182 AMERICAN GAME. 



think the advice sound and good. When he is struck 

 you must make him fight for every inch of line yon give 

 him, holding him very hard, but of course giving rather 

 than letting him break, you, until he becomes exhausted ; 

 if he plunges to the bottom and sulks, you must arouse 

 him by stirring the water with a pole or pelting him 

 with pebbles, for your " only chance of killing him de- 

 pends," to borrow the words of Davy's Salmonia, " on 

 his being kept constantly in action, so that he may ex- 

 haust himself by exercise." 



When he is wearied out, when he turns up his broad, 

 bright side exhausted on the surface, let your assi stant 

 pass the sharp, hooked gaff carefully under him, and 

 strike it home by one cool, steady, upward jerk, and he 

 is yours. Myself, I prefer to gaff in the solid muscular 

 tail, behind the ventral cavity, as affording the best hold ; 

 but many good sportsmen prefer to strike in the shoulder, 

 as giving more command of the fish so that he i* 

 gaffed, however, it matters not much where, for he is 

 pretty certainly ashore a moment afterward. I may 

 as well here mention that while on a visit in Troy 

 recently, I was shown a new spring or click gaff, which 

 must unquestionably supersede the old hook. It is 

 easy of management, unerring, and can be handled with 

 success by the most awkward country lad, and every 

 sportsman knows how often he is annoyed by the clum- 

 siness of an assistant who merely grazes a beaten fish, 

 and goad's him into fresh fury, perhaps causing his event- 



