THE SALMON PROBLEM 155 



That we can do so, occasionally, is due to a 

 psychological condition which, to my mind, 

 makes the salmon problem extremely inter- 

 esting both from the scientific and practical 

 point of view. 



In deluding trout by means of an artificial 

 fly there is no mystery whatever. In this case 

 the fish seizes the object for what it represents, 

 namely, an exact copy of the insect food of 

 which the trout is in search, and which it 

 greedily takes when skilfully presented. But 

 in salmon fishing, skill is not nearly so 

 essential ; that is to say, the veriest tyro, who 

 by no possibihty could catch a trout, may 

 easily hook a salmon, providing he can manage 

 to get the fly somehow, or anyhow, over the 

 spot at the " psychological moment." That 

 is the whole secret, and unless the angler is 

 fortunate in timing this event he may fish, 

 never so skilfully, the whole day long without 

 moving a fish, and then perhaps, to his disgust, 

 behold the said tyro arrive on the scene and 

 immediately get fast in a salmon. 



Success in salmon fishing, as I think any 

 old hand will agree, is absolutely a matter of 

 luck in so far as raising the fish is concerned. 

 The most that can be said is that the man who 

 " sticks at it " longest scores the most fish. 



