55 



The moment of the water being disturbed 

 or ruffled by the fish rising must be carefully 

 watched for by the fisherman, as at that cri- 

 tical instant he must strike, in order to hook 

 his prey; for the fish having discovered the 

 deceit, the least delay will enable it to escape. 

 A very slight inclination or turn of the 

 hand is sufficient to fix the barb of the hook, 

 as, if too great violence be used, the hook 

 or line will be greatly endangered, and the 

 water disturbed by the mad struggles of the 

 lacerated sufferer. 



If the fish be of good size, and the hook 

 be firmly fixed, the first consideration is to 

 keep the rod upright ; or even, by forcing 

 the butt forward, to throw the point of it 

 over the shoulder of the Angler, which will 

 tend greatly to fatigue the fish, if it should 

 not be necessary to give it additional line 

 from the reel. When found to be sufficiently 

 exhausted, it must be either taken out of the 



