SULKING SALMON. 401 



pleasure and prosperity of the Angler's life would be heightened and 

 increased. 



Besides being very shy, the fish in these places are very sulky when 

 the water is deep ; and to render a conflict inevitable, the frequent use 

 of split shot can well be recommended. On these occasions they are, 

 indeed, the greatest labour-saving adjuncts we possess the amount of 

 sport derived from their employment being far more than commensurate 

 with the labour generally expended without them. And this brings to 

 mind another peculiarity in Salmon that uniformly accompanies the 

 Fisherman on Flats, and is characteristic of them. It may be described 

 as " a fit of the sulks," and nothing more strikingly brings home the 

 utility of patient perseverance and self command than the dexterous 

 delusion and conspicuous conquest of a sulking fish. 



I have no record of having killed a 30 pounder in a Flat without first 

 being called upon to cure this tiresome complaint, but of the last thirteen 

 "fits" treated, not one single patient survived to recompense by his 

 presence the pains-taking efforts of another man. 



I am still of the opinion that the method adopted resulted in the best 

 " cure " after all. Nor does it require a trained and familiar acquaintance 

 with the handling of our tackle to bring about the desired result. 



When all other schemes to release himself have failed, a heavy Salmon 

 seems instinctively prompted to take up his quarters on the bed of the 

 river and there lie, sometimes for hours, still as a mouse. This is called 

 " sulking." There is a belief existing, not only in certain parts of Ireland 

 and Scotland, but also in Wales, that the best means of dealing with this 

 deep-seated policy is to use a "night-cap." I would rather not educate 

 the untutored mind by defining this article, and describing the mode of its 

 application. Suffice it to say that this funnel-shaped scarecrow, though 

 accelerating the battle, maddens the fish by depriving it of the use of the 

 organs of sight, and aggravates it to such an extent that off it will go, at 

 a pace peculiar to the species, against any obstruction in the road often 

 the opposite bank when the tackle breaks and the fish retires from sight 

 more dead than alive. It is equally futile to attempt to haul the fish from 

 its haunt ; Jumbo himself could not to all seeming have tried the tackle 

 more. But I have moved them by getting below and pulling by the line. 



D U 



