The San Francisco call., 1895-12-14
ANGLING.
Professor Jordan Says That the
Steelhead Is Not Salmon.


Steelhead Is Not a Salmon.
Now is the time of year when anglers
who fancy deep-water river hshing for
steelhead trout will be rewarded with good
sport by visiting any of the large coast
streams which empty into the ocean or
bays.
OF many rivers within reasonable dis
tance of this City the Russian affords the
best sport just now be causeits lower waters
run deep, and as a consequence the steel
head when on it's migratory passage from
salt to fresh water will invariably rest in
the deep pools near the mouth OF the river
before making final run 10 the spawning
beds.
The steelhead when fresh from the salt
water is beautiful fish OF decidedly game
qualities. An angler using tolerably
light rod and strong tackle can always reIy
upon the steelhead to give him a battle
royal. Unlike the salmon OF some Cana
dian rivers, the large steelheads Wall not
rise to fly when on their winters journey
to the higher waters of coast streams, con-
sequently anglers lose a delightful part OF
the sport of angling.
The spoon and the roe OF either the sal
mon or trout are the lures employed for
the capture of those fish. Roe is assuredly
the most killing" of all bats used by
local anglers, and to guarantee good sue
cess it must be freshly taken from hsh
when placed on what is known as double
hook. In some streams cooked shrimp
placed on red fyhook has proven very
successful, but according to anglers who
have recently returned from Duncans
Mills, the steelheads of the Russian River
will not pay the least attention to this
fancy lure. The roe OF the salmon or steel
head trout is the only certain palt that
anglers can rely upon Tor the capture OF
the fishes in question.
A fish native to the river and which is of
no earthly value either for its game quail
ties or as food fish is the so-called hard
mouth. Some twenty years ago company
OF Cinnamon thought that by shipping tons
OF those fish to China they would reap good
financial results but the speculation proved
dismal failure. The erterprising Mon
golans purchased nets with which they
seined many of the large pools near the
mouth OF the Russian River. They caught
several tons of hardmoUths, which were
dried and prepared in the usual way for
shipment to China. One experience proved
sufficient. The Chinese 'at home" had no
use for such variety OF fish; they were
altogether too honey and could not be sold
even in China, where almost everything
tishy is appreciated. Had there been
demand for hardmouths in China anglers
who visit Russian River on fishing expedl-
tions would be relieved of much annoyance,
as the hardmouth is a prOspector OF the old
school and will sample any kind of lure
used for angling purposes.
Captain Cumming writes that 100 yards
of line is necessary to gamble on the land-
ing of Russian River steelhead. The
fish average fifteen pounds in weight, and
as the pools are long and deep, runs of
sixty and seventy yards are OF common
occurrence.
A train will leave Sausalito this after
noon for Duncans Mills, returning on the
following Monday.
Reports from Point Reyes are not OF a
satisfactory nature. The winters run of
steelheads has not yet set in, but in all
probability there will be good fishing at
the mouth of the Paper Mill stream after
the next rainstorm.
1t is said that some nice grilse have been
caught recently in the tidewaterS OF Pesca-
dero Creek.
c. c. Moorehouse, local angler who
resides at 2911 California street, lost a
valuable book containing fishing-tackle at
Point Reyes last Sunday, and that ac-
counts for his poor success among the
steelheads.
In last Saturdays CALL an article ap-
peared stating that the steelheads, which
are taken by means of hook and line in
the. tidewaters of the coast streams. are
trout and not salmon, as alleged by some
people who are desirous of their capture
with nets. In reply to the article in ques-
ton the distinguished scientist and Amer
lean authority on salt and fresh water
fishes, Professor David Starr Jordan, writes:
December'12, 1895.
Sporting Editor of The Gail, San Francisco,
CaL-DEAR SIR: The clipping from THE CALL
which you send is perfectly correct. The steel
head is not assalmon, and only its large size
and its habit ofspending part of its life in the
sea ever suggested TO any one that it should be
called such. Very truly yours,
DAVID S. JORDAN, President.