The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-05-04
THE ANGLER.
Good Reasons Why Coast Streams
Should Be Stocked With
Trout.

rush OF anglers to the headquarters of The
company during the week This afternoon
number of gentlemen who have beer
anxiously anticipating their first cast or
the clear and placid waters of the big
pond will this City for Milbrae, where
the keeper of the lake will be ready with
| his spanking teams to give the disciples Of
| trout fishing beautiful drive over the
hills to the happy fishing grounds.
! The journey from this City will occupy
about three hours, but the drive from Mil
brae will more than please any lover OF
| nature, and especially at this time of the
year, when the hillsides are prolific OF
variegated colors and the sweet odor OF
| divers kinds Of wild flowers, the perfume
! from which will be a revelation to those
who have been penned up in this city for
months.
Unless the method of angling has
changed this year, which is decid-
eddy improbable, the best sport will
be had from P. NJ. until dark
ness will put stop to the Turing of
game fishes. Should the fog and ocean
wind be missing at early morning the an
gler will have an opportunity of witness
ing spectacle that brother sportsmen in
foreign countries would give considerable
to see.
Just previous to the arrival of old Sol's
blaZoned countenance on the Eastern hor-
lion the lake presents magnificent piano.
rama to the angler. The thousands of
leaping trout that are feeding upon the
feathered insects which float on the water
is a scene worth going miles to witness.
early morn by the numbers of silver-sided
beauties that are dashing after the tiutter-
ing insects which wend their low passage
from bank to bank, is, to the angler, rev.
elation of beauty and pleasure never to be
forgotten.
An early breakfast is, of course, indis-
pensable. No angler can wait over for a
late meal when there is such sport to be
had on the lake. In fact there are anglers
who have been known to forget that the
inner man existed when good fishing was
in order. AS rule, small flies are best in
lake fishing near this City. The English
and Scotch flies are unquestionably pretty
and very tempting to trout, but owing to
the tender threads of gut to which they are
tied, it is not safe to recommend them for
lake fishing, where both small and large
trout are on the alert for floss and feathers.
Time and again anglers who have expert
mented with imported flies on San An
dreas Lake have had good reason to cuss
their luck, for there is nothing so exasper-
ating to Waltonian as to see two or
three-pound trout take down one of his
one or two plunges and then bid you ta-ta.
The smaller the fly, the better will be the
anglers chances of success, no doubt, but
strong gut is decidedly necessary for the
kind of fishing that is had in San Andreas
and Pilarcitos lakes.
In last Saturdays CALL the Fish and
Game Commissioners attention was called
to the fact that unless some consideration
be given by them to the stocking of
coast streams that are nearest to hand, it
will not be many years hence when coast
stream fishing will be considered a sport
of the past. 1t is to be expected that the
Commissioners like others who have the
time and money to Journey into the
mountains, will say: What is the use of
stocking coast streams, and particularly
those of, Marin County, such as the Paper
MILL Lagunitas, etc? Those are whipped
to death and the little bits of fishes have
to share the same fate as the larger ones.
Everything goes with the City angler who
can afford but one day in the week to whip
a stream"
1t is, we think, such streams as are
tished by the greater number that should
receive the most important consideration
from the Fish Commissioners. 1t is for
this exact purpose board of commission
ers was appointed, viz: to supply food and
sport for those who pay for it. Allowing
that thousands of small fishes are taken,
as for instance, from the Paper-mill Creek,
during the angling season, is that any
logical reason why the Commissioners
should conclude that the stocking of that
stream would be SO much time and labor
lost under the existing conditions?
Who will profit by the stocking OF some
Northern California streams that are dis
tant hundreds of miles from the masses of
sportsmen, anglers and taxpayers? Why,
only comparatively few people who have
been raised on silver spoon.
The trout of those far-away streams
grow large and wax strong, because they
are not sought after by the great majority
OF people whose money retains the Fish
Commissioners in office. 1t is not neces-
sary either that man to be gentleman
and first-class angler in the bargain must
be a man of leisure and money. The
greater proportion of anglers and sports
men who reside and transact business in
this City cannot afford the time at least
to visit the great angling country of North
ern California when the sport is best. They
must remain contented with whatever
sport they may find near home, and it goes
without saying that any effort on the part
of the Fish Commissioners to increase
their pleasure when on summer outings
with rod and creel will be remembered and
thoroughly appreciated.
Deputy Fish Commissioners are at the
present time busily engaged in collecting
licenses from professional net fishermen
who are numerous on the Sacramento and
San Joaquin rivers. The deputies have
frequently to engage in sharp skirmishes
with Greek and Italian fishermen who re-
sort to all kinds of schemes to avoid pay
ment of license. Unfortunately there are
people who reside near the river who an
the deputies in every possible
way. When a fisherman is placed under
arrest his first attempt to defeat the aim of
justice is to demand a jury trial and ac-
quaint his attorney with a class of people
who are at all times ready to act as jury
men. Sufficient to say that in nearly
every case that has been tried before jury
in township of county in which an
arrest is made, a verdict in favor of the de-
PENDANT is rendered. 1t can, therefore, be
seen that the life of a Deputy Fish Com
missioner who is collector of licenses is
not by any means happy one.
The Chinese net fishermen will soon be
industriously engaged in the capture of
shrimps and small sea fishes. The law as
regards the catching of small fish is very,
very plain, but for some reason best known
to the old Board of Fish Commissioners
not one single arrest of Chinese fishermen
was made by the Deputy Fish Commits
sloners last year, although the Mongolians |
had openly defied the law 1t will now re-
main to be seen what the new board will |
n tfr H. lrrNT tNeauI