CHAPTER VIII 

 SALMON BREAKING WATER 



ANY observant fisherman will have noticed that 

 salmon break water in a number of different ways. 

 No doubt most men let it go at that and do not 

 realize that the kind of break may mean a great 

 deal to their success in fishing. Careful watching 

 may save much time and lead to the capture of 

 many salmon which might otherwise be in little 

 danger of being taken. 



For myself, I have long since divided these 

 breaks into different classes and each has its sepa- 

 rate meaning. The most frequent rise of the 

 salmon at the surface is the round ring he makes in 

 the water, similar to a trout or bass, but generally 

 larger and more marked than either. This occurs 

 when the salmon is taking something at the sur- 

 face, or very near the surface, into his mouth. 

 The ring is made sometimes by his mouth, which 

 makes a suction close to the surface to take in the 

 fly, or by his tail as he turns away, having taken the 

 insect just below the surface. In either case the 

 fish is feeding and the angler certainly ought to 



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