Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1879-07-23
sALNoN FISHING.
How the "Gamy" Fish Tests the
Anglers Skill and Patience.

Tow the "oamy" Fish Tests tho
Anglers Skill and Patience.
Corr. N. Y. Times.
It is the habit of salmon to make their
homes in swift.running rivers-rivers
with rapids and falls. They run up and
down these rivers with perfect ease, no
matter how swift the current, or how
the falls. OF course this state
ment must be construed literally and
not literally. A cataract like Niagara,
or a perpendicular fall like that of the
Montmorenci river, of 1856 feet, would be
much of an obstacle for an ordinary
But the Falls of Loretto, near
Quebec, which are made up of a success
sion of short tumbles, over which the
water rushes at almost lightning speed,
offer no impediment to the salmon. He
apparently labors no harder in making
the ascent than the decent. But the
salmon has his nest in quiet water, in
pools through which the current move
slowly. 1t is in these pools that the
fishermen 90 to cast their lines, baited
with artificial flies. The fishing ap-
parstus consists of a light cane pole and
a reel of fine silk line, measuring about
400 feet. With this light apparatus
salmon are taken weighing 80 and IS
pounds, not by force, however, but by
strategy. The cast is made from the bank
of the pool, and there the fisherman pre-
ferst to stand and fight it out with his willy
antagonist. The salmon is quick to see
the fy as it touches the surface OF the
pool, and darts out of his hiding place
like a fash. But he slackens his speed
as he approaches the fly, perhaps to get
time to say grace before he dimes. He
does not snap at the fly as the trout
does. His fashion is to open his mouth
and take in the fly, and then drop, hook
ing himself. The rodsman Is spared the
trouble of jerking his line. 1t takes an
instant only for the fish to become con-
scious that he has a hook in his upper lip.
1t is a maddening pain, and the salmon,
being a decidedly hot-tempered fish,
gives way to passion, and tears about in
q terrible fashion. The fisherman must
be prepared for all kinds of antics. The
fish is apt q. first to turn tail and run,
and while he runs a hundred feet or so,
the reel that holds the line will spin
about with the greatest rapidity. Al
the end of his run the fish is exasperated
to find that the hook still hangs in hi'
gills. Quicker than thought, and per
haps without knowing what he is doing
he turns on his track and III directly
for the shore. He may be bent on get
ting to his nest. As he approaches, thu
fisherman makes haste to wind up tn
line, and if he has the most improved
reel he will accomplish the winding *
quickly that the slack will be all taker
up by the time the fish comes to a halt
The fisherman then gives his line an ex
a~sperating little pull, and in an instan
the fish jumps 6 or 8, and even 10 fee
out of the water. A second later h
will be dashing through the water in
most eccentric manner. Then comes tn
second Jump which iseven more astonish
ing than the first. AT the conclusion 0
these athletic exercises the salmon ma.
bethink himself of the sea. If he does
the attendants will have work to dc
They will hastily paddle their cano
from the place they have been lurking
and take the rodsman on board. Thel
they will hasten after the flying fish
which, has perhaps a hundred yards tn
start of them. The flight and pursui
will continue as long as the strength @
the fish holds out, and will one
two, or three miles, and, in exceptions
cases, a longer distance. There is n
more exciting sport than following
salmon down the rapids in his run t.
ward the sea. At length the poor ifs
comes to a halt, but he will in all prob,
bility make a death-struggle-an e1
aggerated repetition Of the antics tha
followed his catching by the hook. A
length it is all over with him, and it onl
remains for one Of the assistants to hoo
him with the gaffand draw him out upo
the river bank.
Sometimes the fisherman falls in wit
what is called q "sulk," and in tbs
event he may look for trial of patienc
between himself and the fish. TIL
"sulk" is apt to be a large fish, and h
mode of fighting for liberty is well d.
scribed in his name. He no soont
realizes that he is hooked than he drol
to the bottom of the stream and calml
waits, his hope, no doubt, being that b
may tire out the fellow at the other en-
of the line. 1t is a vain hope in mo
cases. The rule obtains among salmon
fishers that no man having put his han
upon a salmon can withdraw withou
dishonor. The "wait" has been know
to continue the greater part of a da.
A gentleman of unquestionable veracit
told me that on one occasion he knew
salmon to be on the hook from 5 o'cloe
in the morning until noon. and in tt
end escape. 1t is not the number
fishes q man catches a day that measure
his sport. 1t is the ~gameness," as
calls it, of the fish that delights hin
But it not unfrequently happens that
single fisher brings in 10 or IL goo'
sized specimens in a days fishing, the
combined weight aggregating from q
to 300 pounds.
w.