The Wichita daily eagle., 1891-09-10
THE WAY INDIANS FISH.
DESCRIPTION or THEIR CURIOUS
METHODS AND TACKLE.

They Cling to the Ways of Their Fore
fathers-Heoks of Shell, Lines of Bark
and Nets of Vegetable Fiber-They Also
Bse Clubs and Spears.
When the artistic angler stands at the
head of the pool clasping in his hand four
and half ounce split bamboo rod, mount
ed with bands of German silver, reel to
match containing the finest of fine silk,
carefully braided line. and casts forth three
dainty flies attached to a leader of Spanish
| gut it is not strange that his thoughts go
back to the time when the Indian crept
along the same stream and whipped out
fine trout from the same pool. A glance
| at his complete outfit of modern make
fully in keeping with the civilization of
the day, leads to speculation as to the
tackle the original owner of the hills and
streams used in securing his fish dinner.
The fact is that the Indian was a very
able angler He did not do his fishing for
sport, but to gain food, and he did it we'll
Some idea of the primitive tackle and
methods OF the early days of the country
can be gained from the Indians of the
modern apparstus, and even now make
little substitution for the tackle of 200
years ago except in accepting iron barbs
for the early hooks of shell or bone. The
Indians of the earlier period had to do
mostly with salt water fish, and depending
largely upon fish for food were obliged to
develop the piscatorial art and make big
catches. To put out hundred set hooks
~ -1@f <Si-1.
ter of common occurrence with them. The
size of the fish did not bother them, and
they safely landed immense halibut weigh
ing as much as 150 pounds.
Salmon were so common in various parts
of the coast rivers and streams that a fish
trap was often used. Sometimes they used
spears at narrow passages in the river.
OLD FASHIONED TACKLE.
In the Smithsonian Institution report
for 1889 is an account of the customs and
habits of the tribes along the coast all the
way to Alaska, and some statements are
made as to their fisheries While not, of
course, showing the evolution of modern
tackle which is the outgrowth of the pisca-
torial tendencies of the seacoast inhabi5-
ants of the Old World, these statements
prove how efficient even bungling tackle
fish for pleasure any more than the pygmies
in Africa do now. The Egyptians did, if
the pictures found in the historic ruins are
properly interpreted. Indeed, it is thought
that the Egyptians were very successful
anglers, and came pretty near becoming
fly casters.
The Indians of the northwest coast re-
tain their old tackle to this day. The big
hooks obtained from the whites are used
for gaffhooks and as spearheads. The
hooks are traded as other merchandise. A
primitive style Of hook used by the Haida
tribe of the northwest coast is a straight
piece of bone, the shank straight piece of
wood, and the snood or smell a piece OF
whalebone, the smell being attached to the
shank by lashings of bark. In another
style narrow block of wood is used with
a spike of bone, shell or iron, and snood
of spruce root or whalebone. In Alaska
large halibut hooks are also used.
At first these were barbed with bone, but |
now they are with iron. They are made in |
two pieces, each lashed at the joint with |
cedar bark, the shanks made in different |
designs, supposed to give good luck to the |
fishermen. Some are made from the forked !
branches of trees, yew and spruce being |
generally used. In the wood is set the bone, |
shell or iron barb. The bait is lashed to |
that arm of the hook which carries the |
barb, and placed just under it. These are |
very strong, and halibut weighing as much |
as fifty pounds are caught on them.
By steaming and bending a tough piece |
of yew branch various shaped hooks are
made. One variety is twisted just as
though the shank of long weakfsh hook
were bent in an oval shape and brought |
back so as to leave little space between the
point of the barb and the long space shank, |
and across it a strip of steel is placed upon
which to tie piece of bait.
THE HOOK DESCRIBED.
The hook that is used in catching cod |