258 PLAYING A FISH. 



senting the "butt to him, with a firm pressure on the line, 

 until the object is attained. If he can be prevailed on 

 to take an opposite course down stream, not only will 

 the chance of a drowned line be avoided, but at the 

 same time the strain upon both rod and line will be very 

 much lessened, and the whole of the elastic power of 

 both be brought to bear directly on the fish, and the 

 victim will be much sooner exhausted, as he cannot re- 

 spire freely with his head down a strong current. If 

 the sportsman is not too indolent to make a proper use 

 of his legs in playing a fish, and retreats and advances 

 to and from the water, as well as up and down the 

 margin, according to circumstances, it is seldom that he 

 will require to let out a long line, unless in cases when 

 the fish dashes to the opposite side of the river, and 

 much trouble with the reel will thus be avoided. When 

 the angler is fishing from a boat, or in places where he is 

 hemmed in and retreat is impossible, should the fish 

 make a sudden rush directly towards his feet, it will 

 likely be impracticable to reel in the line with sufficient 

 quickness to prevent its becoming dangerously slack- 

 ened, therefore his only alternative will be to haul in 

 the line with the left hand through the rings, and allow 

 it to fall in coils at his feet, until he can find an 

 opportunity to reel it up. I must also emphatically 

 caution him against ever attempting to land a fish be- 

 fore he has fairly turned upon his side, exhibiting his 

 pectoral fins above the surface, and other unmistake- 

 able signs of complete exhaustion, when he may be 

 cautiously reeled in and gaffed. More than nine-tenths 



