90 
SALMON FISHING IN EASTEEN CANADA. 
Playing 
a fish. 
Canoemen 
Cost, 
the lie of the fish. If the fish are lying thick, the word is sometimes 
given “ drop her, un petit bras,” 1 which warns the man at the stone to 
be ready to stop almost directly. 
So then the canoe moves down the pool, the angler having covered 
with his fly every fish in the pool. When a fish is hooked one 
generally waits to see what he will do before taking up the stone, as 
the object is not to disturb the water more than possible. As soon, 
however, as he begins to take long rushes, we up killick and get 
towards the other bank and if the bank will admit, one often lands and 
plays the fish from the bank. I found my fish extraordinarily game 
and very strong. The water being often very rapid makes the playing 
of a heavy fish exciting, and the occasional presence of snags and fallen 
trees abutting on the river, big rocks, etc., necessitates a sharp look 
out to try and out-manoeuvre the fish who, as a rule, tries every 
possible means to outwit the sportsman and not unfrequently succeeds ! 
If you get into a rising fish who comes up to the fly, but does not 
hook himself, the odds are that if you persevere with him you will get 
him, but he needs humouring, and after rising it is as well to give him 
5 minutes rest or so while you smoke a pipe before trying him again ; 
first of all with the same fly, and if he declines that, then with a fresh 
pattern. 
My experience, which is not a very large one, leads me to the belief 
that the Indian or native canoeman, or fisherman is not so well up to 
his work as a fisherman gaffer and adviser, as is the usual Scotch gillie, 
neither do I think is he so keen. He is, of course, an expert canoeist 
and you may absolutely trust him to manage the canoe and to put you 
on the best water, but his knowledge of the science of angling is not 
great as a rule. He may suggest flies to put on, but would not help a 
beginner much I should say, still they are all very decent fellows and 
there is not much to complain of. They resemble the Scotch gillie in 
one particular, viz., in their zest and capacity for “ whisky,” though 
they do not often exceed. They get a daily allowance given them, but 
also look forward to drinking to the health of the salmon when he is 
grassed and to wish “ bonne chance” to the successful angler. The 
work of poling up a swift stream for some miles is very arduous, but 
they seldom or never flinch from it and if they think you have a better 
chance of going a bit further up stream they will gladly go. They 
dislike as much as the angler to come back blank. 
As one cannot have omelettes without breaking eggs, so one cannot 
expect to get good salmon fishing without paying for it, and it is 
generally expensive. The cost and tariffs no doubt vary according to 
the locality and river, but what I found to obtain at my fishing may, I 
daresay, be taken as an average sample. In addition to his share of 
the rent of the river (which, of course, varies considerably) each angler 
has to pay 2J dollars or 10s. a day for his canoe and men's wages, and 
1 The language of these men is a quaint mixture of English and French. Between themselves 
the Indians speak in their native language, hut they can all talk French and a little English. 
