GLIMPSES OF CANADA, ETC. 237 



cord was attached a large Colorado spoon, armed with 

 one big triangle, and mounted on an eighth of an inch 

 brass wire. The canoe was slowly rowed about, up 

 and down and across the lake, the spoon revolving 

 behind at the end of from ten to fifteen yards of line. 

 All that the angler had to do was to sit tight on his tiny 

 seat in the stern of the cockle-shell, holding the line in 

 his hand, and dodging the inevitable cramp as best he 

 could by uneasily shifting his position from time to 

 time. 



This, of course, is trailing in its most primitive form, 

 and it is the method adopted by the majority of fishing 

 folks on Canadian inland waters. Even the grand lake 

 trout (Salvelinus namaycush really) are taken in this 

 way in the spring and fall when they come in upon the 

 shallows. The fish hook themselves, and are generally 

 hauled neck and crop into the boat ; but the careful 

 boatman will have a gaff on board for the emergency of 

 a ten-pounder or over. Many, however, do not affect 

 this luxury, but treat great and small alike on the 

 pulley-hauley principle. They say, nevertheless, that 

 few fish are lost. The hooks are so big and strong 

 that there is no reason why they should be lost when 

 once they are securely hooked, as they will almost 

 invariably be by this easy style. The boatman is always 

 maintaining his steady two mile an hour pace, just 

 sufficient in fact to keep the spoon on the spin, and 

 the lightly hooked fish of course quickly find freedom 

 by honest and abrupt tearage. The coarse triangle 

 fairly within the bony jaws would be instantly struck 

 into solid holding ground, and with tackle fit for sharks, 

 there would be no more to be said. Something, how- 

 ever, there would be to be done, and the same sim- 

 plicity which characterises the style of angling is carried 

 on to the process of dealing with a hooked fish. 



