The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1867-01-09

From the London Field, November 10, 1866
Last week we quoted from the Dundee
Courier one Of the most remarkable struggles
with salmon upon record, which want of
space alone prevented US commenting on. On
Wednesday, the 24th, Mr.. Colin Wood, while
fishing on the North Fisk, hooked an enormous
salmon The time at which the fish was
hooked is stated to have been 5:55. At this
time Of the year it soon becomes dark after
that hour, and for some time the struggle was
carried on in the dark; but Mr.. Woods tackle
was good, and he was an experienced angler,
SO he contrived to keep up the connection till
the moon rose. Several persons appear to
have been with him at the time, but as hour
after hour stole away they left him, having far
to CO. until the party was reduced to three.
Mr.. Woods two companions az length grew
weary, and lay down under bush to obtain
few hours nap; and now, Mr.. Wood, left
to himself continued the struggle alone for
hours through the silent night, and by the
light of the moon. 1t must have been a grand
fight, under these circumstances At length,
when the fish had been about ten hours on the
hook, one of Mr.. Woods friends came to bis
assistance and relieved him of the rod, and
worn out, as he well mi ght be, indeed, with
the fatigue of such an encounter Mr. Wood
fell soundly asleep. The moon waned, and
still the struggle went on. Morn came, and
Mr. Wood was awakened, and having taken
some retreshment he was ready to renew the
contest, and resumed the rod. Other fisher
men began to arrive on the rivers bank, and
there found Mr. Wood still fast in the salmon,
which had resisted all his efforts to land him
throughout the livelong night Up and down
went the anxious group. following the fish to
and fro until the day advanced, the morning
passed, and noon arrived, when it was thought
that the fish began to show signs of distress;
but Mr.. Wood was again compelled, from utter
exhaustion, to relinquish the rod, which was
taken by Sergeant Milne, a skillful fisherman;
and shortly after this the hook parted from its
hold, and the line came home, leaving the
gallant fish TO his wel-earned liberty, after
having tired out three foes and been on the
hook for nineteen hours and half
Such is the story related by the Dundee
Courier, and if it is substantially accurate in
its main details, as we have no reason whatever
to doubt, it is the most extraordinary battle
with salmon on record. There is story of
grand encounter between a young High
lander and a huge salmon in the Awe, which
some years since was rife in our fishing books.
This fish was hooked late in the afternoon,
and after showing some fine sport, sank to the
bottom of pool and sulked The fisherman,
finding that the salmon had taken up his
quarters for the night, laid down on the heath
er, and placed the line between his teeth-so
that if the fish moved in the night it would
instantly awake him-and went to sleep; but
the fish did not move and in the morning the
fishermen came to work with their nets The
pool was swept, and the noble fish came to an
inglorious end. 1t is said that it weighed 72
pounds.
Some three or four years since Mr.. Denison,
the speakers brother, hooked very large
fish in the Home pools, rented by him on the
Ness. The fish fought well, keeping the
anglers on the move up and down the bank
from evening until about four in the morning,
when, by some accident, the reel caught in
Mr.. Denison's watch guard and the fish broke
away; as they had seen him several times, he
was estimated at hard upon fifty pounds. Prob
ably ten or eleven hours would have been the
actual extent OF the time consumed in the con-
test; but 1t Is evident that both these incidents
Tell short in point of endurance to that which |
occurred to Mr.. Wood, who must be held to |
have fought the stoutest fight with salmon
ever known The weight of the fish is sup
posed to have been at least sixty pounds; he |
vas never seen, only broke the water twice |
Turing the night. It would be very interest
ne to the lovers of salmon angling if Mr.. I
Wood would favor the angling public with |
detailed and more intimate account of the
affair than has yet been given, as it must
lenceforth (until it is exeelled, which is not
ikely) be our pattern incident in salmon fish
ng; our battle Of Troy, which would need a
'iscatory Homer TO do justice to its relation.
CHOW, my dear Jane. how do You think
hese spectaces become me? They are my
wn invention
sOh, any invention that hides so much of /.
our face must be very much becoming to
ou''
Husband did not look much gratifed.