NOBBS'S ART OF TROLLING. 



run to his hold, and play with it more than he did at 

 first, shewing very good sport for a while, and after all 

 leave you in the lurch. A fish that takes it greedily at 

 the beginning, and carries it the farthest, does not. 

 "withstanding often forsake it; as the proverb says, nil 

 violent um est diuturnum so a Pike that bites so 

 eagerly at first is not so at last ; for it happens that he 

 often leaves it : the only way to be even with such a 

 fish is to take the Snap ; and that may chance to stop 

 .his career. 



Now when you have a bite, and the fish goes down 

 the stream, we are apt to conceive it is a small Jack ; 

 but on the contrary, if he sails slowly upwards with 

 the bait, it is a sign of a good one ; for the greater sort 

 bite more calmly and moderately than the less : for they 

 Miatch, and away with it without any care or delibera- 

 tion ; old fish are more wary and cunning, they are 

 sooner taken with a line laid for them all night than by 

 trolling. Jt is sometimes difficult to know what size a 

 Pike is before he is struck, and therefore there are 

 none but may be mistaken in their conjectures; for an 

 indifferent fish, I mean about twenty or twenty-two 

 inches, will often make as good sport as one twice as 

 big, however, before you strike him ; but then gene- 

 rally the bigger the Pike is the more sport. Sometimes 

 he will take the bait very hastily, and run out to the 

 length of your line, and never lie still, but will play 

 up and down with it, till you think fit to strike him. 



When the water is clear and not very deep, you may 

 see him rise and take it; so you may see the" bait glis- 

 ten as it lies across his mouth ; you may then see when 

 he hath pouched, and know your time to strike. 



When you have first struck him, you must be sure 

 to have your line ready and slack, that he may take as 

 much liberty as he will: for when he finds himself 

 hooked, he will use all his might and cunning to get 

 away. As you feel him come easily towards you, you 

 may be still drawing, till you feel him make resistance, 

 then you may let him have his swing, till the heat of 

 his fury is over ; gather your line to you, till he starts 



