150 MODERN PRACTICAL ANGLER. 



difficulty of Salmon-fishing. Two causes combine to 

 make the moment of striking a critical one : In the first 

 place the Salmon is so large and bright, and in the second 

 so comparatively slow-moving, owing to his bulk, that the 

 eye almost certainly perceives him in the water before 

 he has actually taken the fly ; when a premature stroke, 

 an almost instinctive tightening of the muscles and Hne, 

 at once snatches the fly from the fish, and the fish from 

 the creel. The art is to resist for a moment the 

 inclination to strike ; only for one moment, but long 

 enough to allow the f;sh to take and turn down again 

 with the fly ; and then strike if you will : not a slight 

 hesitating blow like the tap of a lady's fan— for there is 

 often a long line and a heavy strain on it between the 

 Salmon and his would-be captor — but a strong, steady, 

 determined stroke bringing the line up as flat as a knife, 

 and driving the tapering hook-point well in over the barb. 



Next to the number of Salmon lost through striking 

 too quickly, are those lost from striking too feebly. I 

 repeat, therefore, strike strongly and hard, as I have 

 described, and repeat the stroke by way of making 

 sure. If the tackle will not stand this strain it is a 

 clear proof that it is not fit for Salmon-fishing. A 

 weak stroke is worse than useless, because whilst it fails 

 to make the hook penetrate, it provokes the fish to 

 a sudden violent effort to rid himself of it, and thus 

 lessens the chance of his hooking himself. 



If the above mode of striking is adopted, not more 



