The angler turns the fish on its back and massages the belly, rubbing toward the head. The fish makes a sound when it expells the air, hence the terminology. The dictionary-sized book contains more than 2,000 entries and 1,400 illustrations. It explains fish species and tackle. It demonstrates techniques with tables, words and pictures.
Some explanations go for pages, like the five-page entry on first aid.
Steering his small boat out on a Catskill-area lake, he launches into an explanation of spinner reels versus baitcasting reels and spinner bait versus plugs. He periodically gives a novice gentle hints on casting. He delicately examines each fish caught before slipping it back into the water. Schultz usually releases them, as if this completes a cycle for him. He wants to see to it that healthy fish live and spawn.