FISHING AT HOME AND ABROAD 

 a far less formidable opponent than in the deep, swift water. The fisher- 

 man must keep a tight line. He must hold the point of the rod well up, 

 8o as to let it play the fish itself, and, while never attempting to check 

 a sudden rush, he must reel in line at every possible opportunity. This 

 give and take, which can be learnt to perfection only at the expense of much 

 time, patience, and tackle, is, all said and done, the whole art of fishing. 

 It is, as Leigh Hunt dyspeptically calls it, "lingering catlike cruelty." The 

 bass would not, in this clear water, look at anything offered on tackle 

 stouter than single gut, and any attempt at forcing the closure with such 

 material would inevitably bring disaster. No real sportsman would un- 

 necessarily prolong the struggle, or play with his fish as a cat plays with 

 a mouse. Once hooked, it is to be brought to the gaff or net with all reason- 

 able dispatch. On the other hand, dispatch which threatens to break the 

 tackle is not reasonable. A bass of only five pounds, played in a tide as 

 strong as that of the Teign, and with the bridge stretching across the 

 river, making matters harder for the fisherman, and easier for the fish, will 

 test the angler's skill, and one of ten pounds will try his tackle. A bass of 

 the latter weight should take a good half hour in the playing. Just at the 

 last, when the fisherman thinks he has it beaten, it is liable to cheat the 

 net and smash the shortened line with a final rush alongside the boat. 

 All manner of accidents happen. Twice I was agreeably disappointed 

 after having given up my fish for lost. The first of these bass wound the 

 gut round a buoy chain, and it was only with a very faint hope of succeeding 

 that I bade my boatman row round the buoy in the same direction. For- 

 tunately the plan answered, and the bass, tearing away upstream, was 

 soon killed. The second nearly got off with the help of the weed, which, 

 as has been pointed out, is a rare spoilsport in that estuary. On this occa- 

 sion, a large piece of the weed had got foul of the line some distance above 

 the swivel. Then a heavy bass took the hook with a rush, and after I had 

 played it for twenty minutes or more, I suddenly became aware of the 

 weed and of the impossibility of getting it through the rings of the rod. 

 What was to be done ? We were close to the bridge, and the tide was nearly 

 high. There remained, however, a corner of uncovered land at the end 

 of the bridge, beneath the toll-gate, and I contemplated, as a last chance, 

 going ashore here and walking backwards till the bass was within reach 

 of my man with the net. At this moment the bass took matters out of my 

 hands and, by shaking its head, loosened the weed, which slid down the 

 line, and saved the situation. This method of drifting for bass, as it used to 

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