THE SALMON FISHER. 61 



waters, I would suggest that the customary mode of 

 handling the rod is incorrect. We dare say that 

 anglers who have tried for land-locked salmon have 

 habitually cast too long a line, seeming to think that 

 the homely adage of the longest pole knocking the 

 most persimmons applies to the longest line securing 

 the most fish. Anglers who have been in the habit 

 of fishing rapid streams and broken water would 

 especially be liable to forget that dead water is alto- 

 gether a different field for their practice, and so 

 manipulate their rods in precisely the same manner 

 as before ; whereas just the opposite tactics are 

 required. On the rivers the angler should not use 

 too short a line. As the old man says : the fly should 

 go straight out, and the point of the rod be kept 

 nearly touching the water, the fly being allowed to 

 sink well down the current helping it to travel and 

 circuit about; but on dead water a short line is requi- 

 site ; the rod should be kept almost perpendicular, 

 so that the fly can trail on the very top surface ; and 

 the cast should be made straight out in front of the 

 face, as if trying to throw between two gate-posts. 

 Not more than six feet of the gut-length should 



