THAMES TROUT. 193 



fish hook themselves. Livebaiting is looked upon 

 by many anglers with some little disdain, but there 

 is plenty of knack in working a livebait in a proper 

 manner only acquired by long practice. The actions 

 of a skilled angler when imparting motion to his 

 bait and the process of guiding it into diffi- 

 cult places are most interesting to witness ; and 

 the novice will most likely find he cannot reach 

 certain spots at all, which are easily fished over by 

 a man who knows what he is about. The livebait 

 can be worked in places quite unsuitable to spinning- 

 tackle. Should a fish take the bait very quietly in 

 a corner eddy, fairly close up, he will probably come 

 towards the fall ; in this case, I lower the rod-top 

 perhaps for a couple of seconds and then strike 

 gently, taking care that no check, however slight, is 

 previously given to the fish. But if the fish take 

 the livebait vigorously, especially in the centre of a 

 run, the heavy plunge hooks him securely, and 

 striking may possibly tear the hooks out. Some 

 say " never strike a Thames trout," but I do not 

 agree with this. When trout go away hard, seek- 

 ing the depths, they are almost certain to be well 

 hooked ; splashing fish are difficult to deal with, 

 and the hook has generally a very light hold. If a 

 fish comes right up to the weir after being hooked, 

 you will have a difficult task to land him ; jag the 

 line on him at any cost to induce him to go down 

 stream, do your utmost to pull him into the heart 

 of a swift run, wash him away, but never let him 

 have a slack line. The rush of water in a weir 

 often assists the angler in killing his fish, and I 

 have had much more trouble with fish in the open 

 stream. With a really game fish, when brought 

 to the side the line cuts a distinct feather or curl 



