INTERIM REPORT 29 



The salmon, are not large, 7 to 10 pounds, but at Hall's harbour the salmou belong 

 to heavier rivers; they are large fish. I saw King's county salmon in Halifax, which 

 I knew was from Horton township, Kentville. I knew them at once. 



Fishery Overseer Reubex Reid, Lower Wolfville, said that the fish in the local- 

 ity were gaspereau, salmon, sea trout, fresh- water trout, and smelts. There were no 

 shad, only now and then. The square net is mainly used. Gaspereau go up 15 or 20 

 miles, say from May 10 to June 10. They take five to six days going up if weather 

 be warm as there is no hindrance. They ascend more quickly later. Young fry two 

 iaches long are seen in millions at the last of August and eel-pots destroy them. 

 Dams are no obstacle as if not too high they will come over all right. The dams on 

 the Gaspereau river were too high i.lO or 12 feet high), so we put sluices so as to let 

 the young down. Fifty years ago they were not more plentiful than last year. Sal- 

 mon fiy-fishing was not so good as usual. The usual weight is 5 to 12 pounds, but oc- 

 casionally a salmon of 15 to 20 pounds is caught. They come in in spring — May or 

 June and then in the fall— October and November. The two runs cannot be distin- 

 guished. Mr. Xathan Benjamin said he never got a spring salmon with spawn in it; 

 but one he opened when the snow was on the ground was full of spawn, and on Nov- 

 ember 1, thirteen salmon were seen under the bridge. There is a close season, Juae 

 10 to April 1 following, for gaspereau anj salmon when the square nets are to be taken 

 out of the river. Fish nets can be put in and taken out in spite of the oflScers. Four 

 ■dams have been built on the Gaspereau — three above White Rock are without fish 

 ladders. The first is open. Last year it stopped gaspereau and we cut a place round 

 one to let the fish go up. The second was open in the centre and the third was open. 

 All have stone in them and the fish have been blocked. They are of no use and ex- 

 cept for driving they are unnecessary. The Dodge dam and the Redden dam are open 

 to let young fish down. I have known two-year old gaspereau ' shiners ' taken in shad 

 seines after leaving the river. Salmon fry from Bedford and Windsor hatcheries have 

 b( en planted in the Gaspereau river, but I do not think it would ever he a great ang- 

 ling river. 



Charles O'Leart, White Rock, Gaspereau Rn"ER, said that for 34 years he had 

 been a guide and knew the river well. Thirty years ago fish got up but for the last 

 two years dams had blocked them worse than ever, and fly fishing has fallen off. Ang- 

 ling would bring a lot of money if anglers could get sport. Gaspereau river is the 

 equal of any Labrador or Newfoundland salmon rivers. The pools are easy to get at, 

 flies are never so bad as in the north, and the salmon are gamier than any others. Ten 

 or twelve sportsmen might come where one comes now. Fish from 16 pounds down to 

 0* pounds are taken with fly, but I have heard of one 20 pounds taken on the river 

 by a net. Some fine pools occur 14 miles from the mouth which are well wooded on 

 t!ie banks and secluded. Some salmon come in May, about the 1st, sometimes the 10th, 

 bi.t the middle of July they won't take the fly. I found in a fishing camp that two 

 S! Imon had been taken in an eel-pot. It was in October and the fish were full of 

 spawn. There should be proper protection -against such abuses. Salmon taken by 

 local people bring $1 to $1.50, whereas to the angler every salmon costs him $1 to $2 

 per pound. One fish taken by an angler is worth ten taken by poaching. Mr. Reuben 

 Keid's suggestion is a good one to remove the barrier arrangement, a triangular ar- 

 rangement left in to make an eddy below the nets, and ensure capture of ascending 

 salmon. These arrangements should be all cleared away. We see no grilse in our 

 river, but lots of fry often confused with salmon tr»ut fry, and wantonly taken by 

 boys. Occasionally we see a smelt. There are more gaspereau now ascending the 

 Gaspereau river than for several years. I bought 250 barrels, salted, of Griffin and 

 Hunter, and probably as many gaspereau were sold or used fresh. I saw young gas- 

 pereau two weeks ago (July 22) going down, but usually they run in August till Aug- 

 ust 15. They were early this year. Since salmon fry have been planted we have got 



3494—6* 



