OVER HALF the trout you catch, deliberately but certainly not intentionally, hook themselves. You can take the credit should you wish because your listener believes you, as all anglers are traditionally truthful. Aren’t they? The hooked trout, those which might have again become free agents and in which you had a finger in snaring, were caught because you delivered the twitch at the proper time and not too forcefully. The trout mouth is not too bony and hooks penetrate without difficulty. If you feel that the fish is caught merely on the hook point, twitch the rod tip two or three times until you’re certain that the barb has penetrated the flesh or gristle.

Now that he’s securely (we hope) connected to you do not follow your natural instinct to get him in fast. Never hurry, do not get panicky or impatient. If you’re using ultra light tackle or any other kind of tackle keep a taut line, never release the rod pressure—maintain a bend in the rod to the degree which your judgment dictates is short of even the slightest danger. It certainly is a possibility that he may escape you, you don’t know for certain how securely you have him hooked or where the hook is lodged. If you’ve failed to hook him properly it’s a cinch that hurrying will separate him from you quicker than by patiently taking your time.

Even if the contact is fragile, which you don’t know at the moment, be content to take it easy until he tires. Merely hold him as steady as you can during his first two or three sashays which will certainly be forthcoming if the fish is at all alive. Should the trout head for the sunken logs, rocks, weeds or underwater brush (if there’s any in the close vicinity, that’s where he’ll try to get, for sure) you’ll have to gamble a bit on something giving ‘way, and hold him back using the bend of the rod. Refuse to let him have line unless you want to chance entanglement with those sunken obstacles or the sharp corners of rocks that might serve to part your leader. Naturally if the fish is large enough and strong enough to make you give ground to avoid breakage of some part of your tackle (broken rods have broken more hearts than loss of a mountable trout) you will have to grudgingly let him have his way with you temporarily. Should everything hold, work the “bugger” into open water where you can follow his escape maneuvers and circumvent them, where you’ll have your best opportunity to fight back, and never permit him to rest if it can be avoided.

If the fish wants to run and is of the poundage that gives you assurance that he’ll do as he darn pleases for a few moments, at least, the only advice anyone can give you is, “let him.” If you’re bank fishing at the time and the terrain permits it go with him—if you’re stymied and have to stand pat let him have your line (1 don’t mean by this that you should relax —make him struggle for every inch) and hope that you have enough on the reel to discourage him.