The morning call., 1892-07-02
CHINESE STURGEON LINES.
The Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers
Lined With Them.

Inc sacramento ana san joaquin Rivers
Lined with Them.
1.-THE CALLS articles on the fishing in
dustry have wakened folks up immensely"
said Clay-street dealer yesterday. Even
The Fish Commissioners have got a stir on
themselves. Now l think it must be
powerful engine for good that Will rouse
the commission from its long sleep.
''Why don't the commission selli naphtha
launch and devote the proceeds to capturing
Chinese fish plrates," said one Of the oldest
italian fishermen in the city. They can
never make an arrest in the boat and they
know it. Why the boat is recognized wher-
ever it goes and the noise its engine makes
gives all the warning any one needs Of its
approach"
Chinese junk and sail up the Sacramento
River If no warning was given Of their
approach big haul of illegal fishers could
be made in a few hours.
''All along the Sacramento for many miles
the Chinese have their sturgeon lines set
l would be willing to stake a days haul
against nothing that can 60 up TO Bouldin
Island to-day and find 100 sturgeon lines in
less than 10 hours"
do yon see that sturgeon" said a Mer-
chant-street hsh-deaer, pointing to q huge
fish that had just been brought in. That
fish was caught on aChinese sturgeon line.
How do i know? Easy enough. See
that big cash behind that fiD, see the eye
torn out and blood coming from the socket.
see the two wounds on its back and the
, three big slasbes underneath. That fish
run af0ul of one OF those deyilish sturgeon
lines.
"Y0u know the sturgeon s asort OF sea-
dog who goes prowlng around on the bot
tom. If there's one sturgeon line stretched
across the stream the chances are very slim
that any sturgeon passing it will escape
alive. When there are 40 or 90 of these
lines stretched along in the bottom mud in
distance less than mile-as there is to-
day and every day-there is no chance at
all FOR passing sturgeon to escape"
"As matter of fact" said another fish
erman who was interviewed, "many of the
citizens in the little country towns along
the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers are
as much to blame for the illegal sturgeon
and salmon fishing as are the Fish Commits
sioners. 1t is next To impossible to convict
man for Illegal fishing in one of these
places The juries are invariably made up
of goodly portion Of fish pirates, and the
other Jufymen. who do no Illegal fishing
themselves, are in sympathy with the
pirates because they share their spoils.
why, l have seen fish spears in the
Judges chambers at Guerneville. Do you
suppose such a magistrate would permit
person accused of illegal fishing TO be con-
victed in his court?
"Of course the presence of the spears in
his private room does not prove that the
Judge spears fish. or even countenances it.
but that fact, In connection with his subse-
quent actions ia Joining the crowd which
once hooted Deputies TunStead and Bah
COCK out of the town because they had made
two arrests of illegal fishermen, is pretty
strong evidence that he is not 'agin' the fish
pirates"
wel-known sportsman of this city, who
occasionally wears a badge as a deputy
patrolman. when on his fishing excursion,
tells an interesting story of his experiences
on the Russian River.
81 came across four Chinese hauling in
big sturgeon line with perhaps so or 60
great big fish attached. | went to the magis-
trate of the town and asked him for war
rant for the arrest of the Chinese, and re-
queSted deputy or two to assist me.
- Did you see 'em eat the fish?' said the
Judge sarcastically. We'll. then you've got
no case against them, and needn't bother
yourself about them,
In some of those towns along the river il
is almost as much as mans life is worth
to arrest q person for Illegal fishing, and
utterly Impossible to secure conviction"