Page 7 - Guiding for Salmon on the Margaree

ISSUE : Issue 26

Published by Ronald Caplan on 1980/8/1

The last second is the dangerous time. There's a lot of fish lost in gaffing. I don't know why. It's hard to explain. Now I'm not bragging, but I've never lost a fish yet when I went to gaff him. I either got him or I didn't get him • that's the way it was--I wouldn't take a foolish chance and try to gaff him when he wasn't ready to gaff. That there gaff, I'd say, is 45 years old probably--it was given to me. (No barb on the end.) No, just a point. See, when you stick the fish, when you stick that in him, you hold it up so he can't slide off. When I'm gaffing, I gen? erally fish around the back fin--that's where I always gaff him. On the far side of the fish. And when he's passing, you stick him and then you hold him up like that--and he can't kick off of your gaff. Now I spent 5 hours helping a fellow from Halifax get a fish. I was guiding another woman. And this fellow, he hooked this salmon--and I knew the minute the salmon came up and took the fly that he was a big fish. And there were about 10 fishermen there. And they were trying to get this fellow with the salmon on out of the pool, so they could fish. They were telling him what to'do but, aw, they were just trying to get him to go down the river with the fish. And I knew they weren't doing what they should do. And I said to Mrs. Thomp? son, ?? I was guiding, I said, "I'm afraid that man is going to lose that big fish if those people are trying to get him out of the pool." I knew if he went downriver that he'd have an awful job holding him. I said I'd like to help him. "Well," she said, "by all means, don't worry about me." But I wouldn't go unless he wants me. I hollered over to him and asked him if I could be of any use to him. He said, "Jim, I wish you'd come over here with me." I went over. I said, "Now don't be fool- ish--if you're going to listen to them, you don't need me. One or the other." He said, "I'm not listening to them." I said, "I'm not going to guarantee you I'll save your fish, but I'll do the best I can." I said, "You play your fish till he is 'eady to leave"--because I knew he'd leave the pool. Once he gets a little tired, a big fish will generally go down the river, nearly always. And if they start down, you can't stop them. The weight of the fish a- lone with the current that's on the river, if you try to hold him in that current, well, you've got an awful pressure on your rod and reel. You've got to keep working him down, to try to get him in. But there was one place at the bottom of the pool where there was deep water, and there was a bunch of alders hanging out over the river, and you had to wade around, and if it was too deep you'd have to swim around to get clear--you couldn't pass your rod-- the alders were too high. So the fish started down. I said, "You Purchases mailed anywhere in the world, LOCATED IN BADDECK, NOVA SCOTiA Artiarican Exprais, Chargax, Bank Amarica, Mattac Charga Cr?dit Cardt Honpurad OPEN DAILY Phone 295-2786 Shetland Sweaters Fair Isle Sweaters Czechoslovakian Crystal Mohair Products Knitting Yarns Wide Selection of Tartan Ties Tires Our Specialty" SYL'S SERVIGE CENTRE 295-2911 295-2911 Located in Doimtown Baddeck 24-Hour Towing Service mtfoEii located 1/2 mile off the Cabot Trail at Nell's Harbour Enjoy your favorite se. PHONE: 336-2 (7)

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