get the first glimpse of the river ? A new life be- 

 gins to creep into our body, and we are all excite- 

 ment until seated in the canoe. We cannot, like 

 the salmon, seize the fly, but we can for a time 

 make the rod very lively, although we know there 

 is not the slightest chance of hooking a fish. Aft*r 

 a time we become more rational, and go fishing in 

 a pleasant and peaceful way. I have caused many 

 an obstinate salmon to take the fly simply by dan- 

 gling it over him a few minutes, having failed to 

 <>nti<o him by any other method. It seems to 

 annoy the fish. They rush at it to drive it away, 

 but it won't go ; and at last, in desperation, they 

 seize it and are hooked. I attribute this entirely 

 to anger. As salmon are accustomed, when in the 

 sea, to seize small fish for food, the desire for chas- 

 ing their prey may exist when they enter the river ; 

 then, seeing the flies skipping about on the surface, 

 they rush eagerly at them for the sport it gives, 

 although not requiring them for nourishment. If 

 their desire for food gave us this grand sport, and 

 the beautiful pictures they make when they leap 

 for the fly, would we not at times find something 

 in their stomachs indicating such a desire T Most 

 anglers agree that salmon do not feed in fresh 

 water, and I am told that, through some process 

 which takes place in the stomach while in the river, 

 they become utterly incapable of digesting food. I 

 was once fishing for a few days in the Flat Lands 



87 



