Evening journal., 1888-06-25
HOW SALMON TAKE THE FLY.
seasonable Information For Those VIII
Are Going to Fish.

arc 1oihH 10 Itsh.
Especial Correspondence1
TORONTO. June 21.-A salmon does moi
take the fly like trout. and never rises I,
it while passing up or down a stream. Ii
is only while it is lying at rest in the
waves, the reposing water at the foot Of
uwift rapid or the silent starting place OF
such rapid. that 1t Will respond 10 the
skillful cast. Salmon may be moving
along by the thousand in the deer
stretches Of the stream that extend some
times for O mile between rapids. but the
angler might drop his flies above then
for year, if it were possible, and never
be rewarded by a rise The pool is the
place to whip and the time early mornina
or late in the afternoon. If the epicurealj
denizen of the pool is so inclined there is
sport ahead for the angler. He drops his
flies lightly on the water, and the salmon
starts for it at once. If 1t were q front
rising to the fly, he would take it with
swoop and a whirl, and away he would
60. True, the salmon darts from his hid.
ing upward toward the fly, after the man
ner OF the rocket, also, but just before he
reaches the lily he stops for second below
it, Only for a second though, and then
he rises, opens his great jaws. draws the
fly and hook into his month and drops
like plummet toward the bottom. In
doing that lie carries the barbed
hook deep in his upper jaw Then
the trouble that follows is di
vided between the salmon and the angler.
The more the salmon tries to get out Of
trouble the deeper he gets the angler in.
The fish no sooner feels the hook in his
jaw than he seems to realize what tho
matter is, and things begin to boil The
first thing the fisherman knows hundred
feet of line have spun from his reel. and
he thinks he is in for long chase down
stream, when suddenly the salmon changes
his mind, doubles, and dashes straight
back at the boat. Then the angler is put
to his mettle to reel in the slack of that
line. IL is no sooner taut than the sal
mon feels its tension in his Jaw, and the
chances are that whizl he will shoot up
out of the water until he clears it twice
or thrice his length. Then he takes a
header and dashes madly down into the
depths again. tearing this way and that
in his wild fury. darting around and
around. and making lively work for both
the angler and the man at the oars or
paddle. Then again the mad fish NAV
start down stream like steam yacht, and
put the guide to his best skill and tact to
~ tA'NH WIG R'elh uAbhH WIN MN. ne
hooked salmon may lead a chase for a
mile in this way. then stop suddenly and
resume its leaping and doubling tactics.
The fight may last an hour or more. and
If the angler is skillful and cool, and the
guide or gaffer dexterous and watchful.
it will have but one ending. and event
ually the glittering throbbing prize will
be stretched on the bottom of the canoe.
The angler for salmon hates to cncoun-
ter a "sulker' in his fish. A sulker is
always large fish. and he will not show
fight at once, but will sialS to the bottom
and lie there. Whenever he does make
up his mind TO fight. though. the angler
may make up his mind at the same time
that the struggle will be a good one. But
the contrary fish may lie in the sulks for
half day or more, and. as the true
sportsman cannot retreat or abandon the
siege with honor, he must sit there and
await the salmon's royal pleasure If lie
has to stav all night. G. r. STEPHENS.