120 The Atlantic Salmon 



above, they hate to leave, and generally remain 

 there until gaffed. When a salmon is sufficiently 

 tired out to be gaffed, the gaffer should go below 

 him, entering the water far enough below the fish 

 not to scare him, and remain there in a stooping 

 position with his gaff outstretched, and perfectly 

 still, until the fish is brought inside the reach of 

 the gaff by the angler, when it is to be gently 

 lowered beyond the shoulder of the fish and 

 quickly pulled inward. Striking at the fish with 

 the gaff is not to be permitted, or moving toward 

 him as he is coming down-stream. In case the 

 fish takes alarm or is evidently not coming within 

 reach of the gaff from where the gaffer is stand- 

 ing, he should come out of the water and enter it 

 again farther below, and never attempt to gaff 

 the fish until he is sure of him, for a salmon fre- 

 quently regains a good share of his pristine vigor 

 from being wounded by a gaff or even vainly 

 struck at by one. He will much more readily be 

 brought up to shore where the water is of moder- 

 ate depth than where it is very shallow, and, as I 

 mentioned above, where the current is not rapid. 

 In gaffing from a boat, it should be below the 

 fish, the angler facing up-stream and well back in 

 the boat, and the gaffer ahead of him in the bow. 



