52 The Amateur Poacher 



stream I saw the long slender fish lying a few feet 

 from the bank, motionless save for the gentle curving 

 wave of the tail edges. So faint was that waving curl 

 that it seemed caused rather by the flow of the 

 current than the volition of the fish. The wings of 

 the swallow work the whole of the longest summer 

 day, but the fins of the fish in running water are 

 never still : day and night they move continuously. 



By slow degrees I advanced the hazel rod, keep- 

 ing it at first near to and parallel with the bank, 

 because jack do not like anything that stretches 

 across them ; and I imagine other fish have the same 

 dislike to right angles. The straight shadow even 

 seems to arouse suspicion no boughs are ever 

 straight. Perhaps, if it were possible to angle with- 

 out a rod, there would be more success, particularly in 

 small streams. But after getting the stick almost out 

 far enough, it became evident that the dead branch 

 would not let me slip the wire into the water in front 

 of the jack in the usual way. So I had to draw it 

 back again as gradually as it had been put forth. 



With fish everything must be done gradually and 

 without a jerk. A sudden, jerking movement imme- 

 diately alarms them. If you walk gently by they 

 remain still, but start or lift the arm quickly and they 

 dart for deep water. The object of withdrawing the 



