SALMON ANGLIN G-. 115 



in a fling above water, the inexperienced angler 

 should feel flustered (which he is very likely to do) 

 and by some involuntary twitch of the running line 

 let the top of his rod be pulled down to a level with 

 his own head, then the tug of the last plunge will 

 assuredly break his hook or line, or tear the hook 

 from the mouth of the fish : or what is as bad, a 

 sudden jerk or turn of the fish will give the line a 

 momentary slackening, when the hold being already 

 so strained as to have widened, the hook will fall out, 

 and your fish is gone for ever. 



More hooked fish are lost in these two ways than 

 from all other causes put together ; and this can be 

 easily prevented by a little self-possession, simply by 

 keeping up the top of your rod and letting the line 

 run with ease, regulated as above described by the 

 feeling of your fore finger. But if the matter is pro- 

 perly managed the fierceness of the fish is the angler's 

 main sport. The faster he dashes on, the sooner ia 

 he exhausted. Sometimes you may see him on the 

 opposite side of the river, with the web of his tail 

 above the water, and his nose struck into the gravel, 

 in an endeavour to dislodge the vile little instrument 

 of his ruin. The fish will then again allow himself 

 to be led at ease to the angler's side of the river, 

 like a bridegroom to the altar, when, on finding the 



