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CHAPTER XVL 

 SALMON BAIT-FISHING AND SPINNING. 



ANOTHER method of capturing 

 salmon may be classified under 

 the head of bait-fishing. The 

 prawn and worm are the chief 

 lures. The latter is not to be en- 

 couraged, save under exceptional 

 circumstances. When it is used 

 the lobworm is the best bait, 

 mounted on a single hook, and 

 attached to a gut trace. There is 

 no particular art in this form of 

 angling, and nothing to learn 

 beyond what a trout worm-fisher 

 already knows. 



Prawn fishing is a higher art, 

 and has this to commend it, that 

 on a very hot day, when salmon 

 do not rise to the fly, they will 

 take the prawn. The method of 

 mounting it on a needle and flight 

 of hooks, is anything but com- 

 mendable. In the Shannon and 

 other Irish rivers, where a large 

 proportion of fish are caught with 

 the prawn, no such device is 

 used. Where salmon are plentiful, 

 a prawn bristling over with hooks 

 becomes mischievous in more 

 senses than one. A large pro- 

 portion of the fish will be hooked 

 outside, however careful one may 

 be, which raises a suspicion of 

 snatching. Where the river is 

 rocky the bait will b*e stuck half 

 its time in the bottom. A i/o 

 single hook tied on a link of gut is 

 all that is required. The point is 

 inserted at the tail of the prawn, 

 and the crustacean is threaded on 

 as far as it will go, like a worm. 

 In this way the hook is com- 

 pletely embedded. It is then 

 wrapped round with prawn- 

 coloured cotton from the head to 

 the tail. This plan prevents it 



from being torn off in casting, or 

 by the strength of the current. 

 The point of^the hook does not 

 protrude, and a salmon may be 

 touched many times without being 

 hooked foul (vide illustration). A 

 gut trace two yards long, leaded 

 according to the swiftness of the 

 water, completes this part of the 

 outfit. 



The way to fish is to cast across 

 stream and let the prawn drift 

 down, raising the rod high enough 

 to keep the bait from touching 

 the bottom. As the prawn works 

 round, a jerky motion is given to 

 it by gently pulling the line with 

 the left hand to and fro through 

 the rings. A salmon approaches 

 the bait in different ways, which 

 have to be studied. At one time 

 the prawn is pulled so vigorously 

 that there is no doubt about the 

 fish having taken a firm hold. In 

 such a case there is a double tug, 

 one caused by the sudden stoppage 

 of the drifting bait, the other by 

 the movement of the fish's head 

 after securing it. When this is 

 felt the fish must be struck as 

 rapidly as possible, and there will 

 be little doubt about hooking him. 

 Another fish snaps at the prawn, 

 and removes the middle cut ,as 

 neatly as with a sharp instrument. 

 Striking means scaring under 

 such circumstances. It is better 

 to mount a fresh bait and offer it 

 again ; the salmon will probably 

 like the sample, and take a more 

 liberal helping. Frequently the 

 prawn is treated like a worm, and 

 time should be given to the fish. 

 Two or three slight pulls will be 

 felt, then the crustacean will be 



