SALMON FISHING IN EASTERN CANADA 
89 
All the same it would be as well to take a trout rod and some trout 
tackle, because in the case of a heavy brown flood for example, the 
main river would be unfishable, and in some places the tributaries- 
might afford good trouting. 
A fishing pannier, with partitions for a flask, fly-book, spare winch, 
cast box, etc., is useful to take always in the canoe, and it is advisable 
that it have a waterproof cover. Don’t forget a steel yard to weigh 
up to 40 lb. and weigh your fish directly he is landed. Other useful 
articles are a good clasp knife, also a picnic knife and fork in one, with 
a corkscrew, a small anglers’ scissors, some good lashing in case of 
smashing your rod, some silk and shoemakers wax. The gaff handle, 
of bamboo, should contain two spare fly tips for the rod. It is often 
useful to have a felling axe in the canoe. 
Fishing is nearly always carried on from the canoe and not from the 
bank. Often the banks are so steep and thickly wooded that it is 
impossible to land on them for purposes of fishing, or even for playing 
a fish. 
You have a canoe to yourself, manned by two Indians or others. 
You are f poled ’ up the stream to the pool which you are going to fish, 
and when ascending the stream, you sit in the bottom of the canoe 
with your back to the centre thwart, thus having the weight forward. 
Your rod is alongside you, point to the rear and is placed on the side 
further from the bank up which you are creeping. As this journey up 
stream is often rather long and tedious, it is as well to be provided with 
some literature to pass the time, away until the moment for action 
arrives. Fishing is always of necessity from canoes, as boats would be 
useless to get up rapid rivers. There are two kinds of canoes used, 
the birchbark and wooden canoes. .The former are lighter and will go 
more easily over very shallow places, but are more crank and liable to 
damage if they strike sharp rocks when going at any pace. The Indians 
prefer the birchbark, but the local Canadian settlers usually have the 
wooden canoes, as for lumber work, which is the chief industry on these 
Canadian rivers, the canoe should be strong and able to resist rough 
usage. 
On arrival at the head of the pool which you are to fish, the canoe- 
man goes ashore and selects a suitable stone (which the French 
Canadians call a roche) to use as a killick. He then takes the canoe 
to the proper spot and gives the word to his mate “ stop her.” The 
stone is dropped and the canoe lies in the stream stationary. The 
angler then stands up in the canoe and fishes the pool in the usual 
manner. In many of the rivers the water is so clear that the Indian, 
or other man in charge of the canoe, can count the fish in the pool. 
These men have extraordinary eyesight andean see the fish even when 
the water is running fairly fast. If there is not much current anyone 
can see them. After half a dozen casts or so without rising a fish, the 
canoeman gives the word “ drop her,” the stone is raised and the 
canoe drifts a few feet and then the word “stop her ” is again given 
and so on. The lengths of these “ drops ” is 
Fishing 
basket and 
contents 
Mode of 
fishing 
Canoes 
Fishing a 
pool 
regulated 
according to 
