252 WHEN TO STRIKE. 



relaxed for a corresponding interval, during which the 

 flies sink again to the proper depth, and the filaments 

 of the wings and hackles expand themselves in the 

 water, with something like an appearance of life, and 

 thus show themselves off to the best advantage. The 

 tip of the rod must be held rather low during the sweep 

 of the flies, to avoid pulling them to the surface. 



When a fish rises and shows his silvery sides, by no 

 means strike immediately, and jerk the fly beyond his 

 reach before he has time to seize it, as the nervous tyro 

 is very apt to do, but let him fairly turn round again 

 before you offer to do so. This may be known, where 

 he is too deep or far off to be seen, by the boil his tail 

 creates in the water over the spot when he turns ; then 

 count one deliberately to yourself after perceiving the 

 aforesaid boil in the water, and instantly fix the barb in 

 his jaws, by a sharp and decisive, though by no means a 

 violent stroke of the rod. It is now only that the tact 

 and skill of the angler are put to the test. The first rattle 

 of the reel announces that the tug of a savage contest 

 is about to ensue, where brute force and endurance are 

 pitted, upon nearly equal terms, against human skill and 

 strategy, and the chance of victory to either hangs by a 

 mere thread. 



EUNNING A FISH. 



It is usual for a salmon or eriox, on first being struck 

 and immediately he fairly feels the restraint of the line, 

 to make a furious rush direct across the river, and then 

 throw three or four wild somersaults in the air, endea- 



