126 Angling Travels in Norway. 



in the fingers of the hand which grasps the fly rod at 

 or below its reel. 



The moment I feel a fish take the minnow or spoon, 

 I draw the line smartly back and strike hard, and whether 

 the fish be on or oft", I have the satisfaction of knowing 

 that I have done my best to drive the hooks home. 

 When fishing with compound tackle, for a change, I 

 occasionally adopt another system — a very simple one. 

 I lay the two rods down in the bottom of the boat, 

 pointing in different directions, and I hold a line in each 

 hand, and strike hard as soon as I feel a touch. 



I have been told that this system is more dangerous 

 to the hands than to the fish, but I have not found it 

 so, for I notice that a salmon, upon being hooked, requires 

 about a second to appreciate the situation, which affords 

 the angler ample time to grasp the rod, but if the 

 angler be not very " quick on his fish," he may lose this 

 second, and perhaps had better not practise this system. 



The baits should be carefully laid upon the water, 

 and not thrown in anyhow, for obvious reasons. 



" I THINK we've met before, DOCTOR.' 



