DAY FISHING WITH MINNOW 83 



Finally he remarked to his confrere, " Now, my boy, 

 there's a salmon in yon weir pool. After we have finished 

 our meal you shall come and catch it, if you will not be 

 too impulsive with your reel. Don't forget salmon are 

 most deliberate in their taking, and really a salmon is 

 the most stupid fish in our rivers. Anybody can catch 

 one if he will only reel slowly, but a sea-trout is a flash 

 of fury : it darts and snaps without giving the minnow 

 two thoughts." 



When we had disposed of our lunch and our smokes 

 were giving satisfaction to us, we strolled across to the 

 weir pool. Our guide said, " As I came down the bank 

 before lunch I saw a nice salmon jump near the far side, 

 immediately to the right of that guelder bush. Now 

 put your minnow about a foot upstream beyond the 

 bush and retrieve your line slowly." 



The minnow was cast accordingly and the master of 

 ceremonies commented, " Capital," and then " No, no, 

 no. You're reeling much too fast. Now try again. Let 

 the minnow sink a few inches and start reeling ever so 

 slowly, just to prevent the treble fouling a snag ; then 

 keep to a slow, steady wind." 



Once more the minnow whizzed, and this time the 

 rodster strictly obeyed his instructions. Then of a 

 sudden the water was churned, and in about ten minutes 

 a fresh-run salmon of a dozen pounds in weight was 

 lying on the grass. " Now you know at what rate to 

 wind for a salmon," laughingly remarked the gratified 

 instructor. 



I think that you will now realize that to catch sea- 

 trout with a metal minnow there are two leading principles 

 to be observed, apart from scientific casting, and I place 

 them in this order : one, the selection of the correct 

 spin, and two, quick and uninterrupted reeling. 



If you are a prospective candidate for spinning honours, 



