12 SALMON FISHING. 



The salmon, like the trout, is timid and easily 

 frightened. When they become alarmed they move 

 very rapidly in the water, and go a great distance 

 without stopping. It is, therefore, necessary to be 

 extremely cautious in fishing them, and requires skill 

 and perseverence. The most wary and scientific 

 anglers have their patience tried in taking this fish, 

 whose instinct leads it to astonishingly artful and 

 singular efforts to escape. The feeding grounds of 

 the salmon are swift streams, and deep Jakes, with 

 gravelly and pebbly bottoms, where there are easy 

 outlets to the sea. The time for fishing them is early 

 in the morning or late'in the afternoon, and they may 

 be taken from May until August. In the first of the 

 season, worms, small fish, or shrimp is the usual bait ; 

 but in July and August they are partial to the fly. 



The tackle used for salmon should combine 

 strength with imperceptibility. A large sized reel 

 is necessary, with some two hundred yards of line 

 made of silk and hair combined, or a grass line is 

 sometimes used. The leader should be four or five 

 feet long, made of twisted gut, and with a swivel 

 sinker, or a swivel alone in fly fishing. The rod 

 should be fifteen to eighteen feet long, and elastic at 

 the end. The proper hook for worm and live bait 

 is the Kirby and Limerick pattern, Nos. to 4 ; and 

 Nos. to 3 in fly fishing. Fishing with artificial flies 

 is often very successful, the flies being made of gray 

 and gaudy feathers. They are sold at all the fishing 

 tackle stores in New York. 



