134 SCIENCE OF FISHING. 



where large fish are caught sometimes. In using a landing 

 net you should submerge the net and lead the fish over it, 

 then raise the net In gaffing a fish, if not very large, put the 

 hook in his mouth. It is best to shoot a large pike or a 

 muskellunge before you attempt to gaff him, using a revolver 

 or .22 caliber rifle. Otherwise set the gaff into the underside 

 of the body well back towards the tail. 



Large sea fish are handled the same as fresh-water fish, 

 except that being larger and stronger it is more difficult to 

 cheek their rushes, and a large fish like the tarpon or tuna 

 will sometimes take out several hundred yards of line before 

 you can stop him, even though you may have a handle drag 

 set at a heavy tension, and a leather brake pressed down 

 with the thumb. If you have neither brake nor drag, which 

 is unwise where big fish are found, you must have thumb- 

 stalls so that the revolving, line-wound spool of the reel 

 will not burn your thumbs, for you must sometimes press 

 both thumbs on the reel as hard as possible. Then sometimes 

 when you get the fish stopped, you cannot induce him to 

 come nearer and he may even attempt another rush. In such 

 cases the fisherman "pumps" the fish, and slowly recovers 

 his line, foot by foot. For this a leather belt with a rod 

 cup for the butt of the rod, is worn. The butt of the rod 

 is set in the cup and with both hands the angler raises 

 the rod by main strength, drawing the fish several feet nearer, 

 then he suddenly lowers the tip of the rod and reels in the 

 several feet of line that he has gained. The operation is 

 repeated again and again as long as the fish will stand for 

 it, but when he gets tired of it he makes another run and 

 must be pumped again. Only stout tackle, the kind used 

 for sea fishing, will stand such use. 



