22 How to Fish for Salmon. 



fly, and he then left off, no other fly would tempt 

 him. " We'll try him again in the evening when we 

 come down," and sure enough at the first cast, a 

 few yards above his morning position, on our return 

 about six p.m., up he came, and I had him, and after 

 an exciting contest of more than an hour, and a 

 terrific run through some rapids, I landed him in 

 the pool below ; 23^ Ibs. He fought a game battle, 

 and when he gave up it was at the further side of 

 Mac-Kintyre's Pool, and I had to bring the monster 

 across on his side almost a dead weight. 



There is nothing like experience in salmon fish- 

 ing, indeed there is no fish which requires so much 

 attention and observation if one wishes to become 

 a successful salmon fisher. 



I have read somewhere, I believe in Scrope's 

 " Days and Nights of Salmon Fishing," of striking a 

 salmon when he rises. I suspect he means fasten- 

 ing the hook well in after the rise. As a rule a 

 salmon always hooks himself as he makes his half- 

 circle somersault in rising at the fly (so different to 

 a trout, or sea trout), his weight, as he turns down 

 again to his stone or hiding-place, being sufficient 

 to hook him without striking, which is a dangerous 

 procedure, and seldom necessary. An experienced 

 and cool fisherman will just drive home the hook, 

 but this requires great caution, or you may tug it 

 out or break it. 



