MANAGEMENT OF THE FISH. 271 



Always, in running a fish, keep well up to, or if 

 possible, at right angles with its head. In the event of 

 its taking across the current instead of stemming or 

 descending it, give the butt, without reserve. In the 

 case of a plunge or somerset, slacken line as quickly 

 as possible, but use no delay in recovering it when the 

 danger is over. When fish are plentiful and in humour 

 to take the fly, it is better to risk the loss of an in- 

 different-sized individual which you happen to have 

 hooked than to allow a long range of unfinished water 

 to become disturbed, through its capricious movements. 

 In this case, stint the line and hold on obdurately, but 

 not beyond the presumed strength of your tackle. 

 During the grilse season, there are many portions of 

 water, on Tweed especially, where it would be abso- 

 lute folly in the angler, were he to humour the fish to 

 its heart's content. A lively new-run grilse may occa- 

 sion more alarm among its kind than one is aware 

 of, especially if the water be of the transparent hue 

 it generally bears, during the summer or autumnal 

 months. In event, however, of the salmon being few 

 or rising shyly, I would advise that some degree of 

 care and ceremony be taken with what fortune brings 

 to the hook, and that, on such occasions, more regard 

 be paid to the management of the fish under control 

 than to the non-disturbance of a few yards of stream, 

 where the chances of adding to one's success are, at 

 least, extremely doubtful. 



In these circumstances, avoid using undue violence. 

 Should the fish escape, the consciousness of your having 

 done so will only add to the disappointment. There 

 is one precaution particularly to be attended to in 

 respect to a newly-run fish, and that is, immediately on 

 hooking it, use a moderate degree of pressure. The 



