SHOTTING A CAST 203 



This does not appear to me to be an unfair method 

 of fishing : the object is, of course, merely to bring the 

 fly to the notice of the fish. If the fish be lying well 

 down to the bottom, and the water be thick, a fly 

 coming down the stream near the surface would easily 

 escape their notice. This question of leading a fly is, 

 however, one which is frequently condemned by those 

 who consider that it is opposed to legitimate fly fish- 

 ing ; it suggests to them a relationship to lures for- 

 bidden on certain waters. The object, however, of the 

 salmon or trout fisherman is to capture fish by lures 

 which are meant to represent some form of water 

 insect life, and the various flies which are thus used 

 are meant to be presented to the fish. If the fisher- 

 man, therefore, chooses the only method of doing this 

 by placing shot on his cast, I sympathize with his effort, 

 and not with these objectors, who are perhaps adopting 

 an attitude having a greater relationship to their own 

 ethics and ideas as to legitimate fishing, than to the 

 absolute merits of the case. Personally, I dislike 

 throwing a line to which shot are attached, but if my 

 fly cannot otherwise reach the notice of the fish I am 

 anxious to capture, I should not hesitate to use 

 shot. 



YOUR FIRST SALMON 



No kill is quite equal to that of the first salmon ; 

 no thrill can exceed that which runs from the butt of 

 the fisherman's rod to his brain as he braces his muscles 



