Chapt. ii. Playing a fish. 17 



any respite is recovery of strength, and a good sulk 

 makes him almost as bad to kill as a new fish. 



I have a theory that if the strain on the fish is kept 

 as much as possible at right angles to the current, it has 

 a greater effect on him than any other strain. If the fish 

 is down stream playing lazily about, not vigorously, per- 

 haps meditating sulks, it is obvious that he is at a great 

 advantage, he has the whole weight of the stream in his 

 favor, and you distress him very little in comparison to 

 the pull on your rod. He is practically resting and re- 

 cruiting. But get the pull to bear at right angles to the 

 force of the current, and he cannot help exerting himself 

 to keep his nose straight to the stream. If he allows 

 himself to be pulled out of his position and gets ever so 

 slightly side on to the stream, in he comes towards shore 

 immediately, is frightened at the prospect, and dashes off 

 again just as you would have him. Thus you keep him 

 at it, and very soon tire him out. 



And then to land him. Of course you have looked 

 about you, while playing him, for a shelving bank, and 

 do not dream of touching the line ; and may be you have 

 a gaff hook or landing net ; but if you have not, you will 

 find a native attendant will bring him out very well by 

 the nape of the neck, the thumb on one side, and the 

 fingers on the other entering the gills, or, if a heavy fish, 

 a thumb in each gill, and so securing a firm and unslip- 

 pery hold. You cannot take him by the tail as you can 

 a salmon, for that member is not so conveniently shaped 

 for the purpose in the Mahseer. And having caught him, 



