The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1891-08-08
BATTING FOR SALMON.
HOW AND WHERE THE FINEST
FISH Is CAUGHT.
A Very Expensive sport-Large Prices
Paid for tho Right 10 Fish In
Well Stocked waters-The
LILO or u salmon.


Pliny. over 1900 years ago. said that
salmon were the best of all fishes, or
words to that effect and to this day
most persons agree with him. Whether
on the hook. leaping and racing around
pool or tearing down rapid. with
the angler doing his best to keep up
with him. or lying In state on a platter.
surrounded by parsley and drawn but
ter, he ranks A No. 1.
1t is unfortunate that with our usual
shortsighted policy we have extermin-
ated our salmon on the Atlantic coast.
writes William Holberton in the New
York Advertiser, and thereby lost an
annual income OF at least 81, 0CO, 600,
to say nothing Of the loss OF sport.
This we are now trying to repair in
feeble fainthearted way.
The Penobscot river in Maine Is the
only waters where they have shown
up to any extent some forty or fifty
are now killed there on the fly every
season. But hero as elsewhere the
METERS control everything and their
nets lap one another at the mouth OF
the river in such manner that it is
wonderful that a salmon ever escapes
There were about 200 or 800 salmon
killed illegally in the Hudson last year,
mostly taken In fykes and shad nets,
but SO far none have been caught fair
ly on hook and line though several
good anglers have tried it every spring.
Hendrix Hudson reported that these
fish were very plentiful when he en-
tered the Hudson river, but he prob
ably mistook the woak-fish for the
salmon. 1t is doubtful whether salmon
ever entered the rivers further South
than Connecticut notwithstanding
Thackeray's "Virginians. though
lately the Susquehanna and Delaware
have been stocked with these fish, and
a few years ago several were taken In
the latter river on the fly. Half of tho
salmon's life at least is spent in the
ocean where these fishes find abundant
food in the various crustaceans, young
crabs, shrimp. etc. 1t was supposed
ut one time that they did not feed in
fresh water. but this theory is now ex-
p.oded. They take worms, minnows,
young trout flies and even artificial
minnows when they feel in the humor.
After spawning in the fall they are in
a wretched condition. and are known
as ''kelts." The young fish when first
Matched are red spotted and look some
what like trout They are called
''parr" then AID remain in the river
until next season, when they assume q
silvery coat and descend to the ocean
under the name of ''smolt." The first
time they return from the sea they are
beautiful and clean built. full of life
and vigor, and are then known as
'.grilse," and can be easily distin-
guished from salmon of the same
weight as the latter is more stocky.
After the next trip to the salt water
they become full grown salmon.
Grilse seldom exceed weight OF six
or seven pounds, but they make it live
ly for the angler when hooked. In
our rivers they are seldom seen, but
they are common in the rivers of Can
ada The salmon attain a weight OF
fifty to sixty pounds, but differ in that
respect according to the river they are
bred in. The Cascapedia is celebrated
for its long fish, though they are not so
plentiful rs in the Restigouche and
other waters.
Salmon fishing Is essentially tho
sport Of the wealthy anglers. Net
only are the fishing privileges held
high, but the long journeys expensive
guides and tackle and camping outfitn
make it high priced amusement Still
the number of salmon anglers is rapid
ly increasing. and since the Canadian
courts have decided the rights of lend
owners to the waters fronting their
lands, a fair pool can sometimes be
leased for reasonable sum. Most Of
the wealthy American anglers either
own private pools or belong to che
Restigouche club which is one of Tho
most famous fishing clubs in America
Enormous sums are paid for favo'.ite
stretches on salmon rivers. / have
heard that as high as $50, 600 was taid
for one short stretch on the RGst.-
gouche last season.
The outfit for salmon fishing con-
sists of q rod, reel, line leaders ard
flies. This mt first sight seems nitlpls
enough, but when one comes to pur-
chase it the figures grow to QUITE n
respectable size, for salmon fishing is
a serious matter and the cheap stiff
that will do to bounce baby irtut
out OF brook will nos do for thirty
pound salmon in swift water. A good
salmon rod costs from $22 to $65. 1t
should not be less than fifteen feet
long and spring nearly from Zip TO
butt. The reel should be a simple
click of hard rubber and German sil-
yer. capable OF holding not less than
100 yards of waterproof silk lie. A
good reel costs anywhere from f15 to
$50, and the lines are worth 10 cents
per yard, Some anglers recl on 100
yards of Cuttyhunk line aud then
splice. on fifty yards OF the heavy silk
line. but it is very risky. as tho "lay"
in the Cuttyhunk line will wrist the
leads off close to the fly sometimes.
Good leaders are difficult TO find
They should be nine feet long and
tested to stand strain when dry OF
seven to eight pounds. A first class