HISTORY OF SALMON ANGLING IN NEW ENGLAND. 93 



1889. 



The first Salmon at Bangor, Me. ('H' 1889, p. 271): 'Mr. Fred C. Ayer again, for the 

 third year in succession, landed the first salmon of the season from the pool at Bangor 

 on April 12, almost three weeks earUer than last year.' His fish weighed eight and 12 

 pounds respectivel}'. For some reason the salmon fishing at Bangor was not as good as 

 in 1888. Although the season opened very early and promised to be unusually good, 

 May and June fishing proved to be very poor. It was said that the acid and refuse from 

 the large pulp mills on the river were driving the salmon out of it. 



1890. 



'Special' (1890, p. 270) writes: 'The first salmon of the season has been landed at 

 Bangor, but this one has not yet been followed by the good run that the sportsmen are 

 hoping for, though the fish are tried every day. The Boston sportsmen who propose 

 trying for the salmon at Bangor are anxiously waiting for the telegraph to announce 

 that the salmon are rismg freely. Somehow there is not much confidence among the 

 sportsmen concerning the run of salmon at Bangor this spring. The fear is that already 

 the extensive pulp mills on the river above — with its many branches also beginning 

 to be Lined with pulp miUs — are about to show their deadly work upon the salmon of 

 the Penobscot. The chemicals that are discharged into these streams are believed to be 

 death-dealing to the salmon. Last year it was particularly noted that the ascending 

 salmon invariably crossed over to the other shore, where it was possible to avoid the 

 deadly chemicals; and that frequently they were found dead. The great majority of 

 these many pulp mills on that river and its tributaries are the work of a couple of years, 

 and it will be remembered that last year was the first when the great run of salmon at 

 Bangor began to fall off. In fact, the run of last year was practically a failure. Now, 

 this lack of a run last year may be due to other causes; but the theory of those best posted, 

 and who have given the subject the most thought, coupled with a good deal of experience, 

 is that the salmon are either being killed by the pulp mills' chemicals or they are so 

 disgusted with the foulness of the waters of the river they are wont to ascend that they 

 are turned aside into other streams, or else they do not leave the salt water at all. This 

 theory may not be the correct one, but the results of this season will be anxiously 

 watched. It may be that excessive netting, which is permitted at Bucksport and at 

 other points on the river below Bangor, is a great reason why the salmon do not 

 ascend the river. Already a good many salmon have been taken by these fishermen below 

 Bangor and sent into the Boston market.' 



The first salmon of the 1890 season was taken at Bangor, April 14, by Mr. E. A. Buck, 

 just below the waterworks dam, and weighed 12 pounds. The following was the result 

 of one day's fishing as near as could be learned: 'Mr. Archibald Mitchell, two fish, 21 3^ 

 and 22 pounds; Mr. F. W. Ayer, 20 pounds; Mr. H. M. Prentiss, 20}/^ pounds; Mr. 

 Dodge, 19 pounds; Mr. P. McCarthy, 10 pounds. Dr. Elliot, of Lawrence, Mass., 

 hooked one, but lost it and Mr. McCarthy had the same iU fortune. The fish were 



