SALMON FISHING. 69 



neither prudent nor practicable to hold him too hard, then you must 

 try to keep on terms with him by means of your own movements on 

 the bank side ; for it is to be presumed that, although you may have 

 hooked your fish when wading in mid-stream, you have taken the earliest 

 opportunity of wading ashore. 



Keep nearly level with him, or down stream of him if you can, 

 and get the weight of the water acting against him as well as the weight 

 of the line. Never try to force a fish up a heavy stream unless such 

 a course is absolutely necessary, for the weight of the water, added to 

 that of the fish, may unduly strain your tackle. That you may be 

 compelled to try to prevent his going down stream at times goes without 

 saying, for it may be absolutely necessary to do so ; but to endeavour 

 to force a fresh and strong fish up stream against his will is to court 

 disaster. Should you have decided that your fish, if it is to be killed 

 at all, must be kept in the pool in which he then is at all hazards, 

 by judiciously giving him his head, by means of taking off the strain, 

 may frequently induce him to abandon his attempt to force his way 

 down stream, and, under the impression that he has already gained 

 his freedom, he may often, of his own free will, head up stream once 

 again. It is a risky, but often the only, course to adopt, if you cannot 

 or will not follow a fish down. 



Mr. Sidney Buxton, in that most charming of books, " Fishing and 

 Shooting" (John Murray, 1902), sums up the whole matter admirably 

 when he describes catching and playing salmon as " living moments." 



I have seen stalwart soldiers, and I have one V.C. particularly 

 before my eyes at the moment of writing, covered with perspiration and 

 quivering in every limb after a long and successful duel with a clean- 

 run fish. In this respect salmon fishing is ahead of trout fishing, for 

 the contest is a more even one ; though in my opinion the two, being 

 distinct and incomparable, ought never to be put into the scales and 

 weighed the one against the other. 



Watch an old hand at the game, and observe how easily he controls 

 the most determined and vigorous rushes of his worthy antagonist ; 

 take out your watch and see how long it will be before the 18 or 

 20 pounder is brought alongside for the gaff; and then watch the 

 poor performer, hesitating and uncertain as to when pressure should be 



