NOTES ON SALMON-FISHING-. 
57 
look around while he walks or wades a step or two 
downwards. 
Each cast should be “ fished right out ”—that is, the 
fiy should be “ worked ” across till it hangs straight 
down stream from the rod point, even should the water 
there be shallow. For, though no salmon would be 
lying there, it is always possible that a fish may have 
followed the fly from the deep and, if opportunity be 
afforded, will seize it in the shallow. This, of course, 
does not apply where a back-set current exists on the 
angler’s side. 
Striking .—Sooner or later the hour will come, and 
the fish. The latter fact is conveyed to the angler’s 
knowledge either by his feeling the fly suddenly 
arrested in its course, or by his seeing the break on the 
surface-—often a tremendous lunge with which, in rapid 
rivers, a salmon captures his prey. As soon as the hook 
is inside the fish’s mouth, it is essential that the barb 
be driven home. To effect this with safety, and 
certainty, demands some judgment. The force required 
varies. It may roughly be defined thus: in slack 
water, where the fly has been seized deep under, and 
with long line out, it is safe to drive the hook home by 
a fairly smart stroke of the rod. On the other hand, 
in strong streams where the swirl on the surface (and 
probably the fish itself) has been seen, no action on the 
angler’s part may be needed, the* salmon hooking him¬ 
self as he turns to dive. These are the two extremes, 
intermediate cases requiring a middle method, often 
merely raising the rod point. A salmon may hook 
himself; but it is surer work for the angler to do it 
for him by driving the barb right home. 
