SALMONIDJE. JJ3 



A four-pound trout on an 8-oz. rod is equal fo a sixteen- 

 pound salmon on a 32-oz. rod. " But," urges the salmon- 

 fisher, " the nobler the game the nobler the sport." Granted, 

 provided the relative conditions are maintained — not other- 

 wise. If forty-pound salmon are to be hauled in hand over 

 hand on a cod line, or if whitling trout are to be whipped 

 out on a twenty-feet salmon rod — if size and weight alone are 

 to determine the quality of the sport, and the value of 

 the captive as a game fish, why, one might as well troll for 

 ]\rackiuaw trout, or drag the East Kiver for dead bodies. I 

 have had more positive, continuous enjoyment with a three- 

 pound trout on a one-handed Andrew Gierke split bamboo 

 (I never drop a fly from any other rod) than I experienced 

 from the biggest salmon I ever took in the Eestigouche. It 

 was in the East Eiver, near Ghester, N^ova Scotia. But espe- 

 cially shall I remember the chase a lively grilse led me on 

 that self-same day. The larger salmon had stopped running 

 for the season, and the chances were so small of taking on 

 my delicate trouting tackle any description of fish other 

 than the trout I anglfed for, that I felt Httle risk in casting 

 my line over tte waters where salmon would be likely to lie. 

 I had just recuperated from my laborious contest with the 

 big trout ; and when the grilse struck the hook smartly, I 

 had reason to believe that I had my trout's big brother in 

 hand. But I was undeceived " in a jifiy." The instant the 

 fellow felt himself hooked, he shot up a rapid with my whole 

 seventy-five feet of line, and Avhen he was snubbed leaped a 

 boulder three feet high, and ran back again to the pool he 

 started from, where he stopped to consider the situation. 

 Doubtless he felt it to be ridiculous. I certainly so regarded 

 my own position. I was standing on a sHppery shelf, which 

 I had attained with difficulty in order to get a decent cast, 

 with a dense thicket of alders over my head and an inky 

 pool of unknown depth directly below my feet. I had 

 hooked the fellow just at the foot of the pool beside which I 

 stood. The angler wiU appreciate the situation. I had 



