The Elk advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Elk Co., Pa.) 186?-1868, 1867-01-17
SALMON FISHING.
s9Is Extraordinary Struggle.
From the London Field

Last wsek we quoted from the Dundee
Courier one of the most remarkable
with a salmon upon record,
which want ofspacc alone prevented US
from commenting on. On Wednesday,
the 9th, Mr.. Colin Wood, while fish
ing on the North Esk, hooked an enor-
nous salmon. The time at which the
fish was hooked is stated to have been
$50. At this time Of the year it soon
becomes darl; 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 until the moon rose. Sever
al persons appear to have been with him
at this time, but as hour after hour stole
by they left him, having far to 90, until
the party was reduced to three Mr..
Woods two companions at length grew
weary, and laid down under bush to OBJ
tain few hours nap; and now Mr.
Wood left to himself, continued the
struggle alone for hours through the si-
lent 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 20 his assistance and relieved him
of the rod. and worn out, as he well
might be, indeed, with the fatigue of
such an encounter, Mr.. Wood fell SOUND
ly asleep. The moon waned, and still
the struggle went on. Morn came, and
Mr.. Wood was awakened, and having
taken some retrcshment he was ready TO
renew the contest and resumed the rod.
Other fishermen began to arrive on the
rivers bank, and there found Mr.. Wood
still fast in the salmon, which had resis.
ted all his efforts to land him through
out the !ivelong 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 Gsh began
to show signs of distress, but Mr.. Wood
was again compelled, from utter exhags,
ton, to rclinquish the rod, which was
taken by Sergeant Milne, a skilliul fish
erman and shortly after this the hook
parted from its hold and the line came
home, leaving the gallant FISH to its we'll
earned liberty, after having tired out
three foes aud been on the hook for
nineteen hours and a half
Such is the history related By the
Dundee Courier, and if it is substantial
ly accurate in its nam details, as We
have no reason whatever to doubt, it is
the most extraordinary battle with sal.
mon on record. There is a story of q
grand encounter between a young High
lander and huge salmon in the Awe
which some years ago was rife in oui
fishing books. The fish was hooked
late in tAe afternoon, and after showing
some fine sport, sank to the bottom OF
the pool and sulked. The fisherman
fading that the salmon had taken NJ
his quarters for the night, laid down OF
the heather, and placed the line between
his teeth-so that If the fish moved in
the night it would instantly awake hin
and went to sleep; but the fish die
not move, and il the morning the fish,
ermen came to work with their nets
The pool was swept, and the noble fsI
came to an inglorious end. 1t is salt
that it weighed y pounds.
Some three or four years since Mr.
Deaison, the Speakers brother, hooked
very large fish in the Homepools, rente,
by him on the Ness. The fish Tough
well, keeping the taglers on the move u
and down the bank from evening unit
about four in the morning, when, +,
some accident, the reel caught in Nj
Denison's watcE guard and the fsl
broke away; as they had'seen him sev
eral times, he was estimated at hard up
on 80 lbs, Probaly 10 Or IL hour
would have been the actual extent o
the time consumed in the contest bu
1t Is evident that both these incident
fell short in point of endurance to tina
which occurred to Mr. Wood, who mus
be held to have fought the stoutest figh
with salmon ever known. The weigh
OF the fish is supposed to have been a
least 90 lbs; he was never seen, an
only broke the water twice during tn
night. 1t would be very interesting t
the lovers of salmon angling if Mr., Woo
would favor the angling public with
detailed and more intimate account {
the affair than has yet been given, as
must hencetorth (until it is excelled
which is not likley) be our patterr
incident in salmon fishing; our battle c
Troy, which would need Il piscator
Homer to do justice to its relation.
-" Sammy. Sammy, my son, don