The Fish A writing to Dewey Gillespie from a very respected friend AJH)

Fish, like cats and fox, have a tendency to follow.  A cat will follow a pulled string.  Fish have a response like that.  I often see salmon following my fly.  Many of the strikes I get are from following fish, so I do everything that I can to keep my fly floating at current speed as it swings up to my rod tip pivot.  If possible I begin a pull on the line at the point when the line stops its natural current flow.  If that pull can carry the fly in a continuous “follow the string” movement, I feel that I’m exciting the fish that I imagine is following.  Some of my strikes occur during this pull.