SALMON-ANGLING. 321 



mixture of dew-worms and the small red, or the brandling if 

 it can be procured. The bait should be massy, nearly as thick 

 as your little finger. This is accomplished by pushing up all 

 the odds and ends of the worms you put on, along the shank 

 of the hook and the gut, more or less, according to the angler's 

 fancy. In rapid running water, a good lump of bait is more 

 easily seen from a distance, and if a fresh worm be put on the 

 point of the hook, the imposture cannot well be detected in 

 the moving stream. Lead the line to reach within a yard or 

 so of the bottom, and search every inch of pool and stream, 

 noticing the slightest tug. When you perceive the least 

 straightening of the line, always go over the same inch until 

 you either fix the fish, or disgust him. Never be in a hurry 

 with a large fish : give him time, if possible, to gorge. A 

 good hold is half the battle with a good salmon, as, in a long- 

 continued struggle, an indifferent one is apt to wear and give 

 way, often at the few last faint efforts to spurn the shore. 



Behind large stones and in eddies there is always a good 

 cast for worm ; and in searching the latter you cannot be too 

 particular. Try every variety of depth and current ; in fact, 

 seem to humour the line, though dexterously guiding it. No 

 greater test of a practical bait-fisher than this. 



I always like to have some bait in my pocket, even on the 

 most propitious day for the fly ; and I may cite the following 

 successful results in support of this practice. There are four 

 pools at the top of the Echaig, a little separated from the other 

 casts. As the season advances, the large fish are very apt to 

 remain in them. My custom was generally to begin at the 

 lowest of these pools, fish up with fly to the top, and, if unsuc- 

 cessful, to put on bait, and rake them down again. In the 

 autumn of 1847, I rose a salmon in the bottom pool at the 

 first throw gave him a rest, and rose him again. Another 

 ten minutes' rest, while I put on a smaller fly. He rose a 

 third time ; but not wishing to disgust him, I passed on to 

 the pool above. A second salmon rose near the tail of the 



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