STRIKING AND PLAYING I0y 



technique for night fishing differs a little from that which 

 is in order for day work. At night, after seeing a silvery 

 flash when the sea-trout jumps, you are at a loss, in the 

 dark, to know exactly the intentions of the fish, and 

 therefore you cannot afford to give the fish its head. 

 At all costs you must keep the fish under control, and 

 the breaking strain of your gear is your sole guide. 

 Apply as much pressure as your tackle will allow, and 

 bring the fish to the net as fast as you can. On account 

 of this harsher discipline I suggested in a previous chapter 

 a slightly heavier gut cast for night fishing. 



A man with whom I am acquainted will in no circum- 

 stance use fine tackle for sea-trout at night, and he 

 always mounts a salmon cast. He has astonished me 

 again and again by catching small as well as big fish 

 when throwing the thick gut, but he is an adept in 

 dropping the fly artistically on the water. 



For playing a sea-trout during day-time a theory is 

 also prescribed, and this is to work in accordance with 

 a time constant. One minute per pound weight is the 

 rule laid down. I often speculate as to what kind of 

 person this genius can be who starts these hares. I 

 have fished for more years than I care to remember, 

 and I have fished with some of the best rods in the 

 country, but I have yet to meet the angler who follows 

 such a hide-bound policy of estimating the weight of 

 the fish which is hooked, be it salmon or sea-trout, and 

 then counting minutes. Think of the various gauges of 

 gut casts which are used, give a thought to the classes 

 of rods employed, picture for a few seconds fast water 

 and slack, and remember the relative fighting propensities 

 of a fresh-run fish and a stale one, then try and figure 

 out the precise meaning of the time constant. Why, 

 I have had to exercise far more pains with a little rascal 

 of two pounds than with a six-pounder. 



