The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-06-17
SALMON nv CANADA.
a Sportsman Tells How Well These Fish
Are Protected There.
Special Correspondence. ]

some one who controls salmon water
{ somewhere In the Dominion, you might
lust as well 90 to Florida With the expec-
tation of killing polar bears. II Is a good
thing that this is 50. for if there had not
been a change in the methods Of salmon
fishing there. the waters of the Dominion
would bv this time have been as free
from that great game ish's presence as
are hundreds If streams IN our own coun-
try where the salmon was once abundant
I'm fact. the Canadian streams themselves
some years ago were rapidly approaching
condition of fish determination, owing
to the reckless manner in which they had
been fshed For time out Of mind
the Indians who lived in the sal
mon regions had enjoyed the UNI
disturbed privilege Of speaIing the fish
during the spawning season, and every
year they killed thousands of the biggest
specimens in the rivers, the larger mum
Der OF which contained thousands of eggs.
This destructive mode OF fishing was III
time adopted by white fishermen, and II
was allowed 20 continue until the rivers
were threatened with utter extinction o.
the salmon family This condition of
things finally attracted the attention Of
the Dominion government. which at once
took charge of the streams. Laws were
passed under which every salmon and sal
mon egg in any stream in Canada became
the property of the government, and since
then no person has been permitted, under
heavy penalties. to cast a line 10 tempt
one of these fish or draw net to entangle
one without he first procures "A license
from the government to do So The gen
tleman sportsman must planl; down his
little fee just the same as the brawny
dragger Of the net who prizes the lordiy
salmon only according to its range in the
market quotations.
We'll. the unsophisticated angler may
say. what's to hinder me. then, from
crossing the border. buying my license,
and wetting my flies along with the rest
Of en-!
Much, my friend, much l. was dis
covered by sporting associations and pri-
vate parties with money. not long after
the government license system was APP
piled to salmon fishing. that the law
opened a way for them to get control Of
the streams. and they lost 10 time in do
ing so So eifectually have they taken
advantage Of their opportunity, there is
not today rod OF salmon water in the
whole of Canada that an angler can lease
direct from the government. Wealthy
English sportsmcn have leased the most
az the rivers They employ keepers. who
constantly patrol the streams from one
end 20 the other keeping oil trcs passcrs
who may seek - enjoy aptitiously "a
day o., few hours sport. which they are
unable 20 secure In the regular way.
alth0uc they may be never $50 willing to
pay for tlc privilege. and more especially
looking OFT for the pot fishing poachors
who are ..W8vs watching their chance 30
invade tie streams with their spears and
nets Other waters are held under
license by persons who secure them
for the purpose 81 Specializing in
the fishing privilege. These specu-
lators know all the best waters and are
so snrewd that they seldom If ever fail
To get coutro! OF any they may be after
They have simply 70 pay the government
license and lcaschoid fees. tUt hv selling
privileges under their license 10 is 10 UNI
common thing for them 10 receive for a.
few DAYS fishing a. one stream more than
their entire season license fees for
score of rivers amount TO- Lovers OF sal
mon fishing who have mo- lcascholi o.
the streams hire men 90 lVut up. before
before the season opens. ANS spare rgiyi
lcgcs that aic 90 bc had and for these. If
they arc ~ be- had. the longing spor-nen
are willing 10 pay almost aly price Be-
sides projecting hor salmon and making
her -traqus the best on the continent for
the sport OF salmon fishing Canada, sy
tom ot g0ru iue them yields ale, reye-
nue. TO Canada of nearly $4,000 year
il MAJ we'll Doe imagined That .ldor Ills
system of dealing with spor. -Heu IL is
only the wealthy who can -eicntlously
enjoy salmon fishing in caaada-the
wealthy and their invited guests For
instance. prime SagUenay salmon may be
bought in tho markets almost anywhere
for fifty cents pound, but II he thinks
that is too much and goes to the home of
the fish 10 economic and catching II him
self. il will be apt 10 cost anywhere from
81 TO S2J a pound | have a party of
friends who hold a ten year lease on
river in Canada. They spend three or
four weeks No there every season have
been there three seasons AZ their invita-
ton and enjoyed their hospitality. There
are only q dozen in the club, and they
have some little cottages scattered all
along the stream. made calculation
last summer as to how much it actually
did cost my friends TO catch their salmon
as compared with the market price al the
fisheries. taking as basis their catch for
that season A my friends are not eX-,
travagant. there was not - much discrep-
ancy iu tie two amounts as there would
have been in the case Of less economical
parties Their fish-includiag what !
killed-cost them exactly @3.2j per pound
But wish 10 remark right here that the
SPORT have had in Canada was worth 20
NE every cent it cost my friends.
~
The salmon rivers Of Canada are all
streams OF swift currents. whiring rapids
and high falls The salmon seems 10 make
its way up these streams with IS much
ease as he moves down. One of the sights
in the vicinity Of Quebec is the salmon
leaping at the Falls of Lovette. and dur
ing July many persons assemble there 20
see it, The falls are Ii succession OF steep
tumbles, and the water rushes over the