The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-04-30
IN THE COUNTRY.
Alameda County-A Place
for Summer Vacation.
Pretty hooks Along the Banks of the
Alameda Creek-A Beautiful
Trout Stream.

NILES. April 28.-The love OF sports is in
born. Every kind of sport has its patrons
baseball, football. athletics, swimming, racing,
hunting, fishing, horseracing, In fact. every
thing il is possible TO think Of to take people
out from the ruts of work One thing, how
ever, is particularly noticeable within The past
five years, and that is the increase in the num-
Der of people who get out into the woods or by
the streams to spend their summer vacation
The hunting grounds are pro ected, hshlng
streams are protected, and every canyon and
stream is carefully guarded for the benefit of
the thousands of campers who spend the sum-
mer months out OF doors.
San Francisco Is well situated In this respect;
In every one Of the surrounding counties there
are splendid hunting ana fishing grounds. and
fully thousand miles of streams are waiting
to beguile the sick and weary.
Wilnin TWO hours or the city all Kinds OF
game in season, from deer TO wild geese. may
be found; the fisherman may catch shrimps in
TIE bay trout or salmon in the streams and an
occasional shark of the seawall. Cross country
clubs can find delightful and diversified routes
and the camper a secluded yet acce ssl bic home.
The Alameda Creek IS fully forty miles Ion &.
Its source is the La Honda, rising close to the
top OF Mount Hamilton, and It's several tribu-
tares-Smiths Creek, San Antoine, San Isabel,
CaIaveras, Indian Creek, Arroya Mocha,
Stony Brook aud oLhers-make water course
for this county alone OF more than 100 miles.
The canyon from SunOl to Niles Is considered
by those who know to be without an equal in
the State from picturesque standpoint. For
the last four years over 1000 pe0pe-one ye ar
over 2O00-have camped on It's banks each
year. The train utiliZes the same canyon as
pass, and business men went To and fro each
day without the slightest Inconvenience. Tn G
smaller streams are many OF them the
fisherman's paradise. From lack of proper
interest or attention, this valuable stream has
csc ped the notice OF the Fish Commiss toner's
and has not been stocked for some four years.
several years ago 10000 young trout were
placed In Stony Creek, aud three or four years
ago 1000 were placed In one of the other trio
utarIes. La Honda was also once stocked, but
so long ago, that they have nearly disappeared.
La Honda is without doubt one of the most
rugged, beautiful and almost inaccessible
streams in the State. There are two falls
above the Forks and fish cannot get above
them, so it should be stocked at least every
other season.
1t is lined with pines, brook alder, oaks and
laurel, with all the well-known California
underbrush underneath and coast range flora
as a carpet. The upper falls. some six miles
above the forks, are between two mighty
powders forty or fifty feet high. the water fall
ing into basin of solid rock. From there down
to the lower falls, some six miles, the water has
worn its way between PERCEPTIONS walls, some
times 500 feet deep. These are inaccessible.
Tine sportsman who loves his hook and line
enters at the lower fall into this cool, enchant-
ing canyon: Chambers from bowlder TO bowlder,
now wading, now scrambling under OF over
fallen trees overgrown with moss; stands
poised with line In some smooth rock-worn
basin ten feet across the home OF the true
brook trout; adds fish after fish TO his string,
and, satisfied, laborousy climbs up over the
banks OF the upper fall-a days unrivaled sport
finished.
The best fishermen, the best lovers of the
sport, are our country people. From time to
time there are accusations against them of un-
lawful shooting or killing OF fish, but it is not
true of them as class. Ii is done by the un-
scrupulous both from the town and country.
The best trout caught last season did not M as
ure over eighteen inches, and so far this year
not over foot.
Samou-trout are plentiful in the str cams
nearer the bay, and an occasional true salmon
has been found in the stream.
The best catch this season was made by one
of our local fishermen, Charles Nichols, OF three
salmon-tr0uJ in one afternoon, one weighing
41a pounds, on pounds and one pounds.
The gamy brook trout are only TO be found In
quieter, cooler, darker tributaries, and every
week sons one comes In with a good catch.
The stream from the head-waters OF each
tributary possesses every requisite for good
trout stream and should be stocked every sea-
son. MRS. j. Z. THANE.