may be expected to rise, and how the fly should be drawn over the fish so as to show itself in the most tempting manner; whereas the angler who has not much knowledge is often apt to dwell upon spots that are comparatively barren, and to pass quickly over those that would perhaps repay particular attention. In fishing a cast, the angler casts diagonally across down stream, and draws the fly up stream towards him, softly raising and lowering the top of the rod so as to check and loosen the fly alternately, and to make all its fibres open and shut so as to counterfeit life. When a salmon rises to the fly he either makes a big bulge or boil in the water, or, if he is unusually eager, he throws his head and half his body above the surface, rolling over like a porpoise in his endeavour to seize the fly ; but a salmon very often misses the fly in his eagerness, and when he does, the very worst the angler can do is to pull it away from him, as after such a miss it is not at all un common for a salmon to turn round hastily and to make a second snatch at the fly, which he then rarely misses ; but if the fly is whipped away from him, he is frightened and disgusted, and goes down sulkily, refusing to rise again. It is therefore the safest plan to wait till you feel your fish, and then to strike, and even then it is not desirable to be too rough. A violent stroke is not the best one, a slight elevation of the rod so as to fix the point, and then a steady strain, enough to force the barb of the hook home in the next minute, is the best way of getting a firm hold. Many fishers strike the moment they see the boil of the fish, under the belief that the boil is made by the tail of the salmon as he turns to go down, and that they do not see him till he gets the fly in his jaws. This is true, pro vided he does not miss his aim altogether ; if he does (as he certainly often does, for it must be remembered that the fly is constantly in motion, which of course renders it not very easy to see), then to strike is to pull the fly away and to deprive the salmon of another chance. When he has hooked a fish, the angler should look round and study what dangers there are which may prove destructive to his hopes, and determine if possible so to manage his fish as to avoid them. He must, therefore, always retain his coolness and presence of mind ; flurry and confusion are often fatal to success. If a salmon jumps out of water the point of the rod should be lowered, so that the line be slackened, for if it be tight the sudden weight is apt to pull it out of the fish s jaw. If he sulks, the only way is to frighten him out of his hole by poking a long pole into it, or by throwing stones, or by some other device. If he runs for the edge of a fall or rapid, it is often a very good plan to let out a lot of loose line, and the salmon, fancying himself free again, will not go over, but will head round and face up stream again. As the devices of the salmon to escape are numerous, they cannot be dealt with fully here. No two salmon-casts are alike, and therefore no two can be fished in the same way ; each one must be fished to
suit the particular capabilities it possesses.The method of casting the salmon-fly is similar to that adopted with the double-hand trout-rod ; the only differ ence being that the rod is larger and heavier, running up to 21 feet, and even more sometimes, and seldom less than 16 or 17 feet. The line is stout, well-dressed, 8-plait silk ; the casting-line a yard or two of treble-twisted gut, and a yard or two of stout single salmon gut. Having mastered his rod well, the angler will find it comparatively easy to cast up to 20 yards of line ; from this up to 30 yards every extra yard he can throw proves him more and more a good fisherman, while every yard he can cast "beyond 30 shows him to be a master of his craft. The angler should never cast more line out than he can work and fish comfortably ; if he does, he has a slack line when he requires a tight one, and he will often raise and scratch fish, and spoil his own sport and other people s, when a yard or two less of line would have enabled him to catch his fish. Very long throws are only necessary under un usual circumstances ; 25 yards will generally cover fully all that the angler really needs to fish.
Salmon-Flies.
We may give a short list of general salmon-flies such as the angler will find it useful to have always by him, and which he can employ if he does not know the general flies used on the river, and every river has some pet fly, some different combination of feathers and fur from its neighbour. The flies given are all standard flies, and may be had at any respectable tackle-maker s. The method of dressing them is the one which experience has shown to be the best for attracting the notice of the salmon.
The Claret.—One of the most useful general flies. Beginning the dressing at the bend of the hook, which is the tail end of the fly, a turn or two of gold twist and golden-coloured floss silk is taken, for the tag ; above this is lashed on a tail formed of a golden phea sant topping and some strips of blue and red macaw. Over tho stump of the tail is fastened the but, a sort of ruff made of two or three turns of the herl or strands of a black ostrich feather. Then comes the body first three turns of orange floss silk, then reddish claret pig s wool wound on to the top of the body ; over the wool spirals of stout gold thread ; and, beginning halfway down the body, a hackle of reddish claret to the shoulder, and at the shoulder two or three turns of black hackle. The wing is made first of tippet feather of the golden pheasant, which forms a sort of short under wing ; above that is a mixed wing of fibres from the golden pheasant tail, turkey, bustard, and peacock wing, with a few fibres of green and red parrot ; above all a single topping, with a rib to either wing, of blue macaw fibre, the head of the fly being black, either ostrich, herl, or chenille. This fly may be used of various sizes, and is a very general favourite in most waters.
The Black and Teal.—Another very general favourite, the lead ing points^of which are a black body with silver spirals of twist or tinsel ; a single topping for the tail ; black hackle up to the shoul der, over which either a teal feather or a gallina feather (with the large spots), and a wing of teal or rather pintail, and over it two jungle cock feathers with or without a topping. This fly also may be used of all sizes ; dressed small, it is good for either lake or sea trout.
The Blue Doctor.—Tag, a few turns of fine gold twist ; tail, a topping ; but, scarlet crewel or wool ; body, pale blue floss silk, with a hackle a shade darker, or a blue jay s feather ; silver tinsel (in large flies with silver twist beside it) ; grouse, partridge, or bustard hackle at the shoulder ; a blue jay feather or blue hackle over it. The wing is mixed of fibres of the bustard, dark turkey, argus pheasant, claret, blue, and yellow fibres of dyed swan ; some times a topping over all and a head of scarlet crewel.
The Silver Doctor.—Also a very great favourite. Tag, silver tinsel ; tail, a topping ; but, a turn of red crewel ; body of silver tinsel entirely ; hackle, blue, with brown hackle at the shoulder, and a small speckled gallina feather hackled on over it ; wing chiefly pintail, with a few red and blue fibres and a topping ; head, red crewel.
The Butcher.—A. very killing fly, and generally used. Tag, gold twist and dark orange floss ; tail, a topping ; but, black ostrich herl ; body, two or three turns of scarlet. The same of a medium blue, then of red, and lastly of dark blue pig s wool ; broad silver tinsel ; a medium red claret hackle with a gallina at the shoulder ; under wing a tippet and rump feather of the golden phea sant, and over them strips of brown mallard, .bustard, or peacock wing.
The Parson.—If a gaudy fly is required, there are few more showy ones than this. Tag, silver tinsel and mauve floss ; tail, two toppings, a few sprigs of tippet, and a green kingfisher feather ; body, two turns of gold floss silk, golden pig s wool merging into orange ; silver twist ; golden orange hackle, red orange hackle above it; three or four short toppings tied on at the breast ; wing, a tippet feather of the golden pheasant, a strip of pintail on either side, seven or eight toppings, and a couple of kingfisher feathers at the shoulder on either side ; black head. A more subdued parson may be made by using a jay s hackle at the shoulder instead of the short toppings, by reducing the number of toppings in the wing, and adding some darker fibres of golden pheasant tail, bustard, &c.
The Drake Wing.—Tail, tippet sprigs and a yellow toucan feather ; body, orange red and black pig s wool ; silver tinsel ; hackle, a coch-y-bondu stained of a dark orange red ; a lavender hackle at shoulders ; wing, two strips of drake or pintail. Bodies of orange, claret, dark blue, and black pig s wool graduated up to the head, are very great favourites, and, wedded to various hackles and wings, kill extensively.
The Orange and Grouse.—Flies with orange or golden floss silk bodies, and various hackles and wings, also kill widely. The above
