FLY-FISHING OF THE NIPIGON. 175 



book writers get up there, they will probably discover a 

 new meaning, now unknown even to the natives. 



We commenced fishing July llth, on the first rapids 

 of the river, from our canoes, with two ordinary flies such 

 as we have often used in Maine. The first day I caught 

 two pairs. After the second full catch I removed one fly. 

 The trout were feeding in the rapids where the water was 

 so active that it was almost impossible for a fly-rod to drag 

 up two two-pound trout within reach of the landing-net. 

 We found it necessary to shorten the leaders from nine 

 to six feet, so as to spare the rods in getting the trout to 

 the net. Our total catch this afternoon in three hours 

 for two rods was twenty pounds. The fish averaged a 

 pound each. While we were camped at the Hudson 

 Bay Post we had no difficulty in disposing of any 

 amount of fish. Farther up the river we returned 

 more than half of the uninjured fish to the water, except 

 on such days as transient Indians camped near us. We 

 took sixty-four pounds of trout one afternoon, and 

 thirteen Indians consumed all of them before they slept. 



The Nipigon is a large and strong stream of water ex- 

 actly suited to trout. The fish are well fed, and average 

 larger than I have found them in any waters that I have 

 fished in Maine. 



Our second camp was at Alexandra Falls, fifteen miles 

 up the river. Here there is a mile of rapid water and 

 most excellent fishing. The trout were larger than were 

 taken below, averaging nearly two pounds. We soon 

 found that small flies could not be seen in very quick 



