A Sportsman 353 



Many curious incidents occur with fishermen which 

 seem almost incredible, some of which are so singular 

 as to create a smile of incredulity upon the relating. 

 I have had many such, but one occurred of an amusing 

 character while I was salmon fishing accompanied 

 by a friend, who after I had taken in a few salmon, 

 and had a following stripping of bait occur, and no 

 fish, bantered me as I put on a fresh bait to wager 

 that I would take in a fish on the following cast. 

 I said I would take it for a box of cigars, that I would 

 take in a fish of some kind, not confining myself to 

 salmon, on that trial. I had a good strike but failed 

 to hook my fish, and I knew by the way my line eased 

 up that I had lost my bait ; so I slowly reeled in, trust- 

 ing that possibly some mere shred of bait remaining 

 might lure on some straggling wanderer. But as the 

 end of my line appeared, and the hook looked bare, my 

 friend Sprague gleefully claimed the bet. But as I 

 lifted it in over the side of the boat I observed some- 

 thing of slight form attached to the hook, and upon our 

 close examination it was seen that I had won the bet, 

 for hanging upon it was a minute codfish of not more 

 than an inch and a half in length, which was hooked 

 squarely in the mouth, the point of the large hook 

 coming out through its gills. In reeling in my line 

 and bare hook, this minute specimen had probably 

 been swimming along in an opposite direction, and 

 the point of my hook had struck it squarely in its 

 little mouth, securing for me my wager. I have the 

 little chap now in alcohol in a small bottle, as a me- 

 mento of this occasion. 



It may be claimed, by those fishermen who are 

 so wedded to the artificial fly, that trolling with a 



