Sunday, June 1, 2008

Presumpscot , a salmon river

“The method of taking salmon is by trolling with a bright lure, with hooks or spinners and with natural bait, shiners being a captivating morsel, A good spring bait is the smelt. The fish when the ice goes out, are ravenously hungry and trolling is regarded as best. Later on flies are good, particularly when the heat is oppressive. One then should fish in deep water and in the rapids. This applies to all four rivers-Presumpscot, Sebec, Union, and Saint Croix. Usually the landlocked salmon takes the bait with a mad rush, and then the acrobatic performance is on. His first sign of fight is the leap, a similar stunt performed by the black bass."
New York Times March 8, 1910

Comment- It is 1910 and the Presumpscot is written of in the New York Times as a landlocked salmon river. We know that Presumpscot fishways existed in the early 1900's.
The North Gorham dam ,as it is presently, was not built yet. It could not have been a noted Salmon River unless the fishway was operable at the Sebago lake dam .
1910 however seems to be the end date for reports of very large salmon in great numbers.

No comments: