exercise of some such ingenuity as that described, succeed in bringing his hand into contact with a pike's teeth, or, what even more often happens, get his finger cut by the blade of a water leaf, or the sudden wrenching out of the running-line by a big fish, a capital temporary plaister is formed by a strip of fresh fish-skin, lapped round with a bit of waxed silk. This will often enable a day's fishing to be 'fished out' with pleasure, which would otherwise have been spoilt. The cut so dressed will also often heal by first intention,' as surgeons say. In many respects the most convenient form for carrying the disgorger is that of a, so to speak, extra blade attached to the fishing-knife. A blade, that is, of course, without cutting edges of any description. By carrying the disgorger in this manner, as a part of the fishing-knife, there is one thing less to be remembered every morning before starting, a blessing to absentminded trollers, such as, I am sorry to say, I am myself. Attached to a knife-handle a disgorger also becomes a much more powerful weapon; the ordinary disgorger is too short for practical purposes, and there is no handle by which to get a good hold of it. The 'knife disgorger' will be found to save both time and trouble as well as risk to the fingers. The length of disgorger which I have found, on the whole, most convenient for the purpose is shown in the diagram. The advantage of this arrangement of disgorger in trolling as well as in other fishing suggested the idea of extending the principle so as to embody in the same knife the rest of the angler's more necessary implements, and thus spare him the trouble of collecting and bestowing each before starting for the river. The fishing-knife in the engraving contains, besides the 'disgorger-blade,' a minnow-needle and a baiting-needle in a box, a really powerful blade suited for crimping, lunching, or other general purposes, a sharp-pointed pricker for loosening knots, drop-flies, &c., and lastly a strong cork-screw. The success of the 'troller's knife' led to its giving birth (though in other hands than my own) to a somewhat smaller sized offspring, suited for trout-fishing, and fishing generally other than for pike. This was brought out some years ago by Messrs. Watson and Son, fishing tackle makers, of High Holborn. The subject of Landing-Nets, Gaffs, and Gaffing demands a few words of notice at this point. In the ordinary business of pike-fishing from the punt or bank, the extreme portability of the net is of small importance. Any net will do, in fact, which is large enough for the purpose, and the only hint on the subject that need be given is that in order to avoid the catching of the hooks in the net the latter is best made of oiled silk. In all cases the longer the handle A MECHANICALLY-CORRECT GAFF. the better; a bamboo handle, which has the advantage also of being able to carry a spare top or two, is the lightest and most convenient. For pike-fishing, when unattended, I never myself use anything except the gaff, carried over my shoulder on the portable net handle (figured at p. 212),—an arrangement which needs little argument to commend itself to the practical pike-fisher. To the spinner especially the gaff presents considerable advantage over the landing-net, as it almost invariably happens that some of the hooks of the flight are outside and not inside the fish's mouth, and are thus apt to get caught and inconveniently entangled in the net. In fact, the landing of pike caught spinning with a net leads to a frequent destruction of the flights, the fish pulling one way and the net holding the other; and even if a séparation de corps between the various hooks does not occur there and then, they are likely to be permanently weakened and their efficiency impaired. The disentangling of the hooked pike from the net is also far from a pleasant operation. The gaff for pike-fishing should not be so large as that which can be used with advantage for salmon, but the bend of hook which is best in one is best for the other. A gaff of the form shown in the engraving and measuring about two inches across the hook will be probably found on the whole the most convenient size and shape. It may not be out of place, perhaps, to repeat here a few suggestions that may help the tyro in learning how to gaff his own or his friend's fish. There is a 'high art,' of course, attainable in gaffing as in everything else, and it may even be said that special qualities, physical and mental, are required to make a really first-rate gaffer. Steady nerves and a lightninglike rapidity of decision are amongst the qualities most essential. Nor must the capacity for rapid decision be divorced from its proper complement, rapidity of action. The gaffer should beware of letting the 'I dare not' wait upon 'I would.' He must be ever ready, in fact, to perceive the auspicious moment, and to give instantaneous effect to the perception. The process reminds one of the sort of sudden encounter described as a 'word and a blow,' except that a blow is about the last thing to be resorted to by a successful gaffer; and that brings me to the threatened hints for beginners, by attending to which they will possibly save the loss of many good fish. 1. Never thrust your gaff forward until you are prepared to strike, and never make any half-attempts. These feints generally scare the fish, and not unfrequently cut the line. 2. Under ordinary circumstances do not attempt to gaff a pike that is more than a foot below the surface, or until he is pretty fairly spent. The best position in which to gaff a fish is when he is 'broadside on.' 3. The proper place to gaff is as near as possible behind the shoulder. 4. The critical moment having arrived, rapidly, but at the same time steadily, extend your gaff over and beyond the shoulder of the fish, bringing it gently down upon it, as it were. Then a short sharp jerk from the wrist and elbow will drive in the gaff without prematurely frightening the fish or endangering the tackle. 5. Once more, above all things avoid anything like giving a blow with the gaff. This is likely to prove fatal to everythingexcept the fish. But to continue the question of the fisherman's equipment. A subject not yet treated of in this volume is that of how to carry the fish when they are caught-I mean Fishing-baskets and Bags. In the first volume (pp. 92-97) some descriptions will be found of the latest improvements in the matter of creels and fishcarriers. For purposes of pike-fishing, where the game is apt to be lengthy, either a large wicker creel, such as that sometimes used for salmon, or a wide 'bag,' with extending sides, is necessary to carry the fish with any comfort. Where sport is really good, however, either with pike or salmon, some other means will have to be hit upon, as circumstances may indicate, in substitution for bags and baskets. In each case it is quite out of the question to attempt carrying one's own fish. I have often known even the extensive well of a Thames punt so far filled by the results of a successful foray that the occupants had to be removed and prematurely despatched to avoid suffocating the baits and each other. For the ordinary purposes of float-fishing —or even jack-fishing where, as I say, the fish are not too large or too plentiful-Farlow's or Hardy's creel, or one of the fish carriers already referred to of the largest size, will be found practically to answer every purpose; all of them, in different ways, have the advantage of containing tackle or luncheon compartments separate from the fish-carrying portion. |