''Sometimes a body may keep threshin' the water for a week 

 without seein' a snout— and sometimes a body hyucks a fish at the 

 very first thrau ! "'—Christopher North. 



"Salmon fishing is, to all other kinds of angling, as buck 

 shooting to shooting of any meaner description. The salmon is 

 in this particular the king of fish. It requires a dexterous hand 

 and an accurate eye to raise and strike him ; and when this is 

 achieved, the sport is only begun, where, even in trout angling, 

 unless in case of an unusually lively and strong fish, it is at once 

 commenced and ended. Indeed the most sprightly trout that ever 

 was hooked, shows mere child's play in comparison to a fresh run 

 salmon." — Sir Walter Scott. 



" 'I chose the largest fly I could find,' said the captain, 'be- 

 cause the water here is very deep and strong ; and as the salmon 

 lies near the bottom I must have a large fly to attract his atten- 

 tion ; but I must not have a gaudy fly. because the water is so 

 clear that the sparkle of the tinsel would be more glittering than 

 anything in nature ; and the fish, when he had risen and come 

 near enough to distinguish it, would be very apt to turn short.' 



" ' You have it now, precisely,' said the parson ; ' the depth of 

 the water regulates the size of the fly, and the clearness of the 

 water its colors. This rule, of course, is not without exceptions ; 

 if it were there would be no science in fishing. The sun, the wind, 

 the season, the state of the atmosphere, must also be taken into 

 consideration ; for instance, this rapid we are going to fish now, 

 is the very same water we have been fishing in below, and there- 

 fore just as clear, but it is rough, and overhung by rocks and 

 trees. I mean therefore to put on a gayer fly than any we have 

 used hitherto.' " — Rev. Henry Newland. 



" I unhesitatingly assert that there is no single moment with 

 horse or gun into which is concentrated such a thrill of hope, 

 fear, expectation, and exultation, as that of the rise and success- 

 ful striking of a heavy salmon. I have seen men literally unable 

 to stand, or to hold their rod, from sheer excitement. "— H. Chol- 

 mondeley-PennelL 



