FLY FISHING FOR TROUT AND GRAYLING. 299 
that are said to break the casting line are in fact lost by the 
eager violence of the striker, acting upon dry or ill-tied knots. 
I could say more on this subject did space permit. Thus 
much, however, as a parting precept. Never be in a hurry, 
especially when you see a good fish rise. Take your time, as 
he will take his, and the result will not disappoint you. 
Our fish is now hooked, and the next question is how to 
deal with him. Some of our angling friends call this ‘ working 
a fish,’ some ‘playing’—the former term, perhaps, having an 
objective, the other a subjective reference. Nevertheless, 
Halieus must sometimes work very hard, or Salmo will have 
the play all to himself. Two general principles may be laid 
down: first, the strain kept up on the fish should be the 
greatest attainable without overtaxing the strength of the tackle 
—which should be a known quantity—or the /o/d of the hook, 
which the most experienced angler cannot always calculate 
accurately ; secondly, the direction of the butt should never 
make an obtuse angle with the line—in most cases a decidedly 
acute one. As for ‘showing a fish the butt,’ it is very desirable 
in general. But if you do so when fishing with a single-handed 
trout rod in a deep stream with hollow banks, you only aid 
that inward rush of your fish which is but too likely to wreck 
your tackle. Never bring your fish to the surface till he is 
quite spent ; he may break the hold, if not heavy enough to 
break your tackle. Don’t go trouting without a landing net, 
whatever certain writers of the rough-and-ready school may 
say. And if you have an attendant,’ don’t let him land your 
fish till you know that you can fully trust him, 
Thus far I have dwelt wholly on what may be called the 
destructive side of the fly-fishing question, and have tried to 
show how the accomplished professor of ‘Fine and far off’ may 
1 [In many places, especially in Ireland, it is most difficult to get an atten- 
dant to stand still and allow the angler to bring the fish tohim. Rushing 
down to or into the water with landing net or gaff is fatal, and loses many 
fish. —ED. ] 
