Chapt. vii. Striking a Mahseer disapproved. 105 



and manner of conversation ; work your fly slowly : more 

 fish are killed thus than by quick fishing, and less fish 

 rise short. 



And as to that much disputed question the striking of a 

 Salmon or Mahseer, whatever rule you accept in one case, 

 is equally applicable in the other. My plan is to strike 

 as quick as lightning with a trout, but with a salmon or 

 a Mahseer, not at all. If your line is taught, as it should 

 be, you will feel a Salmon or Mahseer, and no mistake, 

 when he has your fly well in his mouth; you need not 

 watch the swirl, as for a trout, you will feel fast enough 

 if he has caught your fly or missed it, and if you feel 

 him then "belay there, belay", hold on to him hard enough 

 to drive the hook in well past the barb; hold on, not by 

 touching the line, but by raising the top of your rod, and 

 making him bend the rod as much as you safely dare. 

 He will do the rest for you in his violent efforts to break 

 away. There is no occasion to strike with a jerk as for 

 trout or small fish. If you do, the chances are you will 

 be just too quick for him, and pull the fly out of his 

 mouth, and if you do that you frighten him, and he will 

 not come again, which he might do, if he was not consci- 

 ous of any thing but having made an ass of himself, and 

 missed a good thing. Remember also he is taking it un- 

 consciously and leisurely, not in a hurry to catch hold 

 of it before you shall snatch it away. 



The advantages of the non-striking principle are clear- 

 ly seen in spinning. How often does a fish miss your 

 bait, and if you do not pull it away from him with a jerk 



