CHAPTER XX 



THE SALMON-FLY 



The fact of salmon rising to the so-called " fly " 

 — a monstrous artificial production in many 

 forms and colours, resembling nothing on 

 earth or in the water — presents somewhat of a 

 puzzle to those anglers who are convinced that, 

 whatever be the attraction, it is not a sense of 

 hunger which prompts these fish to pursue the 

 lure. 



It might appear that this matter is not 

 germane to the subject, yet I believe a solution 

 to the problem will be found whilst pursuing 

 the very same lines of thought. Let us see. 



Like all unreasoning creatures, the fish is 

 controlled by the subconscious principle within 

 it. The subconscious mind, as before noted, 

 responds promptly to external circumstances, 

 and, so far as may be, always in favour of the 

 welfare of the creature. Now the subconscious 

 mind functions naturally, without reference to 

 any mental process, and in the purely natural 

 world this is all-sufficient and works without 



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