AUTUMN ANGLING ON THE LYON, 353 



the most of them. I was forestalled, however ; and a precau- 

 tionary survey disclosed a brother of the craft, who had come 

 to grief by breaking his line. He was seated mending his 

 tackle, totally unconscious of my discovery, and most likely 

 before he was set up again his rival was out of sight with a 

 clear lead of the water. But this sharp practice availed little, 

 for not a fish showed until I got to the stream above " the 

 wooden brig," the highest cast of our salmon-beat. There I 

 moved a dark old fish three times. He began by a free dash 

 at my black fly, then refused. Eested him some time, and 

 tried him with a lighter ; but only a head appeared this time. 

 Another rest, and refusal of same fly, so gave him a brighter 

 lure still. This last was only noticed by a sluggish " bell." 

 Waited some time, changing flies and resting ; but when 

 salmon spring briskly at first, and become duller each succeed- 

 ing rise, they are very apt, as in the present instance, finally 

 to refuse altogether. When, on the contrary, the first rise is 

 lazy, and the second more active, look sharp for the third offer, 

 and take it coolly. The spin of the pirn-line will most likely 

 prove its pleasing sequel ! 



On the return, not even a white trout stirred until I re- 

 gained the low pool, which my alert Waltonian brother had 

 already skimmed. A sly peep at an angler in difficulties, 

 however, has generally an effect on his successor to the pool 

 the very reverse of a damper. Heedfully, therefore, the rough 

 sharp stream was fished down till it deepened and steadied, 

 when a heavy fish followed the fly with one of those sweeping 

 rolls deemed by many knowing anglers a hint that in their 

 case rest -time between the casts is superfluous ceremony. 

 Instantly clapping the fly again before the salmon's nose, a 

 furious rush and tightened line proved that I had read him 

 right. He never sulked nor parleyed, but fought bravely on, 

 doing his best to break his chain. A game customer like this 

 is soon subdued, and in less than twenty minutes a 12|-lb. 

 harvest-fish lay gasping on the grass. During the struggle I 



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