264 ON SALMON-FISHING WITH THE FLY. 



angler is highly elevated above the water, as on a bridge 

 or rock, the employment of a long travelling line is quite 

 expedient and in no respect falls within compass of the 

 objections above stated. 



RECOMMENDATIONS HOW TO ACT ON RAISING A FISH. 

 When fly-fishing for salmon, the angler requires to 

 have a general notion of where his hook is, and how it 

 traverses the stream or pool, but this is all. To watch 

 it minutely, is not necessary. By doing so, the eye is 

 frequently brought into inopportune contact with the 

 fish itself when rising. It detects its presence before the 

 salmon has seized the fly ; and, as a natural consequence, 

 the rodsman in the surprise or flutter of the moment, is 

 very apt, either to draw away his hook by a sudden or vio- 

 lent jerk, or else to check its progress for the moment, and 

 allow opportunity for the fish to discover the deception. 

 In trout-fishing with the fly, we can scarcely, in the 

 event of a break on the surface, strike too rapidly. It 

 is different in salmon-fishing. Here, one should not 

 alter the motion of the hook until he is actually made 

 sensible of the presence of the fish, by feeling his weight 

 on the line ; nor even then is there any act of exertion 

 required on the part of the angler, further than the 

 simple raising of his rod, in order to fix the hook. When 

 force is applied, or any motion approaching to a jerk 

 made use of, the chances are, that either the line itself 

 or jaw of the fish gives way : whereas, a line of mere 

 ordinary strength and the tenderer parts of the mouth 

 will always sufficiently resist the slight impulse which is 

 required in order to hook salmon. But I need not to 

 say more on this matter, for it will become natural to 

 one practising on a salmon-river and travelling the fly 

 properly, to strike, as it were, with effect, and also to 

 make the most of such rises or attempts on the part of 



