196 SALMON-FISHING IN BRACKISH WATER. 



There are two of these streams below the bridge, 

 and the tide must rise seven or eight feet before 

 the salt water can enter them. The salmon will 

 take the fly, provided there be not much sun, 

 until half flood." 



Another friend of mine, an old fisher, once 

 indeed hooked a salmon, in the sea itself, outside 

 the river gates, at Tremadoc, while many were 

 rising about the spot, waiting no doubt for the 

 flood tide to open them an entrance to the river ; 

 but having only held it for a minute or so, 

 he was unable to determine whether he had not 

 (as was probable) merely hooked it foul ; on two 

 or three occasions, I have known fine base or 

 base mullet (a fish somewhat like the chub, with 

 the brilliancy of a salmon), varying from two to 

 ten pounds, caught with a huge red salmon fly, 

 in the sea, off the foot of Great Orme's Head, 

 just after the tide had begun to ebb*. I tried 

 once for them, but failed ; though while thus 

 occupied, I saw three or four fine salmon leaping 

 high out of the water, about two hundred yards 

 off. I am told, also, that these base have been 

 taken half-way between this place and the sea, but 

 I will not vouch for that fact. Perhaps, however, 

 more might be done with perseverance both in 

 tide-ways and in the sea. Some of the best 



* If I ever tried this place again it would be during the last hour of 

 ebb tide. 



