The star of Pascagoula. [volume] (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1873-1878, 1877-06-15
LANDING A TROUT.
r,,,es, uetweeu ~ Mine Ounce Rod and
I, eel uad FISH,

little fellow out of "A brook three ieet
across, with a pole six inches around al
the butt, and so heavy as to require poth
hands and feet to hold it out. No; that's
not "landing a trout" But did you
aver sit in a boat with nine ounce OF
lance wood for Il rod and two hundred
feet of braided silk OH your double-acting
reel and hook a trout whose STRAIN
broucht tin and butt together as you
checked him in some wild flight, and
tested your ouivering line from gut 10
reel Knot? No one knows what game
there is in a trout unless he has fought
II ont. matching such a rod against a
three pound fish, with forty feet OF water
underneath, and a clear, unlmpededsweeP
around him. All, then 1t Is that one
discovers what will and energy lie "lthlh
the notified skin Of a trout, and what
miracle of velocity he is when reused.
| love the rifle, and / have looked along
the siohts and held the leaping blood
hack bv an effort of will, ~steadylug my
self for the shot, when my veins fairy
tingued with the exhilarating excitement
If The moment; but ii one should ask me
what is nv conception of pure physical
hanniness' | should assure him that the
HIGHEST beautitude | ever expect to reach
is, on some future day, when the sun Is
occasionally yelled by clouds, to SIT III a
boat once more upon that little lake, ana
match again a Conroy rod against a
three.pound trout. That's what l call
happiness. ~ and q we
onerward discovered, the huge salmon
hook was buried in the shank AMID tne
nerves which lie at the root OF a trouI
tongue. Then came a hight Tor inc
mastery, such as never before had 1
waged with anything thatswlms. WORDS
should have life in them to depict the
scene. Quick as a fash, before | had
fairly recovered my balance, partially
lost nv the energy with which | struck,
the trout started, and before | could get
a pressure upon the line not twenty
Yards were lett upon the reel. A quick
stroke from John, and the boat shot to
one side, and bearing stoutly on MN,
taskine the rod to the last ounce OF
resistance, | slowly swayed him about
and recovered a little slack. After a few
sbnrt sweeps he doubled on the line, ana
hot straight for the boata as an arrow from
a bow. .,r
"Double, and be hanged to you -
shouted John, as he SHE'D the light shell
to one side and swung it around SO as to
keen me facing the fish, III you ge'
under this boat it will be because thls
paddle breaks" undo,
rs. he dove to the bottom. Let MIN
rest a moment" said John recover
vomr line; you'll need it all when he
rises. He's big and ugly, and his mex
rush will be like lightning"
After | had slowed away sorae forty
wards upon the reel, winding it on hare
and evenly, 50 that it would render we'll
= 7 began to feel of the fish. The frs
!, nressure elected only a shake. At Thu
: next he described a circle, still keeplns
to the bottom, then came to a stand still
He acted ugly. | felt that when tn
r IRISH came it would try nerve and tat x.
1 alike. Enioining John to watch the fist
and favor me all he could, and by III
' means to let him pass under the boat,
s rave a quick, sharp jerk. My arm wa
. Sstill in the air, and the rod unstralght
ened. when | caught a glance Tar beloV
t me and before | had time to WINK tn
n huge fellow parted the water almos
within reach of my own arm, ana n
high up in mid air he shook himself Tn
It crystal drops were flung INTO my yer
e face. Perhaps l shall live long enoug.
% to forget the picture, as that trout fof a
lie interval hung in the air, his blue blac
n and azure sides spotted GOLD with an
n agate, his fins edged with snowy whit
his ewes protruding, gills %distended, til
n leader hanging from his jaws. while
d shower of pearly drops were shaken frol
his sides, He fell but while still In tn
air the boat sided backward, and whe
- he touched the water | was thirty fet
n. awav and ready for his rush. 1t came
and as he passed us, some forty feet OF
In oiovp the water as a bolt from a eros
he how might cleave the air. Possibly Il
he 6yo minutes the frenzy lasted. Not
at word was uttered. The whlzz OF u
lie line through the water, the whir OF Il
We living reel, and an occasional grunt 1ro
nd Iobn as the fish doubled on the DO
alf we're the only sounds to be a
pr When suddenly in one OF his wilde
os a;abts the terribly-taxed rod straigf
m. anSed itself out with a spring. the pre-
,or S,re ceased. the line slackened, and t
us fish lay again On 'ho 1900
the sweat from my brow, turned
John and said, What do you think
"Mr. Murray" replied John, layi
lev the paddle down and drawing the slee
NJ of his wooden shirt across his forene
to- headed with perspiration, that fsh
.lso uglv if he should get the line over
cal back he'd smash the rod like a pl
her stem" u
the "He won't get IL oVer MS paoA,
all rlied 7, "Ready with your paid
hat he's getting too much breath"
the "Rut | saw" said John, looking al
.;nnatelv at the rod, as he took up
naddle. If was in your place, and
scts did get the line over his shoulde
sses weuld part my tackle before L smasi
+ of that rod" -,
he az won't do either, john" and a
Nth answered | rave a jerk, and the tr
started again. Twice did ne break
surface a hundred feet away, fling
himself out like a black bass. once
he PARTIALLY get the leader over his b
and dashed away like lightning, W
I'm John, anxious to save SO true a roo i
ruin, shouted to me, part tne y
NJ But who ever knew a hshermsn "
"i his blood was up, refuse a risk to |;
the game? / screamed to John TO 81
the boat to one side. and when the
foot of silk was given 1 advanced
butt. The heavy fish and plant
were pittied one against the other,
owe a moment the quivering tip ratified
the bars of the reel. The fish strug
and shook himself, but the tenac
6bers would not part. He ceased
- battle, came painting to the surface,