TIME TO ALLOW FOR POUCHING. 49 



When you take your bait out of the water 

 to cast it in another place, be careful to draw- 

 it slowly and gradually to the surface for that 

 purpose ; for I have often found Pike and 

 Jack, when not much on the feed, strike at the 

 bait when it seemed to be escaping from them. 

 Those who take out their line without attending 

 to this rule, will often find Jack strike at the 

 bait whe n it is being drawn out ; and in their 

 eagerness to seize it, sometimes throw them- 

 selves out of the water after it. I had this 

 occur to me some time since whilst fishing in 

 the Lea at Broxbourne. I had drawn my bait 

 slowly to the surface, and it was entirely out 

 of the water, when a small Pike, of about six 

 pounds weight, sprang completely out of the 

 water after it, but unfortunately missed it, 

 although I instantly dropped the bait to him. 



When a Pike seizes the live-bait, or, in other 

 words, when you have a run, it is generally 

 with violence, and the float is instantly drawn 

 under water ; watch the float as long as pos- 

 sible, and keep your winch and line clear, 

 holding a yard or two of slack line in your 

 left hand, so that nothing may stop or check 

 the Jack when he has seized the bait and is 

 making for his haunt to pouch it. If he runs 

 rapidly, draw the line quickly from the winch 

 with the left hand, so that he may not be 

 impeded. When he has reached his haunt 

 and lays still, allow him, in general, ten 

 minutes to pouch ; or if he is quiet, you may 



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