THE SALMON AND TROUT OF ALASKA. 



BY 



L. A. BEARDSLEE, 

 Captain U. S. Navy. 



FROM the great salmon of the Yukon, to the tiny 

 fingerlings, which in innumerable quantities throng in 

 the various creeks of Alaska, and are as ambitious to 

 seize a single salmon egg as are their larger brethren to 

 appropriate great masses of the same, however illy the 

 bait may cover and disguise the hook which impales it, 

 there is not, I am convinced, an Alaskan fish, which 

 through any merit of its own, is entitled to an intro- 

 duction to the angling fraternity through the medium 

 of this volume, and to the companionship of the beau- 

 tiful f ac-similes of the flies, which in life they scorned. 



From personal observation and collected information, 

 I am prepared to accuse all of the salmon family which 

 are found in Alaska, of the grave offence of utterly ig- 

 noring the fly, either as food or plaything, and of de- 

 pending upon more gross and substantial resources. 



They are odd fish, and require peculiar treatment 

 both in catching and discussing. And it is to this 

 cause alone that they are indebted for the honor of 

 being made honorary members of the gallant baud of 

 game-fishes of which this volume treats. 

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