THE SALMON 



casting can be managed with a light rod. Waders are 

 not absolutely necessary, but as there is usually a 

 shallow on one side or the other of a pool, they are a 

 convenience, especially as they enable one to cross and 

 recross the numerous fords and take advantage of the 

 wind, which, when right for one cast, is wrong for 

 another. 



The principal difficulty of fishing is caused by 

 the wind, which makes the best curl on the water when 

 it is against the stream, and it is often both strong and 

 squally. 1 once succeeded in sending the point of 

 my hook right through the palm of my hand, hooking 

 myself so firmly that after vainly endeavouring to 

 break off the barb, 1 had to cut the feathers off the 

 fly and pass it through the other way. Notwithstand- 

 ing the deep channel and the high banks, 1 have seen 

 waves almost breaking on the pools, and, if only the 

 wind is fairly steady, it is hardly possible to have it too 

 rough. Usually a perfectly calm day is fatal to all 

 prospect of sport, but occasionally a sort of tempor- 

 ary insanity seems to come over fish, and they take 

 the fly in a manner and under circumstances wholly 

 unaccountable and incomprehensible. 1 remember 

 especially one day when, at dead low water and with a 

 glassy calm, I stood by a still pool, and after watching 

 for some time a shoal of small salmon and grilse 



