Evening journal., 1888-06-16

iouo VI tueS0 uSn OF ufaH net TO eQtangle
one without he first procures a license
from the government to do so. The gem
tleman sportsman must plank down his
little fee just the same as the brawny
dragger Of the net who prizes the lordly
salmon only according to it's range in the
market quotations.
"Well, the unsophisticated angler NAV
say, whats to hinder me, then, from
crossing the border, buying my license,
and wetting my flies along with the rest
of emf"
Much, my friend, much. It was dis
covered by sporting associations and pri-
lvate parties with money, not long after
the government license system was APP
piled to salmon fishing, that the law
opened way for them to get control of
the streams, and they lost no time in do
ing so. So effectually 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 sportsmen have leased the most
of the rivers. They employ keepers, who
constantly patrol the streams from one
end to the other. keeping off trespassers
who may seek to enjoy surreptitiously
day or few hours sport, which they are
unable to secure in the regular way.
although they may be never so willing to
pay for the privilege, and more especially
looking out for the pot fishing poachers
who are always watching their chance to
invade the streams with their spears and
nets. Other waters are held under
license by persons who secure them
for the purpose of specializing in
4 the fishing privilege. These specu.
lators know all the best waters, and are
so shrewd that they seldom If ever fail
to get control of any they may be after.
They have simply to pay the government
license and leasehold fees, but by selling
privileges under their license it is no un-
common thing for them to receive for
few days fishing at one stream more than
their entire seasons license fees for a
score Of rivers amount to. Lovers of sal
mon fishing who have no leasehold on
the streams hire men to hunt up, before
before the season opens, any spare privi-
1 leges that are to be had. and for these, if
they are to be had, the longing sportsmen
are willing to pay almost any price. Be
sides protecting her salmon and making
her streams the best on the continent for
the sport of salmon fishing, Canada's sys-
TEN of governing them Yields a net reve-
1t may well be imagined that under this
system Of dealing with sportsmen it is
+ only the wealthy who can conscientiously
enjoy salmon fishing in Canada-the
wealthy and their invited guests. For
instance, prime Saguenay salmon may be
bought In the markets almost anywhere
for fifty cents pound, but if he thinks
! that is too much and goes to the home of
the fish to economic and catching it him
self, it will be apt to cost anywhere from
So to $25 a pound. l have a party of
friends who hold a ten year lease on a
river in Canada. They spend three or
-four weeks up there every season. have
been there three seasons at their invita-
ton and. enjoyed their hospitality. There
are only1a dozen in the club and they
have some little cottages scattered all
along the stream. | made q calculation
last summer as to how much it actually
did cost my friends to catch their salmon
as compared with the market price at the
fisheries, taking as o basis their catch for
that season. As my friends are not ex-
travagant. there was not so much discrep-
ancy in the two amounts as there would
have been in the case of less economical
parties. Their fish-including what |
killed-cost them exactly S3.2 per pound.
But | wish to remark right here that the
sport have had in Canada was worth to
me every cent it cost my friends.
! 49,
The salmon rivers Of Canada are all
streams Of swift currents, whirling rapids
and high falls. The salmon seems to make
its way mp these streams with as 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
Z ing July many persons assemble there to
see it. The falls are a succession of steep
itumbles, and the water ruspes over the
rocks with great velocity. The salmon
gather at the foot of the lower tumble,
and with marvellous leaps up the very face
/ of the rushing waters make their way to
the summit without apparent difficulty,
gliding up the swift chutes like a fash,
and mounting each successive tumble.
until the grand summit is reached. The
native Canadian will tell you, with a
straight and solemn face. that when there
was no legal interference with spearing
the Indians were in the habit of gather
] ing at the foot Of the fallz In their birch
canoes and casting their spears at the
salmon as they leaped up the tor
rents. making their casts with such
marvellous skin that the salmon aimed at
was invariably stopped In his vaulting
career. and fell back impaled by the In
dams cruel barb. That may be true, but
II know for q fact that they tell the
stranger many queer things in Canada
J The salmon fishing is at its best now
and will continue good until the middle
of July. There il not much use of fish
I ing after that. There is always a big
run of salmon in August and September.
but they give very uncertain and unsatis-
factory sport. @. r. STEPHENS.