Trout tickling

Trout tickling is the art of rubbing the underbelly of a trout using fingers. The trout will go into a trance-like state after a minute or so, and can then easily be thrown onto the nearest bit of dry land.

Trout tickling is mentioned in a few of Shakespeare's plays: in Twelfth Night, the servant Maria refers to the approach of the hated Malvolio, head of Olivia's household, with the words "for here comes the trout that must be caught with tickling" (Act 2, Scene 5). Maria and others are conspiring to trap Malvolio into acting foolishly by forging a love letter from Olivia.

Trout tickling is also mentioned as a poaching method in Roald Dahl's classic novel Danny the Champion of the World