The morning call., 1894-05-06
THE ANGLER.
Why Trout-Fishing in the San LO-
reuZo River Is Poor.

Win tne exception OF the same old story,
which has been told time and again since April
I, there is really nothing of any Importance to
relate in reference to stream fishing. !he
fngerllngs are getting scarce, and why not
when the pOsehers are outnumbering the
anglers? THE CALL has done its duty as
10 giving spOrtSmen and anglers an Idea OF
what must be done TO remedy the existing state
of affairs. which, 10 say the least is deplOra BILE.
The number OF letters received at this Office
weekly from persons who are interested in
shooting and fishing concerning the Fish Com
misSioners and the outrageous way in which
fish and game are being slaughtered In open
violation OF the law would make very interest
ing reading il published in detail.
There is certainly growing feeling for a
change OF government, and the people OF this
Stale who love TO shoot and fish can rest assured
that the State Sportsmens Association has
solved the question of what needs 10 be done TO
protect the game and fish, A game bill coming
directly from this association will be introduced
al Sacramento at the next Legislature, and we
hope that every true sportsman and angler who
favOrs protection for game and fish during the
close season and for shooting and fishing for
all during the Oprn months VIII not neglect TO
put his shoulder to the wheel and push the bill
through by interceding with the Senators and
Assembymen of the county he represents.
Any person who missed the daily papers
which published the reports OF the State
SpOrIsmen's convention will be accommodated
with copy OF the bill as recommended by aD-
plying 10 H. T. Payne, editor OF Field Sports,
3lS Pine street, or Mr.. CToWel of the Breeder
and Sportsman.
The suggestion of game and fish wardens for
every county OF the State, TO be appointed by
the Supervisors Of each county, is assuredly
grand move in the right direction. and, in fact,
IFS The only system by which sportsmen eau
hone to remedy the present state of affairs
Tie Fish Commission, lie other commits
sIons, should pass out of existence. II Is an
eyesOre to sportsmen and anglers. who have
become tired of reading the accounts of trout
killing by means of giant powder III The coast
streams at all seasons of the year. Apropos of
The giant powder system OF angling, the follow
ing letter has Just been received from Santa
cruz and will give readers an idea OF how the
Fish Commissioners are attending TO their
duty:
Editor Morning CdH-DEAR SIR: The good
deputies of the Fish Commissioners are sadly
needed II Santa Cruz County: he beautiful san
Lorenzo is a natural home of the trout, but IL is
being so ruthlessly slaughtered that IL will be but
a few years until the stream is completely barren
This is not because IL IS tiShed out because the
trout do not breed and multiply, but because trout
are constantly taken from IL by unlaw III means
In the streets of Santa Cruz can be daily for
the past month. young men offering trout for SAFE
at the price OF two dozen for 25 cents. These
trout are fngeriings, some actually not three
inches long They show no marks of being taken
by hook ana line. In fact, they too small to
bite even No 10 hook. The people who hawk
them are never seen with rods and lines. where
do they get them?
The expert angler who whips the stream con-
scienUOusly considers himself fortunate II he can
catch three or four dozen in as many hours, bus
the giant" fisherman comes home with 400. His
catch is principally the little ones. but that IL
because his giant stick stuns the little ores
thai they float the water. while the larger and
stronger fish recover more quickly and thus es-
cape the vandaPs clutch.
Along the he'd OF the San Lorenzo can now be
seen thousands OF dead lamprey cells, When alive
this fish held on TO the stones at the bottom OF the
stream by its sucker-ike mouth
When the discharge of the giant powder took
place they received the fun force OF the jar and
thus were killed One OF the fishermen, who was
equipped only with eunny sack. was asked why
so many eels were dead in the stream. III replied
that they had been bitten by water SNAKES. AS
very few water snakes are seen along the stream
it must have kept those few very brisk to kill so
many eeis.
where such unlawful work IS done and penalties
inflicted tnat will make an infraction OF the law
rs costly as the use OF dynamite for the destruc-
tion of other property. j. III ID.
TIE editor OF the Sonoma Democrat Is lover
Of angling and believes strongly in the protec-
lion OF trout. This is what he says Gf the sport
in Snnoma County. 1t may possibly interest
the Fish Commissioners: I'D. 2. Meyers of
Windsor was In Santa Rosa Tuesday. He
saws there Is a great destruction OF small fish
in the streams OF that locality and thinks more
rigid laws for the protection should be passed
and enforced This is only too true, but how 10
enforce the law is he question. Hundreds of
salmon trout were Speared 10 Santa Rosa Creek
This season, IN the very height OF the SnaWnlng
ilnIe the most heartless and unsDortsmaniike
cruelty that can be conceived of. What is the use
of talking about preserving The fish when they
OF the fatal spear hundreds of thousands of fish
are killed in this way. AS long as this barbar
ism is tolerated there Is no hone of saw
ing the fish. We agree with Mr. Meyers, and
heartily sympathlZe with him. There Is but
Ona way 10 save the fish, and that Is to prohibit
uuaer Ihe seyerest penalty, the killing of tile
incoming breeding fish by traps or spearing
between November ! and April /. Until this
is done 1t is idle to talk of other protective laws
and if Ii were done the small fish which woud
swarm in the streams could be afterward
guarded. AS IL now is. The Killing the breeders
leaves so few flsh that they are nardly worth
protecting. A great deal mas been SAID and
written about protecting he fish at the mouth
OF Russian River. II makes but small differ
ence whether the incoming fish are caught in
seine or are killed with three pronged. baI bed
gig fifteen or twenty miles Inland. The less
cruel way would be to catch them when they
come IN fresh from The sea. To catch them
either at the mouth of the river. or 10 spear
lham IN the smaller streams should be pro-
hibted under heavy penalty"
In reference 10 Fish Comm ssiODer Murdoch's
suggestion for tile formation of a sports
msn's fraternal league which cannot possibly
mhet with success as ii viii antagOnlZe the
good work proposed by he State Sportsmen'S
Association, Editor Payne OF Field Sports says
eGtOrialy: According 10 the daily press
there is d movement on foot In this city 10 Or
ganiZe some kind of a hybrid society under the
fa5se name of a Stale Association OF SpOTtsmen.
We do not credit the report, and do not believe
that any number OF gentlemen vino are in any
way qualified 10 bear the honorable name of
sportsmen are contemplating any such move.
The daily press may have drawn its conclu-
sioDs from the wild talk OF a few disgruntled
individuals with some personal end IN view,
who think that they may serve their own inter-
eIs by some such movement.
"Happily the organization of State Sports
mems Assocla Ion was consGmmated on June
"a, 1881, since which time it has maintained
continuous, active and useful existence. Its
membership Is not confined 10 Few with per
sOnal ends to serve, but on its roll are honored
names-men OF the highest social and political
standing In every county Of the State; men of
broad and conservative Ideas; the youth in the
fun flush OF his early enjoyment OF the exhil-
arating pleasures of the rod aud gun, ana the
gTay-haired veteran now whipping life's
stream in the twilight of his allotment OF years,
staneh and true In the faith OF the true sports
man, laboring not Tor self, but that those who
nave fallen heir 70 his ROD or his fowIng piece
may continue TO enjoy the sports a-field whose
heaithful exercise has heightened his lease OF
life.
..Of such as these Is composed the California
State Sportsmen's Association, aD organization
OF true sportsmen that has done and is doing
more for The preservation of game and fish
than all oth-r factors of whatsoever name or
nature combined. There is not Il good law on
our statute-buoks for the preservation OF game