228 ELEMENTS OF ANGLING. 



the same as fishing the big fly down stream for 

 trout, which I have described before. One casts at 

 an angle of about forty-five degrees to the stream 

 and tries to make the fly work over the lie of the 

 fish, "work" and not "drag." I prefer to keep my rod 

 point as low as I can, within a foot of the water when 

 possible, pressingthe rubber button at thebutt against 

 my body. This makes the fly swim deeper and 

 increases the chance of hooking the fish. When 

 one's fly 'is well down, the first sign of a rise is 

 generally a pull, which is felt if the line is being 

 held in the hand, and which makes the reel scream 

 if it is not ; it need not be held if the check is a 

 strong one. One holds on for a second and the fish 

 is hooked. When the fly is at the top one too often 

 pulls it away from a rising fish because one sees 

 him or his boil and gets excited. Having hooked 

 the fish one holds him as hard as one dares, never 

 lets him have more line than is necessary, and tries 

 to get him out at the rate of a pound a minute. I 

 prefer to gaff a fish for myself unless I am sure of 

 the gillie, and to get the hook in over the back and 

 just behind the shoulder. The rod-point should be 

 lowered as the steel goes home or a breakage may 

 ensue. 



Even more is this point to be insisted on if it is 

 necessary to tail a fish. When one is landing 



