Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1891-02-20
NOVEL METHOD OF FISHING
Eow Northwestern Indians Catch Troue
and saImon-DEvIne for Fish.

and demonstrating for Fish.
The two Indians were going TO show us
their method Of catching trout and
salmon. The stream runs between steep
mountains, ID very rocky and the current
9fiite swift. The water was ice cold and
clear as crystal It was alive with small
trout and the Big holes were well filed
with salmon. or salmon trout. ranging
from five to twelve pounds. How did
scbe for my split bamboo, which had
foolishly left down in the valley. These
fish, from the smallest to the largest,
would take the fy, OF any kind Of bait
readily. Steiger proved this by losing
fly hooks to two Of the big fellows, but he
captured q nice lot Of the smaller ones,
ranging from half a pound down He
stopped when he had enough, but verify
believe go could easily be taken in day
by the industrious and INSCRIPTIONS trout
hog. The Indians were fishing for them
selves AMI, OF course, we could not pre-
vent them from using their regular
methods Of taking all the fish in their
power, which they salt and dry for future
use While not sportsman Ike, IL was
decidedly interesting.
They first select suitable hole with fish
enough to be an object In this case it
was about 300 yards long, thirty feet wide
and varying in depth to ten feet At the
bottom lazliy swimming around were
number Of big fish. From a sack John
ME produced two Light giI nets, which
were stretched across the stream about
forty yards apart Then he produced the
tips OF spear, which were bound 10 q
strong willow poIe. These tips when
thrust into fish come Of the pole, but
are held by bncksk5n strips Vow weare
ready for business. Rocks are thrown
into the water and the startled fish dart
about, and IN a moment the fioets Of a net
are ierked violently under the water. TIE
fish writhes and twists, tsngljng himself
up hopelessly, and is soon taken out by
his dusky captors- Sometimes heAyy
fish would break the net and escape. but
not often. After a number had been
caught this way the frightened fish hid
under the rocks and sulked. Then the
spear came into play, several being taken.
On receiving the barts they would struz-
gle violently, and being hauled out BY
main strength and awkwardness would
make good fight
Most Of the big fish had now taken
refuge under large rocks in the deepest
part, and were clear cut Of sight. Then
Ole Of the Indians stripped Of. and with
small net eighteen inches in diameter,
IN the mouth Of which was bent a willow
pole, making il resemble the ordinary land
ing net. he slipped quietly into the almost
freezing cold water and disappeared under
a large rock held my breath in amaze
menr, and after he had been underneath
nearly a minute. l concluded he had
( drowned But. no; away down a dark
mass came slowly out and quickly rose to
the surface With a snort his head
I popped up, while in the net under his
arm a twelve pound fish was struggling.
( He crawled out shiveriug and after a
sun bath was ready for another plunge.
Along the bank for thirty feet was 8
shelving rock under which several fish
had taken refuge ProDeIling himself
along frog fashion, the IntIian cleared it
out Al one dive, catching one fish and
driving Ont the rest
Thus they kept at work, until. after
about three hours work, not & fish was
( left in the hole that would weigh Is much
as a pound They caught about 900
pounds q these FISH On this trip. During
the height Of the fishing season the In
dians from the reservation visit this stream
by tribes and FOR miles entirely clear ths
river Of fish. They are also quite expert
with hook and line, using venison fol
bait Mr.. Seeiger presented one OF then
with q number Of handsome fiy hooks
He looked 81 them in a c0niical way, thes
took out his knife and deliberately tFImR1es
the fly OF, saying that h didn't ear,
for any Of those new tangled fxin' :
bait w. T. Shaltuek IL Forest ans