AND HOW I HAVE CAUGHT MY FISH 219 



the wave, until I felt a check ; then I struck 

 and held until the struggles had firmly fixed the 

 hooks. 



I tried my hardest to keep as much of the pool 

 as possible free from disturbance, but all in vain. I 

 had a wild customer to deal with, which never 

 allowed me to get within twenty yards of him until 

 he had raced, jumped and flopped, all over the 

 place. This, together with my following up and 

 down the bank as closely to my fish as circum- 

 stances permitted, was sufficient to make further 

 success for a considerable time a remote chance, so 

 there was nothing better to do than to be canny in 

 making sure of the one in hand. This proved a 

 most fortunate decision, for, when the fish was 

 gaffed and lifted, the hook left the torn hold, and, 

 as it was a beautiful fish of 2oJ lb., I was pleased 

 with myself. 



Thus, by one o'clock, I was the proud possessor 

 of three pretty spring salmon, weighing i4lb., 17 lb., 

 and 20 Jib. 



The best definition that I know with regard to 

 "What is sufficient for a man?" is " A little more 

 than he has." Be that as it may, I had no sooner 

 eaten my lunch and smoked a pipe than I was on 

 my way to the Rocky to try again for the fish that 

 rose so readily in the morning. 



Again he came, and at the first cast. I held 

 him tightly as he dived towards his hole, giving 

 him line grudgingly until I knew the hook must 



