130 THE COMPLETE ANGLER. 



quietly in his lair. When you feel this, lift up the point of your rod, 

 and strike with very moderate force. The salnion-rise at the fly causes 

 a large circle about it in the water, and this circle diminishes as he 

 descends. The majority of writers say then is the time to strike with 

 the narrowing circle; but I tell you not to strike even then, unless at the 

 same time you feel your fish. If you strike rapidly and roughly at a 

 rising fish, and you miss him, he will hardly rise again. But if you do 

 not strike at a mere rise, but take no notice, and keep working your fly 

 on, the fish in all probability will rise and take the fly at a second or 

 third cast, provided they be not made in'too rapid succession. When a 

 salmon rises and is not hooked, allow from seven to ten minutes to expire 

 before you throw over him again. 



Having hooked a salmon, do not press too much upon him at the 

 outset. Hold up your rod perpendicularly and let him run away, with 

 a taut, but not a strongly strained line, whithersoever he likes. You 

 must only lean upon him and stop him when he makes for rocks or 

 dangerous places. You must then present the butt of the rod towards 

 him, throwing upon that part of it the pressure of his struggles, and 

 when you have turned him, ease him, letting him run again with a 

 taut line and uplifted rod. Whenever he makes for what are called 

 " foul" spots, roots of trees, narrow rushing rapids, you must butt him 

 severely, so as to prevent his getting into a favourite position for pro- 

 longing his struggle with you. As soon as you see him flag and show his 

 sides, wind up your line, and moving backwards from the water your 

 weight will bring him towards you, or rather within reach of the gaff or 

 landing-net of your guide and assistant. I prefer, generally speaking, a 

 large, very large landing-net to the gaff, but the latter is good for rapid 

 work, in the hands of a clever attendant. Be in no hurry to land your 

 fish. Young anglers, in their excitement, think they have been playing 

 a fish for half an hour, when in reality their tussle with him has hardly 

 been of ten minutes' duration. Take things easily, pleasantly, with good 

 and cheery temper no nervousness or fear, and you cannot fail to play 

 and land your fish artistically. 



Every stream and pool should be fished over slowly, and at least three 

 different flies should be tried before any promising part of a salmon river 

 be abandoned. When a fish rises and refuses one fly, try him with 

 several others. There is a great chance that you will force him to fancy 

 one at last. Fish every inch of a generally esteemed good " salmon- 

 cast." One pool fished perseveringly and artistically will afford more 

 sport than half a dozen fished hastily and unartistically. Salmon rise 

 best from break of day particularly if the morning be clear and there 

 have been no heavy dews or thick fogs to 11 A.M., and from 6 P.M. 

 until quite dark. Stop : there is frequently good mid-day fishing, espe- 

 cially when the rivers are clearing after a flood, and the day is rather 

 sombre than sunny. When the mercury in your barometer is sinking 

 when your weather-glass has its hand shifty, pointing to rainy, foul, and 

 so forth, angling for salmon or any other river fish is next to useless. On 

 the contrary, mercury mounting weather-glass hand pointing steadily 

 to fair you will catch fish if you are a patient angler, plying your craft 



