When salmon are rising, they will take almost anything, and in thick or heavy water I have caught them myself with the identical spoon-bait which I used for mackerel in the sea.
It is difficult to fathom what is in the salmon's mind when he takes either a spoon or a boiled prawn, objects which he can never have met with in the sea in his natural state, but many fish will come at the fly merely to drown it by striking at it with their tail, and are ingloriously "foul-hooked" in consequence. When this happens they are far more difficult to kill, and often lead their captor a pretty dance before being finally gaffed or netted, the tail fin not being so sensitive as the mouth, which the fish can therefore close, thus swallowing no water when the strain begins to be severe.[5]
Before starting for a day's fishing it is necessary thoroughly to examine the rod and tackle which are to be used. I recommend from personal experience, for a woman, a light, well-balanced rod about sixteen or seventeen feet in length. Greenheart is a very good wood,[6] and mine, which is made of this, has lasted for years and is, apparently, none the worse. All depends on the care which is taken of it during the time it is not being used. I have always kept my rod in a moderately warm place, where neither the damp could get at, to warp and swell the wood, nor too great dryness make it brittle, and before beginning the season I varnish it carefully to preserve it from wet. Spare tops should be always kept ready in case of an emergency, but the accomplished sportswoman will of course learn how to splice a broken joint, as accidents do not always occur within reach of assistance. Each joint, unless made with screw fastenings, is provided with brass eyes; a piece of waxed thread should be fixed to these so that, being wound round an eye in each joint, the whole rod can be securely put together.
Having omitted this precaution on one occasion when I was fishing for pike, I cast into the river, with my bait, the top joint of my trolling rod, which floated in the water, but did not, strange to say, prevent my hooking and landing a fish of seven or eight pounds.
Examine the reel carefully; take it to pieces, oil it, if necessary, and work the handle to see that it runs smoothly without a hitch before winding on the line. Large heavy reels and coarse tackle are, to my mind, very inartistic and unsuitable for women, as they naturally lessen the chance of hooking a fish, although, once hooked, all the angler has to do is to hold on, "show the butt" persistently, keep the point of the rod well up and tire out the fish by main force.
Knot for Gut Loop.
This manner of proceeding has always seemed to me to be taking an unfair advantage of a salmon or trout. With a pike, of course, the question is a different one, as he cuts the line with his teeth, if you give him the chance and nothing but gimp is of any service. The rings through which the line runs should also be examined to see that they are secure and that the line itself, which is best of hemp for salmon-fishing is free from kinks and not chafed anywhere, also that it is wound evenly on the reel, from which it must run lightly and easily.
A check in the running of the line, when a large fish makes a sudden dash, would almost certainly enable him to break away. Many people waterproof or varnish the line to keep it from rotting, and its usual length is from sixty to seventy yards, the gut cast at the end being generally about three more and stained (according to the colour of the water in which it is to be used) either with tea or coffee, or else ink and water.