MAY 79 



weight had been landed by fair fishing in as short time 

 as would be required to bag a four-ounce roach. 



I have never met Jodrell since we left Eton, nor do I 

 know whether his subsequent career as an angler was 

 maintained at the high level of its outset. There was 

 a considerable element of fluke in the exploit; but 

 credit is due to the angler for not having followed 

 Izaak Walton's counsel of despair for dealing with a 

 heavy fish. After ' a great old trout/ which was ' both 

 subtle and fearful,' had smashed Venator's line by 

 1 running to the rod's end,' he addressed his pupil thus : 



' I would have held him within the bent of my rod, unless 

 he had been fellow to the great trout that is near an ell long, 

 which was of such a length and depth that he had his picture 

 drawn, and now is to be seen at mine host Rickabie's, at the 

 George in Ware ; and it may be, by giving that very great 

 trout the rod that is, by casting it to him in the water I 

 might have caught him at the long run ; for so I always use 

 to do when I meet with an overgrown fish ; and you will 

 learn to do so too hereafter, for I tell you, scholar, fishing is 

 an art, or at least it is an art to catch fish.' 



If Izaak ever saw a reel, it never occurred to him to 

 use one for circumventing an ' overgrown fish ' ; indeed 

 the following passage suggests that he was writing only 

 from hearsay, for he was no salmon-fisher : 



' Note also that many use to fish for a salmon with a ring 

 of wire on the top of their rod, through which the line may 

 run to as great a length as is needful when he is hooked. 

 And to that end some use a wheel about the middle of their 

 rod or near their hand, which is to be observed better by 

 seeing one of them than by a large demonstration of words.' 



Jodrell's feat was due to the trout having in its first 



