TROLLING. 117 



smart stroke from the hand, if possible, in a direction 

 contrary to the progress of the fish." 



Keep out of sight as much as you can; and as soon 

 as you have a bite, strike. When you have hooked 

 your fish, you will find him trying to resent the obtru- 

 sion. The trout is strong, and he struggles violently, 

 sometimes leaping high out of the water, and flying 

 and flouncing about in all directions. Thomson 

 directs you what to do : 



" With yielding hand, feeling him still, 

 Yet to his furious course give way, 

 Till, floating broad upon his breathless side, 

 You safely drag your spangled prize on shore." 



As spinning is a kind of fishing which requires much 

 skill, I shall add to what has been already said, the 

 directions of an accomplished angler Captain Wil- 

 liamson. He says, " The swivel-trace answers two 

 purposes: it prevents your line from being wrenched, 

 by the largest fish, into twists and snarls; and it causes 

 your bait to play round, or, as it is called, to spin freely 

 in the stream, whereby it imitates more closely the 

 action of a live minnow, and prevents the hook, &c. 

 from being distinguished. . . . It is very tempt- 

 ing, and when large fish, disposed to feed, are near, 

 you may depend on success. If you have command of 

 your water, and can carry your rod as you please, you 

 should commence by casting your bait from you very 

 gently, so as to alight in the stream without splashing 

 more than a minnow would in one of its jumps. Then 

 draw your rod in such direction as may cause your 

 bait to cross the stream obliquely towards you. When 

 near you, it should be conducted from you in a similar 

 manner, by an adverse tendency of the rod, carrying 



