214 ADVANTAGE OF FINE TACKLE. 



their attacks towards its tail, viewing it as an 

 object of pursuit, you need not be afraid of your 

 trolling-hook being too long, so as to come out 

 rather behind the vent, when it will do most 

 execution. Many a very large trout has, how- 

 ever, been taken merely by the lip-hook. On 

 such occasions .much skill is requisite. Every 

 angler ought to make allowance for the possibility 

 of such an attack, and to avoid all pulls and jerks, 

 such as either might tear out the hook, or, by 

 irritating the fish, cause him to make such efforts 

 as would produce his liberation. 



" Indeed, it is by keeping the utmost command 

 over your own hand, and by avoiding that 

 childish propensity, too prevalent in many, of 

 getting an early sight, and of making the fish 

 struggle and leap, that you will complete your 

 purpose. In that quiet, temperate, and forbearing 

 mode, which distinguishes the expert angler, 

 much finer tackle may be used; whence your 

 basket will be more readily filled, expecially with 

 the more choice kinds of fish." 



The above somewhat long extract should be 

 carefully digested, for it contains several whole- 

 some truths, and the last little paragraph of it 

 embodies a valuable angling axiom or two. 



It is supposed by some that large pike are 

 caught less seldom by spinning than by trolling 

 with the gorge-bait. If the supposition be true, 



