SALMON-FISHING 

 fish. At other times the salmon will come up, pause behind the fly, and 

 then seize it, still without perceptible commotion of the surface. The first 

 intimation of the rise is communicated to the fisher by the stoppage 

 and tightening of the line. Again, a third fish may rise to the surface, 

 causing a boil in the water, or even showing himself well above the sur- 

 face. That is the trying moment for the fisher. Woe betide him if he strikes 

 at sight ! That is to snatch away the fiy from a willing taker; the fish 

 departs disappointed, and cannot be induced to repeat the offer. The visible 

 rise was caused by the salmon coming up to have a look; a second later, 

 had the steady motion of the fly been continued, it would probably have 

 been seized, and the fish have hooked himself satisfactorily. 



In exceptionally rough water, where a salmon is lying in the slack 

 between two driving currents or in the cushion of water formed above 

 a rock,* he may rise with a sudden swift dash without the customary 

 poise. In such a case the fish will make himself felt before the angler 

 can strike with a heavy rod. 



The form of rise most trying to uncertain nerves happens in smooth 

 water when the wave of a fish betrays that he is following the fly. On no 

 account should the movement or rate of the fly be altered; I have often 

 seen a salmon swim leisurely after it and seize it within a few feet of the 

 near shore. If the fisher has the nerve and knowledge to keep the fly moving 

 steadily, he is pretty sure to hook his fish, and a fly taken in this manner 

 usually gets a Arm hold. 



Once the fish is felt to have taken the fly, the angler may strike home 

 if he likes; though, for my own part, I do not believe in any more of a 

 strike than is caused by raising the rod quickly to the angle of action. 

 Striking a trout is done by a slight jerk from the wrist; hooking a 

 salmon is best done by its own weight upon a raised rod. 



The trout-fisher, at least the fisher for large trout, will have been 

 trained to keep his fingers clear of the line, and to strike from the reel. 

 In salmon -fishing it is different: the forefinger of the uppermost hand 

 should be kept firmly on the line. The reason for this difference is ob- 

 vious. Gossamer gut is liable to snap when a big trout takes the fly, unless 

 the line is allowed to run freely from the reel; but salmon tackle must be 

 so strong as to stand a pluck heavy enough to bury the barb of a large 



*The common belief that a salmon rests behind a rock is (generally erroneous. In nine cases out of ten the shelter- 

 ing rock is behind the fish. I was able to convince a friend who expressed incredulity about this by taking him upon 

 the bridge over the Kvina, below Liknss. We could see eight salmon lying there in the heavy stream, every one 

 having a big rock behind him. 



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