Fishing the Pool 103 



Comparatively few fish are killed on casts of over 

 tv^enty-five yards, and the great majority on con- 

 siderably shorter ones. I don't think salmon are 

 so likely to rise on a long cast, as the fly is mov- 

 ing more quickly, and there is apt to be a belly in 

 the line which prevents it working so well, and 

 when they do rise they are liable to miss or be 

 slightly hooked. 



The canoe being dropped down-stream six or 

 seven yards, fishing was resumed, and through 

 this and the next drop no evidence appeared to 

 justify the belief that a salmon was in the neigh- 

 borhood. However, the temptation to change the 

 fly was successfully resisted, and at the fourth 

 drop the labors of our angler were rewarded by 

 a noble rise of a big fish well out in midstream, 

 which came with a rush and splash, showing his 

 broad tail as he descended without the fly, nor did 

 he return to it though it was not moved for a few 

 seconds. A man once went salmon fishing for the 

 first time, and after half an hour's work had a tre- 

 mendous rise. The fish missed the fly, where- 

 upon the angler thanked God and ordered his 

 Indians to put him ashore, nor could he, for the 

 rest of his stay on the river, be persuaded to run 

 the risk of repeating the experience, lest it might 



