32 PLAYING THE FISH. 



motion communicated to your bait as you draw 

 it towards you, undoubtedly makes it exceed- 

 ingly attractive to fish of prey. It then seems 

 to fly madly for its life, although it possesses 

 none. Predacious animals of all sorts rush 

 with might and main after the prey that flees 

 with the most timid fleetness from them. 

 Make it therefore no difficult task for the Jack 

 to overtake your bait and seize it with facility. 



A lesson in spinning from a first-rate 

 Thames puntman will do more good than 

 reading all the books ever written on the 

 subject. 



In spinning, strike with a short and mode- 

 rately strong jerk of the wrist, as soon as the 

 bait is taken, although the fish will very often 

 hook himself. 



We will suppose that you have now hooked 

 your fish, which, be it Pike, Jack, Perch, or any 

 other, will, if it be of any size, require careful 

 handling. Do not be in a hurry to land him. 

 More fish are lost by the nervous feeling which 

 shoots through the young angler when he feels 

 the first rush of a Pike than by any other 

 course whatever. Keep the point of your rod 

 well raised and your line taut ; if he makes for 

 a bed of weeds and pulls hard, give him line, 

 but still try to turn him by holding your rod 

 the contrary way, and endeavour to lead him 

 back to the place from whence he started. 

 Now he strikes off again ; let him go ; now 

 wind him in again, but do not distress your 



