THE ANGLER'S GUIDE. 55 



pretty often and pretty smartly, so that the 

 hook may enter his leathery lip. He is a good 

 fish to hook, because his mouth is underhung ; 

 but the grand point is, to get the hook well 

 into him. Sometimes, if it be a large fish, 

 when you strike, it will feel as though you had 

 hold of the bottom, or had become fastened to 

 a log, for his lips being like leather, he does 

 not feel the hook, and, therefore, makes no 

 effort to get away from it. In that case, or in 

 any other, never give the least slack line, but 

 keep tight on him, getting your rod up straight 

 over him, and fixing the butt of it close against 

 your right side. Never let him point you, 

 (that is, run out and pull the point of your rod 

 into the water,) for if he do that, it is all over 

 with- you directly. Keep your rod up over 

 him, in spite of ah 1 his pulling, tugging and 

 driving, only letting him have a yard or so of 

 your running line, according to the nature of 

 your swim. If he be ever so large, he will 

 not be able to break you, if your tackle be 

 really good, so long- as he is completely under 

 the bend of your rod, for as he pulls, so that 

 gives. This is the' grand art in killing all 

 large fish, keeping them the whole of the time 

 bearing on the play of your rod. And the 



