The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1879-11-16
DAILY INTELLICENCER.
Sunday, November 16. 1870
FISHING ADVENTURE DOWN
THE COLUMBIA.

A Portland correspondent thus write
20 Fore.t and Stream:
Twas engaged several years since in
making . survey Of the mouth Of th'
Columbia, and was anchored in tho
shelter Of Bakers Bay. jus. inside o.
Cape disappointment. but rifle shot
from the ocean beach. This - a most
picturesque spot. The cape Is formed
By the northern shore OF tho river pro-
icctin2 around from seward in the
form Of hook. ana,s composed Of high
basaltic rocky hills which are very
PERCEPTIONS on tho ocean side. and are
clothed TO their SUBMITS with heavy
forest Of Douglas fir or Oregon pine.
and Q vigorous growth u deciduous
bushes Of maple, and luxurious ferns.
TIE water was salt and clear. Well
do remember my first salmon taken
ia these waters Equipped With a
good two handed English salmon rod
Of ash with lsncewood tips. one hun
drei yards # braided Iihe, and the best
flies. all furnished me by . valued
friend. left the vessels eide. alone in
my dingy. TO try for silver side salmon
No salmon had ever been known be-
fore to take . fly On the Columbia riv-
or, and had very little hope Of sue
cess. had bat few hundred yards
10 pull from the vessel before arriving
near the steep and rocky shores OF the
bay. and laying 10 the oars took my
rod and commenced casting. Though
an old hand with an eight ounce trout
rod. found two handed rod an swk-
ward thing; however / soon succeeded
in making . cast far enough away
from the boat to hook . salmon. What
a thrill Of excitement accompanied strik-
ing the hook into the solid tongue OF
that FIRST salmon and how my heart
rushed up into my throat a. the alarm
"a fish made his first frantic rush for
liberty! There was an old log OF spar
with ringbolt in the end. projecting
above the water and its bottom fast IN
the mud, and this spar was not two rods
from the rocky bluff. With what agony
Of apprehension saw my salmon max
ing for tbs spar with tie line singing
through the water! Turn him ! could
not, though the good rod was nearly
bent double. and holding the rod with
ono hand / seized an oar with the other
and tried to scull the boat near enough
to rass the rod over the spar - the fish
went behind u. Alas. the salmon was
too fast for me, and in @ desperate
moment 40 the salmon was drawing my
tip around the spar. ! cast the whole
rod as fer ~ could throw it the other
side Of the spar, where it sank in two
fathoms of water. stood for . mo-
ment in despair at what had done;
then took up the oars and pulled for
the schooner After getting my sail
ing master in the boat and long pike
pole. to which dashed my salmon gait,
We pulled of again to the scene Of dis
aster, and almost Immediately succeed.
ed in fishing up the rod The line had
run out clear to the barrel Of the reel.
OF course I had lost my first salmon
and probably half my line. aud slowly
and in sorrow reeled it in. when whizz
out few the handle from my fingers
and away went my salmon. fresh for a
second heat.
The salmon aud l fought it out OF
that line" all around the harbor. anG
half the military pos. was down on the
shore TO see the fun, and when fnally
thrus. the gail into his shining bell
and lifted him into the boat. a cheer
went up from the shore, which with
the salmon thrnshing around in the
boat made me feel quite proud over the
adventure. He weighed twenty five
pounds
The genial and enthusiastic light.
house keeper at the Cape became much
excited and expressed the profoundest
regret that he had lived there ten year,
and never knew that salmon could b.
caught with the fly. He came on board
to examine my tackle. and supplied
him with few flies.
What was my Astonishment to see
him ont on tho bay the very next day
and with the most extraordinary tackle
which was ever presented to . salmon
He had sawn . strip from . redwood
board and dressed it down to the thick.
meas OF an inch. and with a very re.
spectacle taper. Pieces Of wire driven
into the wood at suitable intervals
served as guides. or rings. and for q
reel. the iron wheels of q child's toy
cart were rugged with crank and 90.
curely lashed 10 the pole. Truly, in
his case. necessity was the mother OF
invention. and with this remarkable
outfit he succeeded in catching many a
lusty salmon. Not being ablo to cas-,
with this apparatus. he caught all hi.
salmon by trolling, In a week every
rooster at the military post presented
most forlorn appearance, necks and
tails had both been plucked 10 make
salmon flies
Many salmon have taken frou,
the sparkling bay under Cape Dissp.
poin,mens sincs that day. bat the live.
ly adventure with my arst salmon re
mains an episode Of supreme pleasure.
The women's anti-liquor mob a,
Fredsricktown. Ohio. lately mentioned
by telegraph. was lively affair. The