Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-01-01
CALIFORNIA FISHES.
THEIR VARIETIES AND VALUE FOR
FOOD PURPOSES.
Art and Pleasures of AngIing-What
the State Fish Commission
Has Accomplished-Etc.

Written for the New Years REooRD-U UNION by
Judge A. y. Dibble, Secretary and Treasurer
of the State Board of Fish Commissioners.
"Simon Peter saith unto them, I go a-fshing.
They say unto him, ,ce also go with thee. -
John, xxi: 3.
Quaint expression = full of meaning.
Simon Peter had often. with his net or rod,
went fishing in the waters of the Sea OF
Tiberius. Recollections of past good times
came playing around him, and he empha-
sized his longings when he said, with re-
markable force of language, " 1 go a-iish-
ing" and they his companions-Thomas.
called Didymus, and Nathaniel, of Cana,
and the sons of Zebedee, and two others of
the disciples-caught the infection and
were enthused; and they, too, positively
declared their intention, in the epigram-
matte assertion, "We also go with theen'
BE assured they were up bright and early,
and all went The first days catchwas not
good, but the next day they made a royal
haul. All who have read the story appre-
ciate it, because il is so natural and fisher
man-like.
In all times since many of the good, the
great, the poor aud the rich have been
there. and know all about it. They may
not have fished in the Sea of Tiberius, but
thew have iished in other favored waters,
where they have enjoyed the pleasures OF
hone and the fruition OF success. The
writer of this has been there and now longs
to 90 and Cd. W will go again when the
season comes round.
have presented the foregoing excerpt in
order to show that III the good old days
ishing was passion, and greatly enjoyed
By even the Disciples. They caused good
record to be kept of their success as usher
men. Their work in this line has not been
forgotten So, too, in our day, disciples,
reverend and non-reverend have sought
the Incompatible pleasures yielded by
water-courses and pools. Some OF then
carefullv-yoven and oft-repeated yarns =
drawn out TO be believed, ana should be
with many grains of allowance-were mar
velousiy large, and quite incredible. The
privilege TO tell robust story is an inallen-
able rieht of and always enjoyed by, the
truthful fisherman In the particular men
toned the writer hereof has always exer-
cised the right and has never been detected
in making untruthful statements. He re
grets to say. however, that he has heard
reverends. who should lead the way :" uf
The golden stairs" recount most wonderful
experiences, that really taxed belief. How
on certain former always former) occa
sion he played an athletic trout tavoir
dupois, twenty and three-quarters pounds
how. when nearly reeled in, the trout made
a fearful lunge turned tail-to and ran out
the line seven-eighths of a mile or so; and
how it took him not one second less thar
an hour and forty-fivc minutes by his ever
faithful chronometer 10 bring the gamy
fellow in reach os the gaf. The story hac
been repeated often, and was believed by
the author.
ANGLING Is AN ART
Notacquired from books or scientific essays
but from Practice. A keen taste to acquire
il and experience will bring succ ess
As well expect man who has no taste ioi
il to learn the art OF a sculptor, be his
scientific requirement ever SO great, as te
expect a fisherman to be a success, when
his tastes do not lead him to stream Oh
lake Practical experience makes the sue
cessful angler 1t has become his guide
and directs him when to go, where to go
and what to do, after he has bivouackeo
on the bank of a brook, or moored his boa
in deep waters.
Curious investigations have led scientist:
to the belief that the amount of lactea
WELD could be best determined by the es
cutcheon Of the cow but Molly, the little
dairy-maid, with her well-flled pail, knows
more. and all about it, A man who fol
lows fishing knows the business. He is Q
seIf-made. learned professor; he is learned
in the habits of fish-their running seasons
their spawning fields, their deposit anc
protection of spawn. Ii is the learning u
oversight. and the mere book worm may
not acquire it. Such person is not only
qualified to be fish culturist. but also tc
teach scientists the art
TRouTING IN CALIFORNIA.
State pride does not influence me in the
leas; 70 say il, yet it is true that no other
State OF the American Union has nestled
within its domain as many streams and
lakes OF beauty, and so largely populated
with finny tribes ready to be taken by the
willing angler and fisherman, as the State
OF California. Such being the fact, it may
be proper for me to say something about
the benefits and pleasures yielded to the
amateur by the art of angling. The same
pleasures and benefits We're enjoyed by
lzaak Walton and his associates early in
and up to the middle of the sixteenth CEN
tury, and were fully recorded in THE
Complete Angler All of these health
giving and delightful recreations and pleas
ures can be had by our people, by the mere
going for Them
In speaking of angling au eminent lover
- of the art said, Twas an employment
spent; for angling was, after tedious study.
. rest 10 his mind, cheerer of his spirits,
n dispeller of sadness, a calmer of unquiet
thought, moderator of passion, pro-
curer of contentedness;' that lit begets
habits of peace and patience in those that
professed and practiced it, This very
truthful eGlogy of the art is most charm
ingly worded. and the portrait is true to
nature.
p,,ro. a., 4 ;,,s,.;-;,,., air hraatl,ol AZ ,ba
pond or stream, brings health TO the pleas
ure-seeker He has left behind him the
fetid air, oyer-breathed and charged with
hith diseases ana the seeds of death from
vault. sewer and filth found in the busy
marts and centers of population. He has
left behind him the humdrum of city life.
to enjoy the songs of hnnet, lark and robin,
the drumming of the grouse, the cheerful
calling of the quail, and the plaintive COO
ing of the dove. Native flowers beguile
him with their beauty and sweetness.
Now, be he poor or rich, lettered or inlet
tered, be is free, with none to joStle or mo-
lest him. 1t his wife and little ones are
near HIM, so much the better; for the
health-giving store of enjoyment is ample
for all. Equipped with rod, reel, line and
fly, and possessed with keen anxiety. he is
ready for the sport The poets description
is apropos
~
Nhen-with fixed eye and ready hand
lie studies first to hook and then to land
Some trout, or perch. or pike; and, having done
Sits on a bank and tells how this was won
And that escaped his hook: which. with a will,
Did eat the bait. and fisherman beguile.''
MODES OF ANGLING.
The mode of taking the lakes is gener-
all; by Irolling. The tackle consists of
pole reel. line, aud a leader from SIX to
nine feet long, with spoon ut its extreme
end, and generally with four flies affix to
the leader. The line goes out hundred
feet or SO. The fisherman is now ready for
the strike. 1t is made. and he feels an
other. and another. The flies are doing
good wooing work Reel in and bring
the victims to the gait or the lander
The writer has seen his old friend, Mes
a prince of anglers, bring IN at one Keeling
five darlings-one at the spoon and four at
the iiies. There is JOY over a saved fish,
but when five are saved, then comes the
'Oh-be-joy.ul p
Many Of our California lakes-notably
Webber, Independence. Bonner, Crystal.
~ u IN. -f-1r =