The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1923-03-29
The Gamiest Fighting Fish In Maine,
(The LandIOcked SalmOn)

The landlocked salmon. as | have
found him, is without doubt the most
sought after fish in Maine waters.
What thrill it gives any fisherman
to see the silver sides of a large
leaping salmon A few words about
the habits. of the salmon may be of
interest to some of the readers. The
Latin name "salmo" means literally
1.-The leaper," and it has always tried
to live up to that name. 1t runs
up our rivers in April and May, and
returning to the lakes as soon as the
water warns up. When the water
in the streams begin to get cool in
the fall, which is about September
list. the salmon begin to make their
way to the spawning beds; upon
reaching the spawning beds they
scoop out hollow in some gravel
bar, wash it clean by threshing their
taile after laying their eggs, (Which
are said to be about one thousand to
each pound the fish weighsl. the male
salmon then fertilizes same, after
which the eggs are covered up to pro-
tect them from spawn-eating fish and
animals; the parent fish then in most
cases, returning to the lakes.
| have seen Moose River in the fall,
alive with big salmon, leaping out
of the water every few minutes, but
impossible to catch one on either bait
or fly. This has led me to believe
that only very few of the spawning
fish take bait or fly in the fall of the
year, or until after they have laid
their eggs. Estimates based on size
and rate of growth, show that sal
mon may live to be 100 years old. AS
a sporting asset to the State it has
no equal, but has close second in
the trout | have watched the growth
of the salmon fishing in Moosehead
Lake with interest When | COM
menced to guide twenty years ago, it
was a rare thing to catch a salmon
in some parts of Moosehead Lake.
But due to our fish hatcheries and
careful laws regarding size and num-
Der of pounds to be caught. the num-
Der of salmon taken each year is
steadily increasing
| have fished Moose River, (the lar
gest tributary to Moosehead Lake. in
the spring for twelve successive
-
increasing in same, it will take but
a short time for Moosehead Lake to
have no rival in the east as a salmon
water. There are two ways of
catching salmon; bne is by fly fish
ing and the other by trolling. When
the salmon will rise to the fly, there
Is no better sport under the sun.
But there are times when you cannot
coax salmon Ato take one. just the
will not take live bait. The most
popular flies used here are the Jock
Scott, Silver Doctor, Dark Montreal
No. or hook. For trolling, we
use single hook with live minnow;
and | would like to see law passed
where it would be crime to use gang
hooks.
As a fighter, the salmon cannot be
beaten; | have seen a three-pounder
make fifteen jumps clear of the wa
ter in less than fifteen minutes. The
average size of salmon caught are
between three to five pounds. The
largest taken in this section. to my
knowledge. was fourteen pounds, and
fifteen ounces. / say that it is for
every man. woman and child. in the
State of Maine to help protect our
salmon and still keep them on the
increase. Remember ten pound fe
male salmon lays about 10000 eggs
in the fa'l. so do not catch more than
you need.
WALTER II. MAYNARD.