170 THE ANGLER'S OPPORTUNITY 

 water (spate), will awaken the fish, and as the 

 flood comes down he is impelled to continue 

 his upward journey to higher reaches. The 

 salmon being now fully awake pushes up 

 stream until the water begins to subside. This 

 is the angler's most favourable opportunity, 

 because, not only is the fish awake, but on the 

 move, seeking a fresh " lodge " in which he 

 will again become dormant so soon as the 

 river declines. In the meanwhile, the water is 

 still discoloured, which is also in favour of the 

 angler. Under these circumstances, and pro- 

 vided the fish are up, the chances of attracting 

 and hooking a salmon are considerable ; but 

 once the water drops to summer level the 

 pursuit becomes well nigh hopeless. As 

 autumn draws on, however, matters begin to 

 improve, though the fish himself has very 

 much " disimproved " ; for now he presents 

 a dull coppery-red appearance instead of the 

 bright silver-sides we observed in the spring. 

 But he takes the fly much more readily, simply 

 because, having passed the period of aestiva- 

 tion, the creature is wide awake and on the 

 move in anticipation of the breeding season. 

 The angler's next meeting with the salmon is 

 early in the following spring, when the fish, lean 

 and lanky, has resumed his silvery coat of scales, 

 and is then known as a " kelt " or spent fish. 



