THE PRAWN AND SPINNING BAITS 173 

 salmon's curiosity ; he follows it ; but ob- 

 serve (it is sometimes possible to do so) how 

 he follows it. In most cases the fish does not 

 come with a rush, but slowly pursues the 

 object as if intent on making a thorough in- 

 spection before venturing to touch it. Then 

 perhaps the angler is conscious of a momentary 

 " pull " or drag on the hne. I particularly 

 mention this fact because it is inconceivable 

 how the salmon can touch the prawn without 

 being hooked, seeing that a flight of hooks lie 

 at the extreme end — that is, at the head of the 

 prawn facing the fish. Such, however, is what 

 constantly happens in actual practice, and a 

 " strike " at this juncture is likely to prove 

 fatal, as regards the angler. 



I can only think that the fish makes a 

 tentative offer for the bait, at the same time 

 closing down his jaws on the feelers of the 

 prawn, which, of course, protrude some distance 

 beyond the hooks. 



Spinning baits, whether real or artificial, 

 may be briefly disposed of as being merely 

 variations of the same system, which is to 

 attract attention by exciting the fish's natural 

 curiosity. The eccentric movement of these 

 baits gives the appearance of a fugitive dis- 

 abled and endeavouring to escape. And here 

 we may note a natural law which rules that 



