Salmon Fishing. 65 



There is not a salmon-river I am acquainted 

 with, that does not sooner or later, when properly 

 fished, recompense the angler for his pains, 

 provided his appetite for the sport be not 

 immoderate. Of course, when one of the 

 brotherhood excels his friends in the number 

 of fish he kills in the same water, and at the 

 same time, there must be something in his favour, 

 be it the colour and fashion of his flies, his 

 manner of working them, or his knowledge 

 where to throw them. And it is not a little 

 amusing to hear fishermen frequently declare 

 that there is not a fish in the river, because they 

 had been unable to catch any ; forgetful that 

 others at the same time had been favoured with 

 more success. 



It strikes me that a frequent cause of failure, 

 is a forgetfulness on the part of the angler, that a 

 salmon possesses very sharp eyes. 



Down they dash into the first stream at hand, 

 and wade up to the very top of their stockings, 

 and wonder in such likely water, that the salmon 



