312 Fly-rods and Fly-tackle. 



grasp the fish by the gills. In either case he should 

 play his fish until quite exhausted. Then throwing his 

 rod behind him and over his shoulder, grasp the leader 

 with his left hand, carry the part seized to his right 

 hand which holds the rod, there take it between his 

 thumb and finger, holding it so he can at once let go if 

 the fish shows signs of activity, and repeat this until the 

 fish is quite close. But during this delicate operation 

 there must not be the slightest approximation to a jerk ; 

 everything must proceed quietly and by an even, steady 

 motion. He can then slide his hand down the leader 

 and grasp the trout, in which he will be much aided by 

 a thread-glove with the fingers cut off ; or he can lead 

 the fish towards the bank, and by a sudden but steady 

 increase of force throw him out. 



Any effort to lift or throw the trout out by the rod will 

 probably be followed by disaster. Not that the rod will 

 break, but the weight of the fish in air so exceeds that 

 in water, that the impulse given will carry it but a short 

 distance on the shore; and when it strikes the ground it 

 unhooks itself with the first flop, while the angler per- 

 forms like a cat on a stove in the vain endeavor to kick 

 it higher up on the bank. I have seen, nay, I have my- 

 self, lost many good fish in this way. 



If he is to fish from a boat, and no landing-net can be 

 borrowed, let him make a gaff out of a piece of telegraph 

 or other stiff wire, or tie three or four hooks, the largest 

 that can be had, on a stick, and use that for the same 

 purpose. 



Occasionally the screws of a reel show a tendency to 

 work loose, caused by the jar of the click and indifferent 

 fitting. The remedy is simple : withdraw the screw, and 

 insert a waxed thread to the bottom of its hole ; enter 



