The San Francisco call., 1895-12-21
ROD AND REEL,
Poachers at Their Old Game In Rus
sian RiVer-Nets Captured,

II the recent ram has not Deen means
of raising the Russian River and discolor-
ing the water angling for steelheads near
Duncans Mills should be the sport par
excellence to-day, as the bar at the rivers
mouth, which has been closed for some
weeks past, opened Tuesday and a great
run Of fish up the river followed
G.. w. Morgan OF Duncans Mills wrote
yesterday to the sporting editor of THE
GALL that not in the history of angling on
the river has such grand sport been ex-
perienced as of late. The townspeople
and the visiting anglers have been EN- low
lng'a genuine piscatolial picnic ever since
Tuesday, and unless heavy rains alter
the present condition of the river IL is ex-
pected that the largest number of large
1lsh that has ever been taken from coast
river or stream in one day will not COM
pare as a record with the catch of Sunday
from the Russian.
Very few steelheads have been caught
so far by means of bait-fshing. The roe
is good only as lure for the capture of
hardmouths and pike. both of which are
very plentiful in the river.
The steelhead is taken by trolling. The
angler, seated in one of the many pleasure
boats owned by Mr.. Morgan, souls slowly
up and down the deep pools until a fish
strikes the revolving spoon, and then war
Russian River-that is, new arrival from
old. Ocean-is as game fish as ever an
angler had the pleasure of handling, and
any man who succeeds in larding one of
them with fifteen-foot rod and light but
strong tackle within half an hour from the
time of hooking is doing very well indeed.
Captain Cumming had rather novel eX-
perieLce last week while trolling for steel
heads. The veteran of the deep seas was
In the act OF putting on his overcoat when
large fish took his spoon and instantly
shot for a place of safety under project
ing tree stump. The captain grasped his
rod but in his furry and excitement he
= managed to get his reel tangled up some
way .in his coat. Anyhow, between the
coat, the reel and the rod, the fish broke
away, and it is said that the captain is
still saying queer things about that reel,
that fish and that coat, which caused so
much real trouble.
. Among the successful anglers who landed
fish hast Sunday was Mr.. Mcfarland, a
deputy fish commissioner. Doc" Simp-
SON, one of the disciples who had caught
mere water than fish, tells a very good
story about Mr.. Mcfarland.
*'While eating dinner a the hotel, said
Mr.. Simpson, 1.-THE name or the Deputy
Fish Commissioner was introduced, and
the handsome young lady who was wait
ing on me said that she thought Mr. Nc
Farfand was as handsome young man as
she' ever had the pleasure of meeting. He
has such beautiful eyes, she said, and they
would actually laugh and sparkle when
spoken to, and ne was so real nice and
such an accomplished angler. too"
The conversation at this juncture was
interrupted by the unexpected appearance
of Doc Watt, who acquiesced with the
young lady so far as Mr. McFarland's
handsome face and eyes, etc, were con-
cerned, but the doctor drew the line when
- hot
the deputy might prove to be a more ac-
complished angler on land than he is on
water.
Mr.. Watt is now passing his leisure
hours away in making spoons for steel
head fishing, and judging by sample the
writer had the pleasure OF seeing yester-
aay. s:the Doc" has hit upon the right
thing for the Russian River. The spoon is
somewhat larger than the Wilson, and
in shape it is entirely different having an
oval formation, tapering to the point
where the swivel is attached. 1t should
prove "a Killer in the large rivers when
steelheads are running. Mr.. Watt has
flies which he expects Will act as good
tempters of fishes when baited with
shrimp.
The chief of the fish patrol, Mr. Bah
cock, caught a 12-pound steelhead last
Sunday near Duncans Mills. Amongthe
anglers who made good catches were
A. Wilson, Mcfarland, McGreggor broth
.ers. A. Mcmillan, Mr. Cox and G. Duncan.
According to a letter received at this
office yesterday Deputies Wilson and
Cross made a prospecting trip to the
mouth of the Russian River Wednesday
morning and caught two large nets, but
failed to land the fishermen, who ran like
deer the moment they saw the officers ap-
preaching. The nets contained large
number of steelheads, that were returned
to the water. The deputies now propose
to camp in the vicinity of the place where
illegal fishing has been carried on, and
the arrest of some of the breakers is
certain to follow.
Recent intelligence from Oakla nd states
fha: John Gallagher, the champion angler
of that city. hooked a sturgeon off the
Long Bridge few days ago and landed it
after a fight which lasted six and aquarter
hours,
w. a. Tiiley, railway mail service
clerk, went to Duncans Mills Wednesday
morning, and returned Thursday evening
with four fine S-pound steelheads and
fortv-three hardmouths. Mr.. Tilley had
no trouble in giving the steelheads away
to his friends, but when he attempted to
dispose of the hardmouths he failed badly.
He eventually had to hire boy to take
them to the dumps. They ranged IN size
from twelve to twenty inches in length
On his return he remarked that had he
known they were not good TO eat he could
have easily brought down few more
salmon.
The following interesting article on the
carp and how 10 get rid of this very unde-
.sirable fish is from the pen of Alfred v Ia
Motto, a gentleman who IS thoroughly
conversant with matters piscatorial:
How TO get rid OF the carp is problem that
is agitating many minds at present, ana many
theories are advanced and eXpedlehls pro-
posed tending to this much -hoped-tor conclI-
sion but stih the carp are with us, ana nKely
TO remain at least for a few seasons. IN many
OF our largest and best lakes they have become
SO numerous that they have nearly taken en-
tire possession, to the exclusion OF the rev pet-
ter fish formerly found there. IN Ciear 4 LaAe
The carp are so numerous that the lhhapitants
talk OF importing sea-lions to destroy thenl'
Now in the opinion of the writer, TINS Is not
feasible method, for the following reasons
The Lions would eat many of the large fsh uh-
'ile4btedly but the small fry would escape
Them, and you would have TO main tan your your
herd ofl lions perpetually to eat up the nsn
when they grow large enough 10 be caughI.
.. Now the object of destroying the carp, a.
understand il, is 10 supply their place WIN
better fish. II the sea-lions remain they VII ue
stroy good and bad together. Hence hshlng
must he stopped indefinitely. Furthermore II
M