HOOKS AND BAIT. 23 



direction to be given for worm-fishing for salmon is to 

 be careful not to strike or in any way to check the sal- 

 mon when he seizes the bait. The angler must hold 

 a yard or two of line in his hand, unwound from the 

 reel, and keeping down the point of his rod, must let 

 it out, with whatever more is required, as smoothly 

 and uninterruptedly as possible. The salmon at first 

 merely seizes the bait in his mouth, in the manner of 

 the pike, and proceeds to his hold before attempting to 

 swallow it. The angler must not be induced to strike 

 even by pretty strong tugs from the fish, as he is then 

 merely mouthing it, and must wait until he stops, 

 or until something like a steady pull upon the line 

 takes place. 



Parr-tail and minnow are- more enticing to kelts 

 than to clean fish, and it is difficult to state the times 

 at which these are particularly tempting baits to 

 newly-run salmon. The best rule is to resort to them 

 only in circumstances when fly-fishing is found to be 

 unsuccessful ; but a frosty day in spring is generally con- 

 sidered favourable. The baits, both the parr-tail and 

 minnow, ought to be larger than those used in trout- 

 fishing ; the tackle ought of course to correspond with 

 the baits and the strength of the fish angled for ; and 

 the spinning ought to be rather more deliberate than 

 when trout are the object in view. The ordinary sal- 

 mon-casts are the places adapted for them. 



Of course the first great point in salmon -fishing is 

 to hook the salmon ; but even then, it is rather pre- 

 mature to count upon the shoulder-cut for dinner. 

 The " monarch of the tide" is still in his own element, 

 and he must be caught before he is cooked. It is 



