98 KENDALL: NEW ENGLAND SALMONS. 



a very fair average in the number of salmon taking the fly, although they have been far 

 more difficult to hook and slower to rise to the fly than earUer in the season. J. H. 

 Peavey, whose expertness in salmon fishery at the pool is well known, has taken eight 

 fish since the fifteenth of July, the date at which the fishing usually ends. . . . This is 

 believed to be the latest date that a fish was ever landed at the Bangor salmon pool 

 since fly-fishing began there.' 



1904. 



The only records for this year at the pool appear to be those of the Maine Sportsman 

 (Anonymous 1904, p. 227) as follows: April 3, May 18, and June 30, total 51 salmon 

 killed by 12 anglers. 



1906. 



New England Fishing ('Central' 1905, p. 498): 'Boston, June 17 . . . The latest from 

 Bangor is to the effect that all records have been broken at the pool this season, although 

 the best of the sport came late. It is beUeved that twice as many salmon have been taken 

 this year than there were last year.' 



An article in the Maine Sportsman (Anonymous 1905, p. 248) entitled At the Bangor 

 Salmon Pool gives detailed records of the catch by days of the months from April 1 1 to 

 July 29 inclusive, by nine anglers: April 11-25, four days, six fish, from seven to 21.5 

 pounds, average 15.9 pounds; May 3-31, 13 days, 35 fish from nine to 22 pounds, aver- 

 age 11.6; June, 70 fish from eight to 20 pounds, average 10.78 pounds; July, two fish of 

 ten pounds each. 



1906. 



April 7 opened the 1906 angling season at the Bangor pool, by the capture of an eight 

 pound salmon. Later reports stated that according to the best information obtainable 

 there were about 108 salmon caught at the pool, altogether. The largest fish for the 

 season was landed by Thomas Cannon. It weighed 25 pounds. 



1907. 



In 1907 considerable newspaper pubhcity was given to the claim, made by some, that 

 the Penobscot River salmon fishery was doomed. Old habitues of the pool claimed that 

 fish were being freely gaffed in secret spots inaccessible to anglers, that the fishways were 

 inadequate, some improperly constructed, that poaching was rampant and that sufficient 

 efforts were not being made to restock. One dam near Bucksport was mysteriously 

 blown up, the deed being laid at the door of 'suffering fishermen' who had appealed in 

 vain to the powers that be for a proper chance for the fish to pass up over the dam. 

 The claim was also set up urgently that a prime factor in the decrease of catch was that 

 the weir fishermen were allowed to leave their weirs out night and day, on every tide 

 and that it was a miracle that any fish at all got to the pool. 



