SALMON FISHING 189 



we should learn much that would be of great 

 practical advantage in angling, both in working 

 the fly and in choosing size and pattern of fly 

 for each day. After fishing for a few hours 

 without a rise we get the impression that the 

 salmon are not to be caught, and are taking no 

 notice of the fly at all, but the latter is probably 

 much less often correct than is supposed. Such 

 opportunities as I have had of observing the 

 behaviour of salmon at rest in the water lead 

 me to think, that the fish are continually taking 

 notice of the fly and following it when we do 

 not see them. I was once fishing with a friend 

 on a beat of the Spean m June when the river 

 was very low. We came to one of the best 

 pools and found it so low and clear that we 

 felt sure that it was not worth fishing, but when 

 standing on a high rock above the pool we saw 

 one good salmon of nearly twenty pounds' weight, 

 and four or five small ones, lying together on a 

 patch of smooth flat stones in the middle of the 

 bed of the river. It was agreed that one of us 

 should go down and fish the pool, while the 

 other remained above to observe what happened. 

 My friend went first, and as soon as the fly 



