CHAPTEK XI. 



SALMON HABITS AND A LOST BATTLE. 

 A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. [Old adage. 



" OTWITHSTANDING our suc- 

 cess, we are every day made con- 

 scious that we are too late for 

 the best fishing. Some of the 

 pools from which half a score 

 of salmon could be taken in a 

 day previous to the middle of 

 July, are now barren of fish ; 

 and in many others, a day may 

 be consumed in achieving what could then be 

 accomplished in an hour. Salmon begin to run 

 into fresh water early in June, or so soon as the 

 Spring freshets are over; and then they show 

 their greatest life and voracity. From that time 

 on to the middle of July, they are most active 

 and rise most readily to any object which attracts 

 their attention. After that when they have 

 been a month or more in fresh water they 

 become somewhat sluggish and less disposed to 

 rise. Besides, the water becomes so shallow and 

 transparent that the very shadow of the line is 



