SALMON FISHING 



the Shannon, 1872 ; a professional fisherman on the Suir, 57 

 pounder, 1873 ; Mr. F. Milburn, Doonass Water, Castle Connell, 

 54 pounder. 



The heaviest English fish are : a 55^ pounder on the Cum- 

 berland Derwent in 1874 ; Mr. G. Mackenzie's 56 pounder on 

 the Warwick Hall water of the Eden, 1892. 



The heaviest British salmon recorded was that taken in 

 the Haggis Station nets below Newburgh in 1870 : it weighed 

 70 lb. when it reached Mr. Frank Buckland's hands in London, 

 and was probably 1 lb. heavier when caught : this fish was 53 

 inches long, and girthed 31 1 inches. A 68 povmder was taken 

 in the nets below Perth in June 1893 : it also was 53 inches 

 long : girth 30i inches. Fish of over 60 lb. have been netted 

 in both Shannon and Severn, 



THE TAKING OF THE SALMON 



A Birr ! a whirr ! a salmon 's on ; 

 A goodly fish ! a thumper ! 

 Bring up, bring up the ready gaff, 

 And if we land him we shall quaff' 

 Another glorious bumper ! 

 Hark, tis the music of the reel ; 

 The strong, the quick, the steady ; 

 The line darts from the active wheel : 

 Have all things right and ready. 



A birr ! a whirr ! the salmon "s out 



Far on the rushing river : 



Onward he holds with sudden leap, 



Or plunges through the whirlpool deep, 



A desperate endeavour ! 



Hark to the music of the reel ! 



The fitful and the grating ; 



It pants along the breathless wheel. 



Now hurried — now abating. 



A birr ! a whirr ! the salmon 's off I — 

 No, no, we still have got him : 

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