poon, which is a plain silver
spoon with a loose hook. The main aim was always the large 50lb. fish,
smaller fish of 25lb. or so being regarded as a nuisance, and if
possible shaken off the hook. The biggest catch was eight fish six of
which were about 50lb. apiece; anyone familiar with salmon fishing will
know that this is no small feat after allowing for fish hooked and lost,
while it must be remembered that a fish of 50lb. may take over an hour
to land. Sir Richard Musgrave's large fish of 70lb. took an hour and a
half to land; it was a magnificent fish, the record salmon of the rod
and line. A cast of it was shown at Farlow's, in the Strand, and also at
Rowland Ward's, in Piccadilly, during the spring of 1897. The spoon
fishing of the Namsen and other Norwegian rivers fades into
insignificance beside such sport; two or more fish of over 50lb. were
the average catch, besides more that were hooked and lost, while the
numerous smaller fish were not considered worthy of notice.

Mr. A. Duncan reports excellent success with the prawn, which he was the
first to use, and it may be that with this deadly bait even larger fish
might be obtained. He also reports that with a silver-bodied fly in the
evening, but at no other time, he caught large numbers of salmon about
7lb. in weight, and could have filled a boat with them. He gives no
absolute proof as to whether these fish were salmon or steel-heads, but
it is his opinion that they were salmon.

The fishing is done by crossing and re-crossing the small bay into which
Campbell River flows, trolling from a canoe or small boat, the breadth
of the water being about half a mile; the method is exactly like
trolling in a Norwegian fiord just off the mouth of a river. It is a
curious fact that no sport can be obtained in the river itself, which
fully supports the contention put forth above that the Pacific coast
salmon ceases to take as soon as it begins to run, the taking fish being
those which are hanging about the mouth of the river preparatory to
running up. There seems to be no instance of the very large fish taking
the fly.

There is no need to say much as to tackle, except that it should be
strong and that there should be plenty of line. The native spoon can be
obtained on the spot. Some fishermen prefer a large rod as better able
to hold off a fish which runs under the boat; I should personally prefer
a short, stiff, steel-centred rod such as Hardy's 12ft. Murdoch--a type