HOOKS, TACKLE AND FISHING GEAR. 3 



same degree as in the extreme cases above referred to, inas- 

 much as such abodes of bliss in regard to salmon have un- 

 fortunately long ceased to exist either in the British Islands or 

 anywhere else within comfortable travelling range of Charing 

 Cross. Every year the rent of a salmon river goes up ; already 

 it is but little less than that of a grouse moor, and what it may 

 eventually come to, if we are not all ruined in the meantime, 

 doth not yet appear. 



Naturally, those who pay so dearly for their mile or half- 

 mile of salmon water make up their minds to get the utmost 

 they can out of it in the way of sport. The pools are assi- 

 duously fished whenever the water is in ' possible ' condition, 

 and sometimes perhaps when its condition is ' impossible/ 

 Often they are fished over two or three times a day ; and the 

 consequence is that, at any rate after having been in the fresh 

 water for some little time, and successfully resisted the first 

 seductions thrown in his way, the salmon becomes mu~h more 

 shy and wary, and untemptable by fly or bait unless presented 

 in the most enticing fashion. 



To this end the refinement of every part of the fishing gear 

 is one of the principal, indeed, the chief means. Like his 

 ' star-stoled ' cousin of the chalk streams, he scrutinises with a 

 practised glance the object which is glittering before his eyes ; 

 and, however attractive may be the lure, if the ' line of invita- 

 tion,' as some one calls it, with which it is presented be coarse 

 or clumsy, or of flattened and, therefore, non-transparent gut, it 

 is ten to one that he will ' decline with thanks.' In short, as 

 'fine and far off' might betaken, in the case of the trout fisher, 

 as the password to success, so * neatness and strength ' should 

 be the shibboleth of the salmon fisher. 



I make no apology, therefore, for dwelling in some detail 

 upon each item of the fly-fisher's equipment, and more espe- 

 cially on that which constitutes the alpha and omega of the 

 whole matter, namely, THE HOOK. 



B2 



