HABITS OF THE SALMON. 19 



water, one cast being excellent while the river is 

 large, another while it is small. 



The day of kelt-fishing being past, it is unnecessary 

 to enter at length upon the habits of the salmon while 

 it is in that state. Weak and worn-out by the labour 

 of spawning, kelted fish fall back from the streams 

 in which they have been carrying on their breeding 

 operations, into quiet pools, where they can lie at ease 

 without requiring to use that constant exertion of fin 

 necessary to their maintaining their position in strong 

 running water. The " tail of the stream, " just where 

 the water is losing its visible motion in the pool, is 

 perhaps the most favourable place at the opening of 

 the season or the pool itself if the water is heavy or 

 if there is a good wind ; but as the fish begin to 

 " mend" (that is, to recover strength and condition, 

 which they partially do as they descend to the sea), 

 they advance more freely into the streams, and a 

 straggler may be caught almost anywhere if they are 

 plentiful. It may be regarded as a maxim in all kinds 

 of salmon-fishing, however, that the fish lie and feed 

 chiefly where they can find some sort of shelter behind 

 a large stone or beneath a shelving rock. It is from 

 a hauld of this kind that the salmon, kelted or clean, 

 keeps a look-out upon the stream ; and, as the fly 

 comes temptingly past it with short jerks contending 

 with the current, and opening and shutting its wings 

 in its apparent efforts to hold its own the fish sails 

 warily out, follows it round for a few yards, and finally, 

 as it appears about to leave the part of the water that 

 is his peculiar domain, makes a rapid plunge and en- 

 gulps the treacherous steel. Often, however, a salmon 



