May io, 1913 
FOREST AND STREAM 
589 
other boarding place tliere. Mike Tompkins 
runs itj and is a most obliging and attentive 
host. 
The Grand Codroy is in sight there. This is 
a wide stream, very rocky and ledgy, shallow, 
and the fishing extends down stream about four 
miles, and up stream nine. The railroad runs so 
near the river that one can get off the train at 
all the larger pools (the trains make a practice 
of stopping), and by walking half a mile or so, 
get to the fishing. Then at the end of the after¬ 
noon he can flag the train and come back to 
the bungalow or Tompkins. The trains run 
every day, or did last season. The best and 
largest pools are the Forks near the bungalow; 
next below Big Salmon Pool; next. Spin Top; 
next, Reynolds; next, Mollychigneck; then Lime 
Stone. Between these are many chances to fish 
in “runs.” 
The Forks Pool is a very long one, and 
usually affords a chance for three or more 
rods. There is considerable camping on this 
river at this point and below, but none above. 
This occurs usually in June and July, but not 
much later. Above these lower pools are 
Smoke House, two miles away; Five-Mile Pool 
that distance from the bungalow; Seven-Mile 
Pool, then Six Birches, nine miles away, and 
the Siding Run a mile further. These are all 
famous, but a little later than the lower pools. 
About the 5th of July the salmOn are found in 
these upper pools. The South Branch comes in 
at the railroad bridge above the bungalow and 
has some good pools, though somewhat less 
certain. By going up on that branch four miles 
the fishing is at an end. 
The fishing begins at the lower pools about 
the loth of June, and holds good, with inter¬ 
ruptions from low water, to about the middle 
of July. From then on it keeps coming with 
every rise of water from showers or rains. 
More grilse are found in this river. Perhaps 
two-thirds of the fish after July 20 are grilse 
that one gets. They can usually be got at al¬ 
most any time whether the water is high or 
low. 
The next rivers are Robinson’s and others 
nearby. These are early rivers—June and the 
first half of July. The fishing at Robinson’s is 
mainly near the mouth. To go- further up one 
needs a camp, and those are all private, be¬ 
longing to sportsmen. In August they are used 
by people who care to go up. It is about ten 
to twelve miles to the upper fishing, and severe 
tramping along the stream over rocky bottom. 
George Shear, address Robinson’s, N. F., is a 
camp owner and guide, and wilt take the best 
of care of anyone wanting to go to Robinson’s. 
If one desires fine grilse fishing, with a few 
salmon, in August he can be pretty sure of it 
with him. There is no better guide in the 
country. 
There, I guess I have gone far enough for 
your information bureau. 
I am not advertising any of these places, 
therefore, notwithstanding my exuberance of in¬ 
terest in salmon fishing, I am sure that a man 
who has the red fishing-blood in him will not 
go astray from following my sped of informa¬ 
tion. I won’t guarantee that he will catch, but 
I can say that from a “greenhorn” in Mr. Fox 
I have got a man who can keep up with any 
of them, not by crowding other fishermen— 
which he will never do—but by just patiently 
plodding each day where the chance is likely 
and not getting down-hearted. 
I went up there a year ago last season when 
the rods seemed to be rather plenty, but I just 
journeyed where they did not think of going 
and surprised the whole “kit.” I just followed 
the same course last year and did even better. 
There are lots of lazy men who want to fish 
where it is easy to get, and they have to endure 
the sight of rival rods; but there is always a 
chance to fish somewhere. 
The average new hand gets discouraged be¬ 
cause he can't get a lot of fish every time he 
tries, but if he did, the sport would be “plug 
fishing.” That is, it would be no more sport 
than that. At my age of sixty-six and a weight 
of 13s pounds, I am no athelete, but no man 
needs to be an athelete to_ swing a rod that 
weighs no more than a pound, using both arms. 
We don't have to cast a line forty rods to 
reach fish. No good trout fly-fisherman need 
be long in getting the “hang'’ of sending out 
fifty feet to reach his fish. The fish are usually 
right in sight and forty feet of line will go 
where they are. You don’t have to keep cast¬ 
ing until the fish rises, but let them have time 
to change their whims. That change comes 
sooner or later. Lie down and let the flies eat 
you, and then go at it again. The black flies 
are sometimes troublesome on the Grand Cod¬ 
roy, but there is more trouble arising from a 
growling disposition that sets one a chafing than 
from flies. If one is afraid of dope, then he 
must suffer at times, but it is all moonshine that 
it is too insufferable to be endured for good 
fishing. Get used to using the “medicine” and 
shut up growling, and all will be happy. 
If I were a woman I wouldn’t go salmon 
fishing until I had cut off my hair. But many 
women fish on the Grand River and find noth¬ 
ing to growl about. 
Now for tackle: Rod, split bamboo, 13^2 
feet long or about; weight, a pound. Don’t get 
one made too stout. Don’t get a greenheart of 
greater length than 13 feet. Flies of size No. 6 
and 8. Loop gut. The Pennel-eyed do not set 
the hook in well. I like Limerick. Need about 
a dozen of each kind. Kinds: Jock Scott, black 
dose, silver doctor, silver gray, dusty miller, 
inky boy, black dog; six of each size. 
Leaders: Nine-foot, salmon single X and 
XX; cost of X, 5s.; XX cost 10 per cent. off. 
These sizes are strong enough, and of excellent 
gut. People buy leaders that cost $3, and I 
never had one of the kind I buy break from a 
strain of fish. They are smaller and make less 
show in the water. One ought to have about 
eight to stand the wear. I can make one last 
two or three weeks, but of course a leader will 
fret some in casting. I keep three soaked up 
all the time, and shift leaders, instead of shift¬ 
ing flies on the leader. That saves cutting off 
a part of the leader in shifting, for the better 
way is to cut the loop off your leader, and tie 
the fly on the end, and thus have less to fret 
the water and disturb the fish. Use either long 
rubber wading boots up to your crotch, or get 
the wading stockings and large canvas brogans, 
with hob nails. You will be surprised at the 
amount of room the hose will take between your 
wading stockings and brogans. We use heavy 
yarn hose outside the waders to keep the sand 
from cutting the waders, and a man who wears 
seven boots will want about ten and a half 
waders, and nine or ten of brogans. Try the 
waders and stockings and brogans to be sure 
you are right, because it won’t be happy to find 
the brogans tight. You must not expect them 
to look pretty. But I have made great use of 
tall rubber waders, and have found them all 
right. Only get the heavy ones or they will hurt 
you against the rocks. If a pair lasts three 
weeks, they will do well, or you will be pretty 
careful and quiet. Waders last a long trip. 
A gaff of a spread of four to four and a 
half inches is about' right.' Those without any 
handle are best, for you can cut a handle and 
save carrying a useless piece of wood. I never 
bother with these fancy handles, for they are 
not as long as the guides like. A short rubber 
jacket is better than a long rubber coat to use 
when it rains. Better have knickerbockers, for 
long trousers are hot in the waders or rubber 
boots. I take a pair of disused trousers, and 
the tailor makes knickerbockers of them. 
It is cool enough to wear flannel shirts, and 
a soft hat is better than any cap that ever 
burned a man’s nose off. 
For a reel, get a 4)4-inch diameter, single 
gear, nickel plate. German silver adds nothing 
to usefulness. Line, forty yards, vacuum finish 
enamel, backed by si.xty 3^ards of silk or linen, 
lashed on so to run through the guides and 
tapered. Size as for trout or landlocked salmon 
trolling. Don’t get the larger size salmon line, 
for while good in windy weather, it makes too 
much “splosh” in the water. Don’t get one too 
fine, for it won’t cast in any wind. In medio 
tutissimus ibis. The English or Scotch lines are 
better than our enamel lines. I have tried them 
both. 
Now I have given you lots of points of use 
to those who are new to this fishing. It would 
not be just right for New Brunswick or Canada, 
for they use larger flies and rods there, but it 
fits the demands of Newfoundland to a T. I 
would not advise a man to get wading trousers, 
unless he were to fish very early in June, when 
the water is high. They are hot and heavy in 
July, and not at all necessary. Soft feeling 
waders are the best, and the English and Scotch 
beat us to a “frazzle.” Thin silk ones are fine, 
but I do not think they are so durable, and they 
cost a good bit. A good wading stocking ought 
to cost about $7.50. 
A. Barton Hepburn, chairman of Chase Na¬ 
tional Bank, of New York city, who has been 
shooting big game in British East Africa, and 
has a large “bag” to his credit, has started home 
from Mombassa. 
