Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-02-09
FOOD FISH OF THE SACRAMENTO.

The following interesting facts relative to
the food fish of the Sacramento river are fur
nished by r. Il Buckingham, President of
the Commission of Fisheries of the State of
California. Mr.. Buckingham has been en-
gagged in the fish business on the river for up
wards of thirty years, and is perhaps better
acquainted with this subject than any other
man in the State.
The salmon is the most valuable fish that
is found in the river. There are two runs
year, the spring run being the largest and
most valuable. They commence running in
the latter part of October and continued IN
til July. In early days the run of spring
salmon at times was very heavy. and the
fishermen took more fish tbsn they could dis
pose of, the only markets then being Sscra
mento and San Francisco. The freight from
this city to San Francisco per steamer was
twenty-five cents per fish. A great many
fish spoiled before they could reach and be
disposed Of in the markets at the Bay; the re-
turns were light, consequently but few fish
were disposed of outside Of the Sacramento
market. At times salmon sold for
one bit piece by the boat load, and
often at that price they could not be sold,
and they were thrown back into the river by
hundreds. Many teams left for the mines
daily loaded with salmon, which was easily
disposed of for from Is to % cents per pound.
The fall run of salmon, of which large mum.
Der are caught, are of a much poorer quality
than those of the spring. They commence
running in the month of August and con-
tinue quite heavy until the middle of Octo.
Der. In the early days of salmon fishing
river, near its mouth but for a number of
years none have been taken in that river ex-
cept very few during the spring of 1888.
For the last two years the run of salmon in
the Sacramento, in the vicinity of this city,
has been quite limited.
Salmon Trout-Of this fish there seems to
be about the same amount each year. They
are beyond doubt the finest food fish in the
river. They commence running in the month
of July and continue until the rise in the
river. They are not very plenty, nor have
they ever been.
The perch is the next best pan fish, and
there is a difference Of opinion as regards
which Is the better of the two, trout or perch.
In early days the run Of perch YVES quite
large. Fishermen have been known TO take
in Bsnnsn slough in one day as much as
$500 pounds. As late ss 1869 it was COM
mon thing TO take from 800 to l, 900 pounds
daily in that slough. Since that time they
have been getting less and less each Year,
until now there are weeks at time that
there are none to be seen in the local mar-
kets. The decrease is fully SO per cent, or
nearly a total anuihilatiOn, the cause Of
which, for one thing, is the reclamation Of
the tule lands, which has closed all of the
sloughs by which they entered the lakes to
deposit their ova.
The pike, one Of the best of the common
food fishes, are caught in considerable num-
Der yet, although they, with other kind of
fish, are continually growing scarce. They
commence running In the river in the month
of November, and continue until late in the
spring.
The dace in former years was caught in
great numbers IN the river near Sacramento,
but Of late years there has none been caught.
They are fish of the past.
The club ID a very good pan fish, but is
very scarce in the river. Some few are caught
in the lakes. In former years they were
caught in considerable numbers in the Sacra-
mento and American rivers, but for some
years back rome have been caught in the
American. snd but few in the Sacramento.
The mullet or hard head is one of the most
common of our river or lake fish. They are
used by Chinese more than by any other class
of people. They do not decrease SO rapidly
0s most other kind of fish. They commence
to run in the month of March, and continue
the m )st of the summer.
The river herring is small, slim, white
fish, which is caught in no very great quanti-
ties. They are fish not sought after, on &C.
count OF the flesh being filled with bones
They commence to ascend the river in De-
cember, and continue most of the spring.
The white sturgeon, in early days, was
considered of no value as food fish, except
by the Indians, but at the present time is one
Of the best of our cheap fish, and is used in
great quantities. They are the largest of
our inland waters fish, some of which have
been caught weighing as high as 700 pounds.
Most OF our hotels and restaurants use them
in the place of sea bass, and they are good
substitute The sturgeon commences to run
with the frat rise in the river, and continue
until about the 1st of June. They, with
the rest of our river fish, are growing scarce.
The green sturgeon is not much used for
food as yet. The fishermen hardly ever save
them, as they are not called for by market
men. Therefore they are killed and turned
loose. The time is not far off when they will
come into general use.
Other fish. such as the bull-head, which
were placed in the river by the Fish Commits
sioners, have done we'll, and we may thank
them for the benefits the people will derive
by their introduction. They have increased
until our lakes and rivers are we'll stocked
with them from Tehama to Collinsviile
They are about the only kind Of river fish
that is strictly a pan tish TO be had in our
markets.
The shsd is another fish that the Fish
Commission have introduced iuto our waters.
They have also done well. and We may say
that our river is well stocked. They will
commence to run in April, and continue until