3 2 



RECREA TION. 



river, having passed, in 12 hours, the same 

 distance it had taken us nearly 8 days to 

 cover, when going up. Under way at 5 the 

 next morning, we passed Annabel's lake 

 quickly and camped on a small island be- 

 low it early in the afternoon. The next 

 morning we ran the rapids, without event, 

 and were at the River Samoquan by noon. 

 After a hurried lunch paddles were again 

 dipped and with the slight mishap of ship- 

 ping a wave over the baggage canoe, while 

 descending the " Cransserrie," we arrived 

 at the foot of the tenth fall at 5 in the after- 

 noon. 



Some idea of the force and rapidity of the 

 current can be gained when it is remem- 

 bered that it took us 17 days to reach the 

 great fall, from this point, while the return 

 trip occupied but 3. A comfortable camp 

 was made here, as we intended to remain 

 several days and to send 3 of the men down 

 to the Trappist Monastery for provisions; 

 then to pole up the Wassiemiska and return 

 to Roberval by way of Lac a Jim and the 

 Ashuapmouchouan river. Here we took 

 numbers of ouananiche, pike and dore with 

 the fly and live bait; the fly being the most 

 killing. I will ask your readers if they do 

 not regard it as unusual to take the dore, 

 or wall-eyed pike on the artificial fly. It 

 certainly surprised me. The men returned 

 in 3 days laden with pork, beans, flour and 

 tobacco, all obtained from the good Fath- 

 ers, for a round sum in gold. 



The next morning Henry and I investi- 

 gated the rapids of the Wassiemiska, but 

 found the water too low for our heavily 

 laden canoes, so we were forced to aban- 

 don our trip to Lac a Jim. The run down 

 to the fourth fall was made in about 7 hours 

 and many pools were tried with poor re- 

 sults. At the island of the fifth fall, Mr. E. 

 J. Meyers and wife were camped, having as 

 neighbors Mr. E. T. D. Chambers, of Que- 

 bec, author of " The Ouananiche, and its 

 Canadian Environment," and Colonel Hag- 

 gard, of England. All reported good sport. 



Our last camp was made at the fourth fall, 

 where we took many fine ouananiche. 

 Having a strong current in our favor, we 

 did not wait for the steamboat, but paddled 

 the whole distance to Pointe Bleue Reser- 



vation, near Roberval, where we arrived at 

 3 o'clock on the afternoon of July 25th. 



Summing up, I will say that while we had 

 splendid fishing and enjoyed ourselves tc 

 the utmost, I do not think I would care tc 

 take the trip again. I advise all sportsmen 

 in quest of ouananiche to ascend the Peri- 

 bonca river, as far as Lake Tchitagama. 

 Here they will find more beautiful scenery 

 and better fishing, besides being only 4 days 

 from Roberval. 



In conclusion, I will say a few words 

 about ouananiche fishing as I have found 

 it, for 7 seasons. Use good heavy leaders, 

 not more than 5 feet long; a multiplying 

 or automatic reel, carrying no less than 70 

 yards of enamelled silk line, and a servic- 

 able, solid wood rod, not more than 10 

 ounces in weight. I consider the average 

 split bamboo rod an abomination. 



Let your flies be tied to reinforced snells, 

 or better still, short loops of twisted gut. 

 Numbers 2 to 6 hooks are the correct sizes; 

 and it is well to include some double 

 hooked salmon flies, on No. 4 hooks. The 

 flies I have found best I give in order: Sal- 

 mon Flies — Silver Doctor, Jock Scott, 

 Butcher, Durham Ranger, Dusty Miller, 

 Prince William of Orange, Black June; 

 Trout Flies — Professor, Brown Hackle — 

 red body, Hamlin, Ferguson, Grey Drake, 

 Grizzly King, Seth Green, Little Big Horn. 



Once in the Ashuapmouchouan river, I 

 took an ouananiche with a Scarlet Ibis, but 

 have never raised one to it since. Parma- 

 chenee Belle, though the best trout fly in 

 the world, seems to frighten ouananiche. 



Use but 2 flies and let them be submerged 

 2 or 3 inches, part of the time. I never saw 

 and never expect to see an ouananiche take 

 a fly on the surface. Once at Isle Maligne 

 one vaulted into my canoe, and played sad 

 havoc with my open tackle box; but I do 

 not think the flies in it attracted him. I ad- 

 vise to strike on the slightest touch. You 

 won't see one fish in 50, when they rise. In 

 playing them be careful to give no slack 

 line. 



I refer those desiring further instruction, 

 to that excellent pamphlet, " The Leaping 

 Ouananiche," by Eugene McCarthy, Syra- 

 cuse, New York. 



" They say if you look a wild animal 

 squarely in the eye with a steady, concen- 

 trated gaze, it will be cowed, and will flee." 



"Well, I couldn't do it; but my wife 

 could. She has routed me that way, many 

 a time." 



