Salmon Fishing. 145 



that he wouldn't come, I got into the boat and determined to fish him 

 from the other side. This did not pay either ; but as I was casting from 

 close under the bank on the south shore I got a noble rise from a 161b. 

 or 181b. fish. The fish made one dash right across the river to the bank 

 on the far side. There he stopped and sulked. A sulking salmon, with 

 fifty or sixty yards of line out right across stream, is not pleasant. 

 So I hustled Johnny a bit, who was disposed to take things quietly. 

 " Sure there's nothing there, yer banner, but small stones ; he can't 

 harm ye." Nevertheless, when I got over the fish, with the rod bent 

 in him, he moved about a yard or so, and then the fly came away. 

 Loss No. 1. 



I then went across and fished the Bank of Ireland blank, and on to 

 the Black Rock. This is a great cast for a big one, and I had not 

 made three casts when a huge carcase like a pig rolled up, with the 

 most lovely head and tail rise, and carried my fly down to the bottom, 

 as I gave him " one for himself." The beast lay at the bottom with 

 my fly in his mouth, perfectly still, for half a minute, while I took in 

 the situation. If he went up, I could follow him some distance ; if he 

 went down, I couldn't follow him a yard. 



" What'U I do, Johnny, if he- goes down ? " I asked. 



"Sure ye'll have to swim for it, for its deep wather all round the 

 rock." 



This was cheering, but at this moment I was relieved from any further 

 uneasiness, for the beautiful bow described by the rod suddenly relaxed, 

 and the fly flew up in the air. 



Jolmny and I collapsed ; we looked at each other for two minutes in 

 sUent dismay. 



" Sorra a bigger baste I ever seen hooked on the Erne," said Johnny 

 at last. I have landed salmon of more than 301b. weight, and if I had 

 been asked if this was as big I would have said " bigger and a good 

 deal bigger." 



We tackled up, walked back to the boat, crossed, and walked down 

 the north shore. Moss Bow or Mois Rhua (the Red Bank) and the 

 Earl's Throw had rather too much water to-day to make wading very 



V 



