306 AMERICAN ANGLER'S BOOK. 



keeping a taut line on him as he passes down. When he 

 gets below and becomes thoroughly aroused to a sense of his 

 danger, he commences a series of desperate leaps or long 

 runs, or both alternately. If he takes the current, he may 

 run off a third of the line at a dash ; then the point of the 

 rod should be turned to one side, butting him stoutly to get 

 him into the still water on the side of the rapid. If this can- 

 not be done he must be followed down stream, recovering 

 line when you can, and giving it grudgingly when you must, 

 keeping the rod in the mean time as nearly perpendicular as 

 possible, and giving him its whole spring. When he leaps, 

 if he is near you, the point of the rod is raised ; if far off the 

 point should be lowered. In either case though, after a leap, 

 if there is any slack line it should be immediately recovered, 

 and the usual tension given. 



Whether fishing from the shore or from a canoe, there is 

 not as much danger of losing a Salmon as one might suppose 

 when it goes over a pitch. For, as I have just said, it does not 

 rush headlong over, but drops down tail foremost, or sideways. 

 At such time the rod should be kept well up, to ease the fish 

 over with its spring. After guiding the fish carefully through 

 the safest channel, another tussle should be had at the first 

 favorable place to get it in shore, or out of the current. 



In bringing a fish within reach of the gaff, it is not safe to 

 press him harder then, than at any other time of the contest. 

 For by this time the hold of the hook may have nearly worn 

 out. Many a fish is lost by rough usage, or even a little 

 additional force, at such time. I have had the mortification 

 on more than one occasion, of seeing a good fish, after he was 

 fairly conquered, rid himself of the hook by a lazy wollop, or 

 a wave of its broad tail, and sink to the bottom or move 

 slowly away. 



Some writers give directions as to what part of the body 



