402 THE SALMON FLY. 



This is known as "hand-lining" a fish. The experiment, however, is not 

 one to recommend the novice to try at any time (except in the 

 absence of the gaff) ; for it often ends in failure or loss, even with 

 the best of us. Stones and other missiles deserve wholesale con- 

 demnation. 



The safest and surest remedy is not to disturb the fish in any 

 way whatever, but to put on a good steady strain and bide your time. 

 Get towards him, take up a position that the point of the rod is 

 opposite the tail of the fish and pull sideways, carefully watching the 

 instant he moves for relaxing your efforts. 



In this serene situation you patiently sit, and for aught one knows 

 hold your lighted pipe, and a firm grip of the fish simultaneously, till at 

 length it becomes weary and eventually yours. 



Beyond the common advantages of other Catches, Flats offer the 

 privilege of successfully running do wn " travellers . ' ' Any observant Angler 

 soon learns for himself that travelling fish almost invariably rest and rise 

 at the very tail of a Flat. Whether the increased aeration of the rapid 

 immediately below works upon them as one would expect, I leave to others 

 to decide for themselves. But we know for a fact that artificial means 

 have been devised, and are used to pump air into bait-cans, such as that 

 exhibited at the " Fisheries," by Mr. Basil Field ; and to acquire an idea 

 of the effect of fresh oxygen ascending through the water, as in this 

 instance, during a long day's journey, you may carry baits for coarse 

 fishing, and keep them as fresh and full of life as ever they were. 



It is not the mere fact of a Salmon resting and rising in these places 

 to which I would alone call attention, but rather to the ready way a fish 

 will take a fly on reaching them, and to the singular opportunity they 

 afford a recruit to " flesh his maiden sword." 



On the tail of a Flat you really may shake up your flies in a hat and 

 choose the first that comes to hand. Of course, I allude only to ordinary 

 standard patterns, and not to " specials " or "exaggerations." And, as 

 to size, here again I should consider that no man would mount a Tay fly, 

 say, on the Lochy or Ness. 



Now we come to Rapids ; and perhaps the most difficult thing to 

 detect and the easiest to deal with is the " stone-grubber." In any other 



