278 SALMON-FISHING 



slabs of ice, and when the air is so frosty, as in the 

 course of a few minutes to stiffen the wetted line, and 

 render it unfit for work, this bait will be found for the 

 moment, if cast where salmon are, of almost certain 

 avail. Under circumstances, of course, such as I have 

 last mentioned, there would be much difficulty, after 

 hooking the fish, in securing it, as, unless forcibly dealt 

 with, it would certainly make for shelter under the ice, 

 and in all likelihood cut or wear through the line 

 against its sharp edges. 



In fishing with the minnow for salmon, observe the 

 same directions as when fishing with the parr-tail. 

 r Play the lure near the bottom, and more leisurely than 



you would do were river-trout the object in view. Use 

 a minnow of large size, and tackle to correspond. The 

 parr-tail tackle of three hooks may be substituted 

 advantageously for the common minnow tackle of two. 

 Bright frosty days in March and April are much pre- 

 ferable to dull windy ones, when the minnow is used ; 

 and should the streams be clear or in a dwindled state, 

 most salmon fishers would look forward with certainty 

 to obtaining sport. 



In the spinning of the parr-tail and minnow, as it is 

 practised for salmon, that is with heavy leads and close 

 to the bottom of the cast or lair, there is great danger 

 of the tackle running foul below of rocks and other 

 impediments. Sometimes in playing, it will become 

 locked in betwixt two stones; sometimes one of the 

 hooks catches against a sunken tree or mass of turf, 

 and in either case the angler finds himself what is 

 termed fast. On such occasions, and they frequently 

 happen to those even who have an accurate knowledge 

 of the ground they fish over, the angler having, without 

 success, made every attempt at extrication which ordi- 



