152 DAYS AND NIGHTS OF SALMON FISHING. 



which is done by keeping your elbow in advance, and 

 doing something with your wrist, which, as Mr. Penn 

 says, is not very easy to explain. Thus the exertion 

 should be chiefly from the elbow and wrist, and not 

 from the shoulders. You should throw clear beyond 

 the spot where the salmon lie, so that they may not see 

 the fly light upon the water; then you should bring the 

 said fly round the stream, describing the segment of a 

 circle taking one step in advance at every throw. In 

 this manner the fish see your fly only, and not the line. 

 It is customary to give short jerks with the fly as you 

 bring it round, something in the manner of minnow 

 fishing, but in a more gentle and easy way ; and I think 

 this manner is the most seducing you can adopt : it sets 

 the wings in a state of alternate expansion and con- 

 traction that is extremely captivating. 



Salmon will often take your fly on one side of the 

 river when they will not touch it on the other. In 

 high water, the channel side, as a general rule, is the 

 best, and at the cheek of the current ; and you should 

 not be in a hurry to pull your fly into the more bare 

 and still parts of the channel, where the fish will 

 come more cautiously and lazily. In low water it 

 is best to throw over the channel from the rocky 

 side, drawing at first rather quickly, that your fish 

 may take your fly in the current, which is material. 

 In very low water, indeed, when the fish may be said 

 to give over rising, you may try your luck in the 

 rapids by hanging your fly on them ; indeed, you 

 should always let your fly dwell on this sort of water, 

 or the fish will either lose sight of it, or not choose to 



