PREPARING TO START FOR SALMON. 



205 



river in the dominion of Canada should club together and 

 apply for the fluvial parts of rivers. The estuary is usually 

 devoted to net-fishing, but it would be a better plan to apply 

 for a whole river, and then have the estuary netted if prefer- 

 red, or devote the whole river to fly-fishing. As salmon do 

 not rise to the fly in the tidal parts of rivers, if the river is 

 well stocked, the company might have the tidal part netted 

 with sweep-nets to a certain extent, but gill-nets and other 

 nets fastened to ground fixtures should be avoided. A party 

 of four gentlemen own the lease of the Godbout, and permit 

 no netting. It is contrary to law to fish on Sunday in any 

 part of Canada. The government leases the rivers for a term 

 of nine years, and the rivers unlet on the first day of each 

 year are advertised by the government to be let to the high- 

 est bidders. The places of residence of those tendering Tor 

 fishings are not considered in letting a river, and if a gentle- 

 man of the States overbids a Canadian, the river will be de- 

 clared as his. Rivers are therefore hired by Europeans as 

 well as by Canadians and citizens of the States. Prior to the 

 formation of the Dominion of Canada out of the provinces, 

 the salmon-rivers were under the control of the Minister of 

 Crown Lands ; but now they are managed by the Minister 

 of Marine and Fisheries, at present the Hon. Peter Mitchell, 

 to whom all applications should be made for leases of rivers. 

 Rivers are either let in whole or in parts, each part permit- 

 ting the use of a given number of rods, generally four. The 

 fluvial part of the Moisie, for example, is divided into three 

 fishings, the estuary being hired for fishing with nets. The 

 other two parts accommodate eight rods. Parties, on making 

 application to the Hon. P. Mitchell, at Ottawa, should state 

 what number of rods they desire to accommodate, aijd on 

 which side of the St. Lawrence they prefer a river. He will 

 then forward the applicants a list of the rivers to be let, with 

 such other information as he may deem necessary for their 

 guidance. After receiving the list of rivers and a note of in- 

 formation, they should apply to some gentleman of the Do- 



