The Republican journal., 1869-06-24
NEW BOOKS.

FisHING IN AMERICAN WATERS. b GENIo
c. Scorr. NEW YORK HARPER Bros.
This is a handsomely printed and llusra-
ted volume Of nearly 800 pages, devoted 10
recording, for The benefit of the public, what
ever that is worth knowing Of the art Of an
Cling as Il rcclcation and Of the commercial
fisheries OF the country-the latter in 4 con-
drnsed form. The author says
II have endeavored to portray the recrea-
ionS of the angler i'll America with his i'm
pemcnts and his game adding a small trb-
ulr 10 the temperate and industrious class o f
men who follow for a livelihood the hazard
ous business Of fishing on the broad seas
We recognize in Mr.. Scott an cnthu silstic
knight of the rod and line and a contributor
to that department Of the literature of the
country. In this book he has placed before
the public, in permanent iorm u vast fund of
in ntolmation concerning the description habits
and qualities of fishes, With the methods of
taking them. a. we'll rs a host of valuable
hints To anglers. Every description of new
tackle l. fully commented on and illustrated
Ii mtl~t be of incNtimable value To all who
~ IL
these matters Mr. Scott discusses with mi
nut;r all the peculiarllies Of fish even to their
senses of vision. taste, smell and hearing"
/ The artificial propagation of fish, such as sal
mon. Shad, trout. Nc.. are freely treated OF
With Illustrations. Ihi- branch Of productive
industry j. becoming of great importance. Ii
! i, asserted, and we have no doubt of its truth,
that Il Grcater amount of food for mankind
con ne pIuuu,,-l NOM slIr;tIn or poiu, such-
ed and well managed than from any other
portion o farm, with the same expenditure.
The author has n very entertaining style.
and bv no means confinco himself to the dry
details OF Facts and figure. He gives pleas
ant aDd rrliShin9 sketches Of fishing iaunts
>. and camp life. There is flavor Of pine
+ bouohs and M aroma of campeookery in his
descriptions.
We extract the following record of day
fishing for salmon with the fly in Canadian
waters. II is the crownng sport Of the an
glcr, and one NOT to be enioved in this region,
as il is fact well known to fishermen that
Penobscot salmon Will not rise to the fly
one day, while fishing the pool below the falls /
felt tug, and a> my reel spun round Whir. whr!
Whir.., ] raised my rod to perpendicular, Which,
the reel soon continuing saw three leaps at once.
each fish Ieaping fastened to my fly. Thought |. III
You make three leaps At once there is small chance
. of saving You" and 50 il resulted. BY the man~u-
vcr, il formed a blight in my line and unlocked.
= Ny captures We're very fair that day. and it is a
remarkably interesting pool to fish; but the river
, was so low, and lis waters transparent, that
could count scores OF salmon lying in pairs by The
rocks, awaiting rise in the river 10 help them
mount the chute.
The next morning i>hed the same pool from the
opposite >id, of the river and in RESPONSE to my
second or third east hooked q large salmon which
ran out to the middle of the river and took nearly
all the line OFF my reel, when it made leap about
twenty feet up the river. and several feet above the
water, and the SWiftness of the current made such
blight in my line that its weight parted the single
leader though dipped the point Of the rod as saw
the leap coming. AS my line came back L felt dc>-
pondent At losing such beautiful fish, but | ven
re to state that no angler under the circumstances,
could have saved it, Such is salmon-angIing. You
must single gut for the half of your casting
line toward the end, and Tie Your fy on !: single
gut, or you will be regarded as Il coarse angler and
all your large scores will count you naught as an
artist 1T angling. Here salmon in broad, rap
id river large enough to try the strongest striped
bass tackle; and yet they are to be taken SIN
gle gut and played from half an hour to three hours
to bring to gait. Add to the delicacy of play
STATED from the ghtness of tackle the fact also that
the mouth OF salmon is very tender These are
points to be noted if You would angle for salmon
No one ever hears Of a string Of salmon. for the
very SOoi reason IUil tlleN bOtlltS and
gll> tender that they will not sustain their weight
put on another fly and east again. For some
time my eyes We're not blcst with the sight OF a rise
but by-and-bv salmon accepted the fly in earnest
and fastened. The prick of the hook gave il such Il
shock that it bounded and leaped three or four times,
as quick rs thought several feet above the water.
, Finding itself still! hooked, it came toward me- and
| retreated. for fear that too acute angle of the
line and rod might enable it. bya salmon DASH to
break the top of my rod. i therefore walked back
ward, and the salmon followed me until within five
feet of the shore. 1t then turned quick as light
ming, and whr! whir! whir!. went my reel.
Another leap shows it to be in the middle of the
current, with but little line remaining on my reel
and reef of rocks rising above the water between
me and the salmon. L at once saw that it might
eXtrcate itself and take my fly and some of the line
but it misudged its own situation, and started to
leap the falls. By its failure turned its head shore
| ward. and brought it within rod Of me, when it
took fright again and started down the river. At
ter checking and turning it, back it came TO me-
gentle possible, eaping occasionally us if it was
its nature for should have thought fish circum
Stanced would have swan low; but no-all game
fish are alike in that respect. Although the salmon
had become used to my appearances it still disrlls-
ed me- and started out into the current again. There
he leaped few times, and finally consented to be
led back; but when it gained sight of the gait it shot
on again, though could both see and feel that it
was losing strength. After two three Wis
IT'S to the shore it became weakened, and Duncan
galcd it. The fish weighed only sixteen pounds,
put II was the pretiest salmon that had ever seen
ABOVE the line from gill to tail it was a light and
brilliant salmon color, and below it was like polish
eu SILVER could not help eXclaming how beaut-
iul! ihefe Is nothing more beautiful than u fresh
run salmon when first taken, neither is there any
pencil capable of creating its apparent counterpar
To feel salmon fast to your y ana see IFS lean is
alone worm voyage to Canada to experience
/ We are in receipt of other works from Har-
per Brothers, which will be noticed hereafter