed energy, 

 very often over the net, which gets foul of the casting line,, 

 and a smash occurs. If the fish refuses to enter the net and 

 passes either over or by it, do not shove at it; allow it to go 

 by quietly, to be again sailed in, when it may be safely 

 landed. The net handle should be long enough to permit 

 the angler to extend the net out clear of the edge and in 

 good water. In landing a fish by a gaff (of course it is a big 

 one, and an assistant is usually at hand to do this job for 

 the angler, although he can do it himself quite well if he has- 

 had any practice), it should be stretched out behind the 

 line which is holding the fish, and brought home into the 



