THE SALMON. 
59 
violent, you will rarely fail to hook your fish. On the con- 
trary, the sudden jerk is seldom more or less than a nibble; 
you should therefore give a moderate pull, which will rather 
excite your game, and iuduce him to call again for worms'. 
The following practical information, taken from “ Fisher’s 
Angler’s Souvenir,” will give the reader some idea of the 
maimer of taking a large fish, after he is hooked ; for as it is 
one thing to catch a fish and another to cook it, so it is one 
thing to hook a fish and another thing to take him after you 
get him on. “ J udging from his pull, you estimate his weight 
at 30 pounds, the largest and strongest, you verily believe, 
you ever have hooked. With that headlong plunge, as if he 
meant to bury his head in the gravelly bottom, he has hooked 
himself. Your hook, which will hold 30 pounds dead weight, 
is buried in his jaws to the bend, and now that he feels the 
barb, he shoots up the stream with the swiftness of an arrow, 
and fifty yards of your line are nm off before you dare ven- 
ture to check him. Now his speed is somewhat diminished, 
hold on a little, and as the river side is clear of trees, follow 
up after him, for it is bad policy to let out line to an unman- 
ageable length, when you can follow your fish. There are 
6ome awkward rocks towards the head of the pool, which 
may cut your line ; turn him, therefore, as soon as you can. 
Now is the time to show your tact, in putting your tackle to 
test, without having it snapped by a sudden spring. Hold 
gently— ease oft’ a little — now hold again — how beautifully 
the rod bonds, true from top to butt, in one uniform curve ! 
He has a mouth, though bitted for the first time! Bravo! 
his nose is down the water! Lead him along — gently, he 
grows restive, and is about again. Though his course is still 
up the stream, he seems inclined to tack. Now he shoots 
from bank to bank, like a Berwick smack turning up Sea 
Beach in a gale of wind. Watch him well in stays, lest he 
shoot suddenly ahead, and carry all away. He is nearing the 
