WHEN THE AXGLER HAS HOOKED A FISH. 325 



ON PLAYING A SALMON. 



Having hooked your fish, the next point to consider is 

 the playing of him, and in this important point, during 

 the first half of the battle, the angler will be guided very 

 much by the fish ; in the latter half the positions will 

 probably be reversed. What can the angler do when he 

 hooks a heavy determined fish ? All that he can do is 

 just to let him take his own way, merely persuading him 

 strongly against the folly of his conduct when he evinces 

 a disposition to run into needless danger, endeavouring 

 to keep the hook in him, diplomatically if possible, unjtil 

 he is amenable to reason. To be sure, in taking him 

 down stream, if an awkward rock lies far out, and rather 

 in the way, by the above gentle persuasion he may point 

 his head so as to drive clear of it. If he goes on the 

 far side, and the rod is not long enough to lift the line 

 over it, the connection between the fish and the angler 

 will probably cease. In taking a fish, or rather being 

 taken by a fish, down-stream which is always the best 

 course that can be taken the angler should keep up with 

 the fish if possible. Indeed a salmon should never be 

 allowed to have a yard more of line out than is positively 

 necessary. The fisherman should never spare bis legs at 

 the expense of his line. If he does, the fish may, and 

 often does, suddenly turn and dart in the opposite direc- 

 tion, drowning the line, which it is impossible that the 

 angler can get in as quickly as the fish swims, and thus 

 all power over the fish is for a time lost, and the bagged 

 line is liable to take hold of any sunken obstruction that 

 may occur, and, as in ' all such cases,' obstructions appear 

 to be specially ' made and provided ; ' a drowned line is too 

 often a lost fish. 



If a fish shows a determination to go to a fall or rapid, 



