THE PRAXIS OF SALMON ANGLING. 
less fly, broken by being hurled against 
the rod, caught against the reef or 
rock in the pool ; or sometimes, broken 
inexplicably, from simply falling on 
the shingle. 3 
Consider not that sunshine or dark- 
ness, calm, cloud or storm make the 
propitious hour for salmon angling; 
try them all in turn and season. 
The masters accord in saying that 
the best hour for getting a rise is that 
of sunset; the half hour before and 
the half hour after. 
If certainty for rising salmon exist 
at all, it is either on the first rising 
of the water, when it may not last be- 
yond a quarter or a half an hour; or 
on the immediate subsiding of the 
water. Then it is exceedingly brief 
and as difficult to seize. 
These be good angling hours: 
Leisurely breakfast and cast from 
Q a. m. to 12.30 p. m. 
Lunch with restful comfort and 
angle from 3 p. m. to 6.30 p. m. 
Also as humor and whim seize. 
When the water is low, casting is 
most likely to be effective at sunrise 
- and at dusk. 
When the water is high, the best 
hours for angling will be found be- 
tween 10 a. m. and 5 p. m. 
Lengthful casting rives the cane 
rod, warps the wood rod, makes knots 
in the cast, breaks the flies or whips 
them off on the back cast, makes dif- 
ficult control of the fly and often 
pricks the salmon. Manifestly of little 
utility in practical angling, it was con- 
ceived for vainglorious display and 
the exaltation of prize winning at 
tournament casting. 
Proper length limit of beneficial 
casting is reached at about 70 feet, 
making sure that neither twist, double 
nor slack happens from reel to fly. 
When angling from the boat, 
anchor on the dead water side of the 
pool and avoid traveling down the 
center, or crossing the water. This 
prevents disturbing the pool and leaves 
the salmon unmolested for backing 
up or a return visit. 
265 
Mind, when casting from the shin- 
gle, that the long. backward throw 
often breaks the point of the hook on 
the rocks and stones. 
Among methods of casting are the 
overhead, underhand, switch and spey. 
In its sphere, the switch cast is un- 
rivalled, 
Remember the backward sweep in 
the overhand cast should be returned 
by a movement of the tip describing a 
narrow oval on the return throw, or 
“smash down” as it is often called. 
Direct return in casting will whip 
off flies. 
Delay in return is liable to smash 
the barbs off the hooks on the back- 
ward throw. 
This sums up playing the salmon: 
Hold the rod well up and _ back- 
ward inclined, well bowed. 
Strike not the salmon, nor snub nor 
twitch the line. 
Maintain a taut line, suffering no 
slack nor bagging. 
Lower the tip the instant the sal- 
mon leaps and instantly recover. 
Patiently wait until the fish is ex- 
hausted before touching the gaff. 
Permit naught to divert your atten- 
tion from the rise to weighing. 
From the moment the boil, roll or 
rise is seen until the salmon is felt, the 
rod should be held as motionless as 
possible. 
“Never strike the salmon,’ was 
wisely said, but there is one exception 
—when the fish furiously leaps at the 
fly as it touches the water on the first 
cast; and even then do not strike. 
The struggles of the salmon which 
embarb the fly should not be called 
striking. 
If striking the salmon is ever per- 
missible, it is only when the fish is 
rushing away from, and with his tail 
toward the angler. 
Now, out of much contention, this 
may be taken without fear of contra- 
diction : 
Some anglers affirm that only strik- 
ing from the reel should be done; that 
