REASONS FOE STRIKING GENTLY AT SALMON. 49 



tion or calculation, but almost by instinct. Some- 

 thing, I cannot say what, tells me that a fish is 

 " at " me, and, consequently, I am promptly at 

 him in the sly way he has come at me. 



Let us inquire, why I recommend gentle and 

 somewhat slow striking. I am of opinion, that in 

 the majority of rises a salmon half hooks itself. 

 Consider what a very sharp thing the point of a 

 good hook is, and how easily it is inserted into 

 moderately soft substances by very slight resist- 

 ance. Now, consider the weight of a descending 

 salmon with this sharply-pointed thing in its 

 mouth, and consider, also, the resistance offered 

 by a taut line, which the salmon's descent is 

 tightening more and more, and you will not deem 

 it at all surprising that the fish should half hook 

 itself. If you concede me so much, you will 

 then concede that nothing more than a gentle 

 stroke, or short, sharpish pull on my part is ne- 

 cessary to insert in some part of the fish's mouth 

 the hook beyond the barb. Again, another reason 

 why I favour gentle striking. If I miss my fish, 

 it is done with such gentleness that it causes no 

 serious alarm, and you may, therefore, reasonably 

 hope for a second rise. A third reason for gentle 

 striking is, that by making use of it you give the 

 fish full and fair time to close its mouth on the 

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