SALMON TROUT FISHING. 279 



and rising so voraciously and rapidly, that it is found impossible to fish 

 with above one,or at the most, two flies; as it is not at all an unusual 

 thing, if fishing with three, to hook at the same moment three several 

 fishes. 



IntheObscache, several years since, Mr. Perley, who visited those 

 waters in his oflScial capacity, accompanied by Capt. Egerton, of H. 

 M. 43d Light Infantry, killed three hundred of these fine fish at the 

 junction of the fresh and salt water, at the foot of a long glancing 

 rapid, in a single tide ; and the former gentleman writes me word, that 

 one morning last season he killed, in an hour or two, eight fish, which 

 weighed forty pounds. 



This must be regarded, however, as an unusual run of luck ; for the 

 average size of the Salmon Trout does not appear to exceed four 

 pounds, although they are taken up to seven and eight. 



In the fresh water, within the rivers, they are taken exactly as the 

 Salmon, or Brook Trout, with a double or single-handed rod indiffe- 

 rently, and with any of the baits or flics which are killing to the others 

 of the family ; but best of all, with a scarlet Ibis fly, with a gold tinsel 

 body, which it prefers even in bright water, to the best peacock herl 

 and gay feather lake-flies. Although a fine game fish, a strong fighter, 

 and hard dier, the Salmon Trout often comes in for a share of the 

 Salmon fisher's maledictions, jumping incessantly at the deceits in- 

 tended to fascinate a larger and more potent victor, and in fact, for 

 insisting on being taken in lieu of its great congener. 



In the sea bays, quite out of sight of land, while roving along the 

 coasts, in search probably of its favorite estuary, the Salmon Trout is 

 caught nearly as we catch Mackerel or Blue Fish, by trolling with the 

 Ibis fly, above described, at the end of thirty or forty yards of line, 

 from the stern of a sailing-boat, under all canvass, in a stiflF Mackerel 

 breeze. 



For this sport it is necessary to use a reel, with not less than a hun- 

 dred yards of line — as the largest fish are taken by this method, and 

 make a very violent resistance before they can be brought home. 



The fly is kept skipping from wave to wave, as the boat laveers, or 

 beats to windward, and the fish throwing itself out of the sea to secure 

 it with its beautiful bright sides flashing like virgin silver in the sun- 

 light, and when struck, constantly dashing away with the whole of the 



