The morning times., 1896-06-21

: Apos. Nftu tuto ioL SOiue ItlGuusf
nary casts, aud after some labor began tc
get the idea or wo- handed casting, TO hat
l could get OGt a good length OF lice. A
large multiplying reel, to!diag l50 yards
or Z silk lire, completed the outfit 1t was
heavy adj tunCt TO the rod, aud one, l :oon
found, that greatly fatigued the novice in
the many c:ists to- be made Finally the
'kBack of resting the butt against the body
and thus reducing the strain came to me
Experience Is the best aud only teacher A
pcculiarity in the arrangement OF casts il
the use OF a sfxfcot Goubie-twistcd gut
leader ATTACHED to The line. traiied by six :
foot single leader, TO the end of which tie
single fly is fastened. found the favorite
flies OF my companions to be the jock
Scott, Silver Doctor and Fairy"
tied UPON No. single or double hooks
They were certainly most killing on this
river, and afforded all the variety neces-
sary.
As my stay on the river was to be
limited to u week, my companions, who
were to remain much longer, gave me
the first opportunity TO fish tie Ioois t.e
scending. l made innumerabie casts on
my journey down the river, and from
lack of skill in two-handed casting Quic..-
ly fatigued my arms: and meeting 10 i'm
mediate success, 1 became careless.
Casting for almon Is peculiar la its way
The casts aTe always made down stream,
not directly down with the current, hut
slightly across at an angle at 45 degrees.
As soon as the cast becomes perfectly
straight in the water IL is sawed up
and down with thecurrent, gradually cross
ing it. Then the canoe is dropped down
stream a few feet and the casts renewed.
~ this respect salmon differs from all
other game fish, that fly must be
irOnnaI ~ hos
1t strike A trout, ouananiche, or black
bass will come many feet from any ard
all directions to take a fly: n salmon W.!
not. This Is due to the fact that they lie
quietly in the pools, always heading up
stream. Hence the necessity OF casting
down stream. When one is found disposed
TO strike, It almost always makes an upward
rise-and what a rift of water ii sends
ahead of it! Frequently one will strike
a number or times at a fly and then not
hook. Occasionally in the more quiet pools
the fish can be plainly seen lying upon the
bottom. In the rough waters, however,
nothing can be seen OF them and the
sudden rush OF water and the whirring
of the reel is the first intimation of their
presence. Often, indeed, salmon cannot
be tempted to strike. remember one
in particular, which I could see plainly
and which l tempted with every variety
of fly that possessed With each change
1t would make a halfway rush for 1t in
q faint-hearted manner, only to return its
resting place. This is agoniziug to the
angler.
However. to return 20 the Posse Peiltier''
- as stated. I bad become fatisued with my
feelings. After whipping the Fool for sev-
eral minutes with silver doctor,"a swift
rift of wafer met my NY. and ! Suddenly
came 10 Il realizing sense that this indicated
4 salmon; in a moment fully 300 feet of
line had been run out. From that moment
fatigue wasrorgotteu. The hooking of ones
first salmon gives rise TO Il multitude OF SEN
sations never equalled by any other ex-
periencc. That fish would rush l,eadlong
for anywhere from fifty to one hundred
yards, occasionally ieaping from the water
and dlshing madly back. Then it would lie
and sulk uron the bottom, occasionally Civ
ing a sharp tug at the line. AT last sud-
den snap a Strengthening of the rod indicat-
ed that my fish had broken loose. ] reeled
In my cast 10 find the hook broken in the
bend I had pulled too hard. Time Of ac-
ton, fifty minutes.
I had forgotten one OF the rudimentary
rules of fishing. My tackle would stand
fifteen 10 eighteen pounds pull,
and this ] had evidently exceeded. The
strain put upon any fish, large or small,
pounds.
When n salmon strikes n strike In re-
urn should never be made. The fish must
hook itself. Upon receiving strike the
rod is gradually elevated, TO an upright pO-
;ition, the strain bending it almost to n
right angle. The strain ofthe rod with the
friction of the line passing through the
-ings is all the check that should be :ised.
The reel must have free play; though when
he fish is finally tired out and is being
led to shallow water to .yaff, |
he strain may exceed what the unchecked |
eel would allow.
We'll! Ny first catch was lost. and for |
une did not again favor me that day. |
sunday was spent at Ste. Anne by the sea, |
With more salmon stories. Monday, through |
he kindness of my companions, was al |
ave to fish alone. The water had reached |
favorable height. was very clear, and
verytiiing presaged success. / spent tho
ntire day making the trip. fished every pool
and reached the camp with u
esult of three fist: played and lost, none
aved. All were good-sized fish. as could
c seen when they lcapei from the water,
nd l fear that excessive eagerness and
train upon my part was the main cause
my losing them, But though dsap-
ointed 1 was not disIIeartened. Indeed,
, lose one in three of the salmon hooked,
the conceded average of fishermen.
Tuesday made an early start to fish the
pols for some distance above the camp,
nd registered a vow that / would in fu-
Ire play my fish all day if necessary to
ioroughly tire them. also decided to
,rego excitcmentSand cndeavor to use
,me skill. / spent the entire morning
hipping several pools without success,
1T upon rcsumfhg after lunch was al
ost Immediately rewarded with q vicious
rike- For-fully an hour played my fish.
iring which time the most furious rushes
nj leaps were made. became satisfied
lat the fish was well hooked, and settled
'wn to await its becoming thoroughly
red out. l had long reached that state
yself As there was good stony beach,
had gone ashore, and was better better
Die to persuade my catch towards shallow
ater. My arms fairly trembled with IA
que; and when. after two hours and five
inutes Of steady strain, saw my fish
flied and safely landed, I was exhausted. /
weighed my prize, and the I
ales indicated exactly twenty seven {
unds-my luck had changed. I
Now that I had tasted success. the NOR I
was 90 palatable that I was soon ready +
coBtinue the sport. In the same pool &
ID within ten minutes, 1 saw o salmon | l