River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1906-11-29

We arrived on Aaro one fine sun.
shiny day. We were glad to think the
season promised well, and it was not
long before we had rods up and tackle
out, and were showing to the Aaro
fish some of the best creations in the
way of artificial salmon flies that For
rest had been able to supply. The first
afternoon two salmon, 25 and 81
pounds, respectively, rewarded our eff
forts, and we considered that good
start had been effected. There were,
however, no features out Of the or
binary in the play they gave. Split
cane rods, treble gut and the wiles
of a six-degreee Jock Scott fly had
brought them to bank in we'll under
minute to the pound, and our APP
petites were only whetted for more
sport and larger fish.
Near the head of the fish-water Is a
still. deep pool, formed inside the
main current of the river, where fly.
fishing is vain occupation. There is
no proper stream to carry a fly, and.
moreover. the water is too deep for
the fish to rise to fly. One fine day,
from rough platform made for the
purpose, | dropped prawn into this
prawn pool, as 1t is felicitously
named. 1t was a prawn like young
lobster. boiled brilliant red, shiny
from the glycerine bottle, and deftly
fastened to flight of hooks with red
silk. Let no practical fisherman de-
spise the prawn. It has tempted
many a lordly salmon to its death,
and--we were out to kill salmon. II
the Aaro whales sternly decline the
artificial fly, it were well to try them
with change of lure. So my prawn
was quietly dropped into the depths.
and gradually progressed down the
pool; then came a rapid tug at the
line, and the next moment tight line
and bending rod signified the hooking
of salmon. He felt heavy, and for
few moments took two or three
short turns in the calm water. Then,
without a moments warning, the fish
ran out into the stream, showed his
lordly bulk for moment like a por-
poise near the further bank. and was
off down the rapid-fowing Aaro like
flash. Come on" yelled Anders, my
gaffer, and bolted down the bank of
the river, ready with gaff-handle to
clear the line from intervening rocks.
The reel screamed as nearly 100 yards
of silk running-line were taken off it
in that first mad rush. For over 800
yards that salmon ran down the river
with scarcely pause, taxing my best
efforts to follow him down the rocky
bank and get back, as best / might.
some of the long length of line he
had run out. For the next ten minutes
his fate hung in the balance. Once
the line caught in high rock, and
was only just lifted in time by Anders
with the gaff-handle. Then we came
to a pool above the lower rapids.
where a halt was absolutely neces-
sary. Once below this pool, and no
power on earth could have saved my
tackle and brought the fish to bank.
For many minutes it was touch and
go. Inch by inch, however, the line
was recovered, and the fish gradually
brought up into calmer water and
nearer to his fate. Then, after a
period Of misunderstanding excitement,
his great silvery bulk was slowly
drawn into shallower water, and.
finally, came the quick stroke of the
gait, a mighty splashing, and bright
36-pounder lay gasping on the grassy
bank
HENRY SETON KARR.