3 02 WHAT I HAVE SEEN WHILE FISHING 



length of the hole and then give a swishing strike 

 that is very like to spoil the chances. 



When these fish are on the feed they come in 

 turn to the clay balls, grub out a worm, put their 

 side across the stream and are away to the rear 

 of all the shoal, where they again wait their turn. 

 Sometimes they come in double file, but always 

 in drill-like order, and therefore care is needed not 

 to be too quick in striking at them or you may 

 prick a fish that will leave the hole and take all 

 the others with him. The preliminary nibble 

 means only " now look out," so wait for the drawing 

 pull, and, when that comes, strike quickly and hold 

 as firmly, just for a moment, as the fine tackle you 

 should use for barbel justifies. 



It was a useful nine foot rod that I lent my 

 guest. It tapered so that the finest gut could bend 

 it almost double, and yet it never wobbled, and 

 the spring that was in the top helped the wielder 

 of it to cast the smallest bullet. My finest dark- 

 dyed, silk plaited line was used, and to it was 

 joined a yard of stained gut, at the finer end of 

 which was a No. 6 hook. A bullet just sufficient 

 for its purpose was selected, and was kept from 

 sliding towards the hook by a split shot, nipped 

 on the gut thirty inches from it. 



You can fancy how carefully I chose two 

 maiden lobs and how particular I was to put them 

 on the hook so that their heads and tails could 

 wag enticingly. 



