FLATINO A FISH. 7 9 



bank, the angler can get behind him and pull him down 

 stream, as he will not so very long be able to withstand 

 the combined efforts of the rod and stream. 



It is not uncommon to hear the remarks, '^I rose" so 

 many fish, and "I always drown my fish''; but we must 

 confess to being very bad at rising fish, as nineteen 

 out of every twenty salmon we have ever caught have 

 annexed the fly under water, making no break upon 

 the surface ; and as far as drowning fish is concerned, 

 they have been perhaps nearer drowning us than we 

 them upon many occasions. Of course, when a fish is 

 dead-beat he can easily be pulled down stream, but 

 virtually he has to be killed first ; at all events, we have 

 as yet failed to come across the fish who has quietly 

 submitted to the drowning process; but we have not 

 perhaps given it sufficient trial, preferring to keep the 

 hook if we can in one position in the fish's jaw. 



We look with a certain amount of suspicion upon 

 the habitual " riser " and ^' drowner,'' and if obliged to 

 find them should draw no further than smoking- 

 rooms. 



