THE GAFF. 39 



place to insert your gaff-hook is beneath the gills 

 of a fish in his gasping movements. The next best 

 place is beneath one of the pectoral fins, by a sharp 

 stroke. When you intend to gaff your fish be- 

 neath the breast or belly, put the gaff outside and 

 beneath him, the point upwards, and if possible 

 towards you. Then strike sufficiently strong to 

 make the barb penetrate beyond the skin, and 

 then, if you cannot land him, he must be very 

 strong, or you must be very weak, or something 

 for angling purposes much worse. Remember 

 this caution ; never fly- fish without a landing 

 net or gaff. 



The author of the " Encyclopaedia of Eural 

 Sports " says, " Some directions with regard 

 to the use of the landing net may be necessary 

 to the tyro, who, when he has hooked any fish 

 beyond one of the smallest size, should never 

 attempt to lift it out of the water by means of the 

 line, still less by means of the rod and line toge- 

 ther ; for although neither may break, both may 

 be strained, or the hook may break, or the hold 

 on the fish give way. Every one of these accidents 

 we have seen occur through the want of a landing 

 net. In fly-fishing, where the line is long and 

 there is not much space to step backwards, or 

 where the reel is clogged, it is necessary some- 

 times to lay hold of the line with one hand ; but 

 this should be done with great caution, and then 



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