Nick's hand is shaking. He slowly reels in his empty hook. He vaguely feels a little sick, as though it would be better to sit down.
These details illustrate Hemingway's belief that if people — men, in particular — give in to their emotions, they are in danger of losing everything. For Nick, the thrill of hooking this large trout is overwhelming. Some may also surmise that the trout represent happy memories, and that this big trophy trout that gets away is a symbol for a memory that made Nick very happy but didn't come to fruition for whatever reason. The emotional investment in something that makes him happy that he ultimately can't connect with again at this point in his recovery is a sickening disappointment to him, especially because it's his fault. However, after the jarring experience of war, Nick must expect to "lose a few" at first during his journey into his own river of recovery.
After he rests and smokes, Nick rebaits, and this time, upon reentering the river, he works his rod carefully. He catches a good-sized trout, and note that he says that it was "good" to hold — he had "one good trout." Nick catches another, but for the second time, the trout gets away, although this time, it isn't Nick's fault. The fish dives into heavy underbrush.
