THE PLACES TO FISH. 377 



new stations on the shallow side. The catches are known to the ordinary 

 gillie in attendance. Where the river runs fairly straight, pools get out 

 of order, and, as I say, an inch, or even less, makes all the difference so 

 far as sport is concerned. 



With regard to streams, it may be taken as a rule that rain soon puts 

 them out of order. Salmon rarely stay in them when the waters rise to a 

 certain height unless boulders large enough to form an eddy are imbedded 

 in the river. 



Flats, on the other hand, call for closer inquiry. Although, in rising 

 water, fish invariably like to go ahead, they will occasionally drop back and 

 stay in the lower part of such reaches as these, till at length they are forced 

 by the torrent to make for shelter elsewhere. This propensity is especially 

 noticeable in a long straight piece of water, in the lower part of which, at 

 normal height, the current scarcely moves. 



As to rapids, the Angler must bide his time. If the top part of a 

 rapid is in ply, even so little as half an inch rise will ruin every lay-bye in 

 it. But when fishable, rapids are by far the freest taking places, though 

 by no means the freest rising places ; at all events, they are the surest and 

 the easiest for the novice not wanting in nerve. I have seen men at first 

 almost frightened to death at the mere sight of a rough-and-tumble rapid. 

 The feeling soon passes away at least, if one may judge by the show of 

 daring that often follows a fit of nervousness, and confidence restored by 

 greater familiarity with purely imaginary dangers. 



I have given a somewhat curtailed description of the above resorts by 

 way of preface to the more elaborate details which are to follow. The 

 student finds out exactly where the casts are, and should devote his 

 attention to those which happen to be best in order and best suited to his 

 capacity. It would be labour lost to persevere in any Catch where more 

 line is required than can be controlled where, in short, the fly can be 

 presented to the fish in a proper and alluring manner ; and this part of 

 the subject shall be dealt with presently. 



Fishing is not what it was by any means ; and when you come to 

 look into the circumstances under which it is now conducted you would 

 not be surprised at the extreme care taken by our best men in casting 

 straight, in " mending " casts when necessary, in playing the fly, and in 



