26 THE AET OF FISHING. 



flesh becomes flabby so much so, that when they 

 are dressed, they have in a measure lost that firm- 

 ness which a sudden death, like that I have 

 mentioned, would have spread over the whole 

 fish. The blow has somewhat the same effect as 

 in the cod-fish when crimped, and without the 

 torture which this choice fish must suffer in 

 having his back and sides lacerated when alive, 

 and left to die in agony ; a cruelty uncalled for, 

 as the same effect might be produced would 

 the operator strike the cod on the nose before 

 crimping him, and thus kill him, for instant 

 death is the consequence of a blow on that part 

 of the fish. Thus there are two reasons why the 

 fish, captured whether by net or hook, should be 

 killed immediately the more important of the 

 two, that he suffers no unnecessary pain ; the other, 

 less important, that he will eat the better. 



In catching pike with rod and line, I have 

 treated specially on snapping, because it is the 

 plan I generally adopt in preference to trolling, 

 and from its being the more merciful plan of the 

 two. Both methods, however, may come under 

 the denomination of " trolling," the word troll 

 signifying "to walk," as you may walk, and even 

 run, in the exercise of this art. However, for 

 distinction sake, we will consider it trolling when 



