128 LAKE SUPERIOR. 



The gaudy flies known as the Irish lake-flies, 

 dressed on a small salmon-hook of about No. 1J, are 

 successful throughout the entire length of the lake ; 

 but in the rivers a common brown or red hackle on 

 the same sized hook, dressed with silver tinsel, scar- 

 let body, and very full, long hackle, is decidedly the 

 most killing, and in the lake answers full as well as 

 the more expensive articles. Very small flies are 

 not desirable, owing probably to the depth and 

 occasional turbulence of the water in the lake and 

 its discoloration in the rivers, which prevent their 

 being perceived by the fish. Stout tackle and a 

 heavy rod are better than lighter gear, as no one 

 wishes to waste time on small fish, and the rises are 

 so frequent that the angler will not become weary 

 by continued casting. A gaff is necessary for the 

 Mackinaw salmon, and a large landing-net for trout, 

 but otherwise nothing is required different from 

 that which the sportsman would take in a day's trip 

 to the classic haunts of Long Island. 



As the region around Lake Superior is well to- 

 wards the Arctic zone, the weather is cool, and 

 blankets, overcoats, and warm clothes are necessary ; 

 but there will be frequently several successive days 

 of extreme heat, when the thermometer will rise to 

 ninety in the shade. The great drawback to this 

 section of country, in fact to all our unopened lands, 

 is the immense number of mosquitoes, black-flies, 

 and sand-flies. These pests are found numerously 

 everywhere in our woods, but nowhere are they so 

 plenty or combined so equally as along the shores 



