The Mystery of Salmon Fry

statement now made. But here a controversy starts, which has of very recent years been carried on, but without the main questions having been as yet brought to a satisfactory and general decision. What becomes of the salmonfry when hatched into life ? What shape, colour, size, do they assume? How do they regulate their move- ments? These are still, in some measure, debatable and unsettled questions. The old opinions used to be -- these : After the roe had been deposited by the parent fish a sufficient length of time in the bottom they had channelled out, it became quickened into life by some hidden and inscrutable process, and became salmon-fry, THE SALMON 49 which attained a length of from four to seven inches by the months of March or April. They then, in a ilooded state of the waters, made their way down to the sea, and in the months of June, July, and August returned again to their native streams, increased by a very rapid growth, and the fattening powers of the salt water, to a weight varying from two to six or seven pounds. Everyone who has angled in a river where salmon frequent in any considerable nimibers, knows that in -- the spring months that is, in March, April, and part of -- May he meets with immense swarms of smelts, or smolts, or parr, that these take the artificial fly most greedily, and that they afterwards seem to disappear, or, at least, are but comparatively seldom met with in fishing the streams. The law forbids the taking of these small fry, but as far as our experience has gone, we have seldom seen this enactment obeyed to any extent, even by the most scrupulous and high-minded anglers. With the mass of fishermen, the maxim, unhappily, holds good almost everywhere, that " all are fish that come into the net." To justify the infraction of this law, it has been often contended that the parr, or smolt, was a minute but distinct species of the salmonidce, and that its capture was both fair and reasonable. This matter was examined into. It was affirmed that these swarms of small fish were nothing more nor less than the salmon itself in the infant stage of its being. Mr. Shaw, manager of the Duke of Buccleuch's salmon-fisheries in Scotland, instituted, a short time back, experiments on the subject upon an extensive scale. This gentleman asserts, that what is commonly called the parr is the salmon-fry in the first stage of their development; that in this state, as parr, they remain in the river in which they were brought forth for one whole year ; that in the second year their outer covering of scales is moulted off, as it were, and they then assume the character of graveling or smolts, which was formerly supposed to be the first stage of 50 ANGLING the salmon's existence ; that when they are two years old, being still in the dress or outward covering of a smolt, and averaging from five to seven inches in length, they descend to the ocean, and in the course of a few months or weeks re-enter the river as grilse, or salmon-peal, and weighing from two to five or six pounds, according to the time they have remained in the salt water. These experiments, though apparently very carefully and honestly conducted, did not give general satisfaction. Mr. Andrew Young entered into the controversy, and he maintained that there was no douht but that the parr were the young salmon, but disputed the other fact attempted to be established by Mr. Shaw, that they remained two years in the river. Mr. Young says they only remain one year, and has cited various facts in confirmation of this position. Another question has arisen, and is at this moment zealously discussed, connected with the salmon and other kinds of fish, of which it is proper we should here give some brief account. The question relates to the production of salmon artificially. On the banks of the rivers Tyrie and Faig, experiments have been recently instituted by Mr. Young, of Inverness-shire, of transferring the salmon spawn into localities where the fish is not found. These experiments have been partially successful. This of stocking rivers was practised two thousand years ago by the Eomans, and is largely treated of by Columella and other ancient writers. After a lapse of many centuries, it has been revived again, and with great success in France. Two fishermen of the Vosges, named Gehin and Eemy, have succeeded in propagating salmon, carp, pike, tench, and perch, and they maintain that the plan is applicable to those fish which live partly in fresh water and partly in the sea, as well as to those that live entirely in fresh-water rivers and lakes. The streams and rivers over a large extent of France have now been abundantly stocked with a variety of fish from this ancient process, more particularly in the vicinity of Allevard, Vizille, Pont- -- THE SALMON 51 charra, Sassenage, Veary, Bourg d'Oisons, Eives, Ponten-Royans, Paladru, Lemps, St. George, Avandon, La Buisse, Grenoble, and in many other departments of the Allier, the Lozfere, the Meuse, the Meurthe, and Haute-Sa6ne. At the moment we are penning these lines, we copy from the pages of a public journal, that this mode of propagating salmon is being adopted on the river Tay, in Scotland, on a pretty extensive scale. As the account must be interesting to all the disciples of the rod and line, we make no apology for transferring it here as it is given : "the salmon manufaotoet on the tay "The ponds for this purpose are situated on the river bank, near Stormountfield, the spawning-boxes being sixteen feet above the summer level of the river. The water which supplies the ponds is taken from Stormountfield Lake (but owing to the impurity of the Tay during spates, a, supply is also to be taken from a neighbouring spring), by a pipe with a valve, into a filtering pond ; thence it is carried by a canal along the upper end of the spawning-boxes, through which it runs. These boxes are eighty-four feet long by one foot six inches broad, and three deep. They are placed with a fall of six inches, so as to allow the water to flow freely through them, and are partly filled, first with a laying of fine gravel, next coarser, and lastly with stones somewhat coarser than road metal. In distributing the ova, it is gradually poured out of the vessel at the upper end of the box. The water flowing downwards carries it among the stones, under which it settles down, and by gently applying a few buckets of water at the upper end of the boxes, the ova are taken down and distributed equally among the gi-avel. When the young fry are in a proper state, they are allowed to escape into a pond situate at a foot lower level than the boxes, where they will be fed, and allowed to remain, until such time as they are in a fit state to be turned into the river. This pond is not yet made, but will be finished by the time the fry are hatched. Great care has been taken to prevent any animal entering with the water that would prey upon the fish. Mr. Ramsbottom, from Clitheroe (who has experimented successfully for the Messrs. Ashworth, on the Lough Corrib waters, in Ireland), has the sole management of the Tay ponds. Saturday was a remarkably fine day for the season, and we were privileged in being present at the operation of stripping the fish. When we arrived, Mr. Ramsbottom had already got about 15,000 ova in round tin cans, and he showed us S2 ANGLING an oval-shaped tin box with a lid, which contained a small male fish swimming in water, which, he said, was waiting for his mate. Presently the net was shot in the Tay at the mouth of the Almond, when two fine female fish ripe for spawning, from eighteen to twenty pounds weight, along with a small male fish, were caught. Mr. Ramsbottom having taken the largest female in his left hand, drew his fingers down both sides of the belly of the fish, when the ova flowed in a stream into the tin box formerly mentioned, in which there were a few inches of water. The fish was instantly returned to the river, and, after a short time, sailed off as if nothing had happened to it. After the ova -- had been washed, by water being poured on and off care being -- taken never to allow it to be exposed to the air the male fish was brought (which all this time had been in the river under a fold of the net), and manipulated in the same manner as the female, only a small portion of the milt being required. On the milt being shed, a slight change was seen to take place in the colour of the ova, which became paler. Water was again poured on and off, when the operation was complete. The ova were then poured into round tin cases and carried to the ponds. When we left the riverside, upwards of 400,000 ova in fine condition We had been obtained. observed that a few of the ova, after impregnation, turned white, instead of being a fine sahnon colour. Mr. Ramsbottom said they were barren ova. In the month of March, the fry will have burst their shells, when we hope to report further." -- But leaving these controversial points on the habits and natural history of the salmon which, however, must be allowed to have a direct bearing on the angler's -- amusement, as a practical art, seeing that legislative enactments are essentially guided by them let us direct the reader's attention to the mode of catching this monarch of the streams. First, as to bait. "We shall confine ourselves principally to the artificial fly. This is the only kind of bait, in our apprehension, worthy of the regard of the genuine angler, or which will secure his unvarying success, and confer real plea- We sure in his exploits. have always considered the employment of any other bait or artifice for luring this noble inhabitant of the deep as directly implying something frivolous and debasing, alike unworthy of the angler's reputation and the nature and character of the fish. It must always be borne in mind that the real angler has a certain kind of fame or reputation to ; THE SALMON 53 support. And it is on this ground that an angler, having what the old Scottish divines called " the root of the matter " in him, will, on all occasions, be remark- ably particular and sensitive to all the movements and appliances connected with his cherished amusement. There must be nothing low and grovelling, nothing which may seem to involve an idea that he is pursuing his fascinating calling under the influence of any motive but the pure love of the sport. Better lose a thousand fish a day, than adopt or sanction any practices which may have the most distant appearance of running counter to the high principles of his profession. The size and colour of the flies to be employed in salmon - fishing must always vary according to the nature of the waters, the state of the wind, the season, and the depth and brilliancy of the stream. There are scarcely any rules of an absolute or universal character to be laid down. They are all subjected to modifications and exceptions. It is the knowledge when general rules are to be followed, and when they are to be departed from, that constitutes such an essential part of an angler's skill, and stamps him as a master of his art. Experience must be our sole guide in this important matter. Some gentlemen of an extensive and admitted piscatory knowledge uniformly fish with dull-coloured flies others, again, whose claims to respect are equally high, employ extremely gaudy ones. As far as oui observation and practice go, we submit the following list as the most likely to prove successful, when the waters are in good order; for this is an essential matter. --A No. 1. lAmerich. red cock hackle, ribbed with gold twist, with drake wings of a tolerable length, and -- standing well out from each other. No. 2. Body, orange mohair ribbed with gold twist; legs, a black hackle, and mottled grey feathers of the mallard's wing. A iV^o. 3.-- red cock hackle, ribbed with gold twist, and wings of the woodcock, set considerably apart, -- 54 ANGLING We have never known, of our own personal experi- ence, very large flies do mucli execution. The conformation of most of the rivers in Great Britain and Ireland, which contain salmon, is, in our humble opinion, decidedly unfavourable to the employment of such kinds of flies. Indeed, in many streams, unless they are very much ruffled by heavy winds, the -- expediency of using them becomes very questionable; and for this single reason if any angler look steadily and attentively at a large fly when in the water, he will discover that it does not lie evenly upon it, so as to preserve the shape of a natural fly ; the hook is too heavy for the superstructure of feathers, and hence the fly rolls about in a very awkward and unnatural manner. This, it will be readily admitted, defeats the great end and object of fly-fishing deception. The practice, however, in Ireland is, to use very large and gaudy flies; and it is but natural to infer that the general practice arises from a conviction of their utility. O'Shaughnessy, of Limerick, has the reputation of making those most used and esteemed in this country. Mr. Hansard, in his work On Trout and Salmon Fishing in Wales, recommends the following flies for -- that particular country. For the Spring. Wings, dark brown, mottled feathers of the bittern ; body, orange silk or worsted, with gold broad twist; and a smoky, dim hackle for legs. -- For Summer. Wings, the brown, mottled feather of a turkey-cock's wing, with a few of the green fibres selected from the eye of a peacock's tail feather ; body, yellow silk and gold twist, with a deep blood-red hackle for legs. Every fly-fisher who is experimentally acquainted with salmon - fishing in Scotland must have often observed what an immense variety of flies are commonly used, and with almost equal success, by the numerous anglers who throng the streams in that country in We the height of the fishing seasons, have seen THE SALMON 55 salmon caught in the Tweed, the Esk, the Dee, and the Clyde with the rudest possible imitation of flies, shining in all the colours of the rainbow. Indeed, we have witnessed this fact so repeatedly, as to found upon it an opinion that this species of fish are caught here with much ruder implements and with far less skill and dexterity than in any other country with which we are acquainted. This may seem fanciful ; but, nevertheless, We circumstances have fixed upon us the belief. once saw a shepherd-boy, in Peeblesshire, kill a prime salmon, of twelve pounds weight, with a common hazel rod, and an extraordinary hair line, without a reel or winch of any kind upon it, and with a fly exactly like a large humble-bee. He hooked the fish in the deep part of a strong stream, and had the sagacity and promptitude of action to throw his rod immediately into the water after the rushing and powerful fish. The force of the current took it down to the calmer end of the stream, where the stripling caught hold of it again, and in- stantly succeeded in running the salmon into the next stream, and so on, till he had artfully exhausted his captive, and forced him into a shallow part of the water. Here he got him stranded with great adroitness, and eventually conquered him in capital style. Instances of this kind are common all over the mountainous parts of Scotland, where the greater portion of the rural population, who are fond of fishing, use very homely and rude materials. The flies to be used in Scotland in ordinary salmonfishing may be enumerated as follows, the angler filling up the catalogue according to his own fancy or -- experience. No. 7. Limerielt. The body, claret and orange mohair, or red cock's hackle, with green tip, ribbed with gold twist; legs, black hackle; wings, turkey -- feather with white tip. No. 5. Body, greenish -yellow mohair, ribbed with gold twist and red tip; legs, black hackle; wings, mottled grey. -- No, 4, Body, one half pale red, the other half S6 ANGLING orange mohair with gold twist; tip, turkey's wing; legs, red hackle ; wings, the black-and-white tail feather of the turkey. In English rivers where salmon-fishing prevails, the general run of flies employed is seldom so large as those employed in Scotland, but are used of a great variety of colours. The best method, perhaps, is to get flies dressed on such sized hooks, and in such colours, and of such makes, as will answer generally for salmon, m sea-trout, com on trout, etc., at all seasons of the year. As a general principle, it may safely be stated that a certain degree of gaudiness is indispensable in all salmon-flies ; and the angler will find from experience that the light-coloured and showy bodies, and grey- coloured wings, are never-failing instruments of success, where fish abound and are on the feed. This principle, it is true, may be modified in various ways and degrees, but it can never be entirely departed from without mortification or disappointment. Thus much for the fly-baits. Though we have spoken disparagingly of bait-fishing for the salmon, we still think the matter is worthy of a passing notice. The following has been of late years recommended by fishers A of experience in this line. raw cockle, or mussel, taken out of the shell; prawns, minnows, and worms have likewise been used with occasional success. The mode of angling with these is to cast the line, which must be without shot, Lato some shallow at the edge of a hole, permitting the bait to be carried in by the When current. the fish has taken the bait, give it full time to swallow it properly and securely ; after this, fix the hook firmly by a gentle twitch. On the first sensation of pain, the captive will probably plunge or spring in the air; but by keeping the rod firmly, he will be captured without the same degree of trouble or risk that there is in pure fly-fishing. Salmon prefer little fish and worms best on their first arrival in the fresh water. When the salmon takes a fly, the angler must im- THE SALMON 57 mediately give him line, and particularly bear in mind that the slightest degree of rashness at this crisis will set him at liberty again. No matter how seasoned or strong your tackle may be, no one can ever succeed in turning a salmon when he is first hooked. It is only by giving comparatively gentle tugs, or letting him feel the weight and pressure of the rod and line at short intervals, that you can make him rush about backwards and forwards, so as to exhaust his strength. Many fishers turn excessively nervous after hooking a good- We sized fish. once knew one of the boldest officers of the Indian army, one who had braved the rampart in its most fearful thunder and carnage with the most un- daunted coiurage, who never got hold of a salmon (for he was an enthusiastic brother of the craft) without showing the symptoms of almost excessive trepidation ; and this is by no means a very uncommon occurrence. All experienced anglers know, from their own history, and from what they daily see around them, how very exciting the sport really is when you get fairly engaged in it. The most unreserved patience and coolness are, therefore, indispensable. Many fish will require unremitting care and skill for two or three hours before they will yield ; and few of any size can be landed, as they ought to be, ia less than an hour. When the river the angler is fishing has a broad shelving bed on each side the stream between the water and the banks, and there are no trees nor bushes to hamper and perplex his operations, then his work is comparatively easy and expeditious ; but, on the contrary, when the river is narrow in its channel, and fills it completely up, and when timber and brushwood abound, it is always a work of some difficulty and uncertainty to kill a large salmon with the fly ; and if the bottom of the stream be full of roots of trees, large stones and reeds, the case becomes still more desperate and hopeless. When the fish bounds repeatedly out of the water, the chances are that he will succeed in breaking his hold, either by the main force of his fall into the stream, or ; 58 ANGLING by tumbling across the line ; the latter accident scarcely ever fails to set him free. There is a remarkable difference in salmon in reference to their particular movements after being hooked ; some never leap at all, When while others are continually at it. the fish takes what is called the sulks, the chances of killing him, when the bottom of the water is not favourable, are very problematical. A salmon will rise again and again at the fly after he has once missed it. In this respect he differs widely We from the trout. have seen the salmon miss the fly a dozen times in succession, and at last take it greedily. Should he, however, be slightly hooked in any instance, -- and break off, he will come no more at anyrate, not for a considerable time. It is an essential part of an angler's knowledge to be able to detect, with a glance of an eye, the most probable places where salmon may be expected When to lie. fishing in lakes, he must necessarily take the water at hazard; but in rivers and smaller streams, a considerable latitude is afforded him for a display of judgment and skill. It is not often that the fish are to be found in long straggling streams, com- paratively shallow and not leading directly into a longer or shorter reach of deep and still water. They are always very shy in trusting themselves in such places on the contrary, a rapid stream running directly into a sheet of deep and still way, is the most probable haunt for fish. Many large fish, however, never go into the streams at all ; they keep in deep water amongst large stones, brush-roots, and old sunken roots of trees. When, therefore, there is a fine and brisk curl on the surface of the water, and it is otherwise in good condition, the deeps are the places for finding fish. The shallow end or tail of a good long stretch of water, where there is a broad bed of gravel or slopes, is, in all salmon- rivers, a favourite locality for the fly-fisher. NOTE 59 Note to Chapter III Even now, after inquiries, commissions, 'and treatises too numer- ous to be set out in catalogue order, it may be said, as Blakey writes in this chapter, that the natural history of the salmon is stUl wrapped in considerable mystery, certainly as to its migratory habits, and the cause of epidemic diseases, which latter were little known when this work was-written. It has never been yet discovered how salmon