, 1885-06-16
WITH HOOK AND LINE,
THE GEORGIA PHILOSOPHER FOL-
LOWS GOOD OLD ISAAK WALTON.
He Thinks Fishing a Business Both
scriptural and Apostoiic-some Points
for thu Amateur Angier-Ag-
- grsvating Mish~p.


lBni Arp In Atlantic Constitutional
For a few days past ! have been going
1shing. The creek is close by and the
fish are spelling for the frying pan, and
and fishing Is such quiet. contemplated
work or play, or whatever o mi call
it. 1t is the only occupation / know Of
that Is common TO white folks and mig.
gers. to gentlemen and va%gabonds. They
are al equal on the banks of the creek. OF
around the mill pond, and the fish are no
respectors Of persons. have not enjoyed
my usunl spring fishing, and so I thought
! would make up for lost time. Lay after
day ] have been throwing bait 10 the iinny
tribe. but the weather has been cold and
the wind all wrong and | nave had awful
poor luck. But nevertheless L like fish.
ing Even II they do nibble and nibble
until they get all my bait
| wonder what make vi humans low
TO catch things and kill things that are
trying to dodge us. Nobody wants to
shoot a chicken in the yard. but he win
hunt all day u kill a few birds, or SPUR.
rel, or catch a rabbit We will wear out
a dollars worth Of clothes while hunting
for a dimes worth of game, We take no
pleasure in pursuing anything that is
tame and submissive but only banker
after that which is wild and trying to
escape. ! reckon II Is nature. just nature;
the love of dominion. II the hsh
or the squirrels would come at our
call and surrender. we would turn them
loose and say. go. gentle creature, will
not harm you. " The scriptures say, IL will
give o dominion over the fish of the
sea. and the fowls of the air aud the
beasts of the field. " and when the fish and
the fowls aud the beasts say catch me if
you can. we go at it, But af er all ii
looks rather small in n grown-up mau or
a philosopher. or a preacher. to sit on a
log half a day trying to ~outgeneral a few
little innocent perch and drown them in
the air. and all for sport-most all. we
wouldn't give more than 25 cents for the
iverage lot
But like fishing. nevertheless. and the
business Is both scriptural and apostolic
II Is the opinion at my house. however.
that l am n poor fisherman and that il
does not pay. aud that some other things
are more important Just now. So | shall
quit for a time, that is, until the water
gets warm and the sweet south wind
comes breathing upon the vic CT banks. |
never did know what fish had to do with
the wind, but Izaak Walton has settled
that question. They will not bite when
the north wind blows 1t will change
their appetite in a night Neither viii
they bite in the light OF the moon like
they will when the nights are dark A
dark moon an 4 a south wind makes fish
hungry and eager for bait
Some mon are fishermen by nature and
instinct Some wander up and down all
day and change their base every ten
minutes. and some will sit in the same
spot all day long. / knew a famous hsh.
erman in Rome n long time ago who
would wager a dollar that he could catch
a cat. or a trout. or a sucker. or a Dream
at will. He would let you name the kind
and then he would catch that kind on the
first trial. He knew their haunts aud
holes and habits, and what bait they
loved, and knew how TO fish for them. l
can't do that. | have watched something
nibbliDg at my hook for half a do en-
times and at last pulled up a little dirty
mud turtle.
That is disgusting and aggravating. but
when a long suffering fisherman acci
dentally and Unexpectedly finds a big
trout has actually grabbed his hook aud
shows fight and darts around and pitches
and cavorts. and lashes the water,
and bends your pole almost double and
you brace yourself for the great occasion
with hope in your eye and your heart in
your mouth and begin to draw him in and
up and out, and just at the inexpressible
momen of success and triumph he gives
a iiirt and falls back. Oh, what a fall
was that. my couutrymen. What goue
ness. what helplessnes. what crushing.
subdueing feelings come over a man. He
couldn't smile if he was going to be hung
If he didnt t. 1t is worse than to nave a
COW die. or to 10 left b the train. l have
experienced that. and gone home rs hum.
bic as a wet dog. II Is q 80 grief over
the loss Of a half dollar fish. But such Is
life. Little things affect us more than
big ones when we have our hopes and our
expectations wrought up to concert pitch