davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The San Francisco call., 1896-06-28
Trout That Were
So Hungry They Snapped at
the Bare Hooks.
Told by George Van Gorden.

George Van Gorden, the well-known horse
man of San Luis Obispo County, tells re-
markable story of fishing experience on San
Simeon Creek near his ranch, which is a lew
miles from the town OF Cambria. This creek,
like many others on the Pacific Coast Is a
raging torrent in the rainy season, and in the
dry season it is as dry as q country Judge. 1t
rises in the Santa Lucia Mountains, about
fifteen miles from the ocean, pursues wind
ing course down the San Simeon Valley and
empties into a big, deep lagoon, which is di-
yided from the ocean by sandbar, Whlch
breaks open every winter.
This break in the bar affords hundreds OF
salmon an opportunity to enter the stream
during the spawning season, and every year
the lagoon is filled with salmon-trout which
run upstream almost to the mountain tops
when the water in the creek is high.
ga few years ago." said Van Gorlen, "there
had been wet spell followed by long period
in which no rain fell at ali. The creek was at
first bank full, but after few weeks OF pleas
ant weather it subsided until only deep pools
remained here and there where the current
had struck the foot of the hills. There was
plenty of water running under the coarse
gravel-bed, but fish can't swim through gravel,
or at least no fish that have ever seen. One
day when my younger brother, Gilbert, was
hunting cattle he ran across one OF these pools
we'll up the creek, and ii did not take him long
to discover that it was literally swarming with
fine salmon-trout that were likely to starve to
death, as they could not get down to the Ia
COON, and they had devoured everything in
the pool that fish could eat.
"The next day we started out for that pool
we'll provided with bait. We used common
angle worms, ordinary lines and hooks and
willow poles None of your fancy fiy-casting
rigs. The first worm had hardly got wet be.
fore it was down big trout's throat, hook and
ALL The next Jared the same. and the splash
ing of the hooked fish did not scare the others
little bit. Gil and l varied the monotony of
pulling fish out of the water by holding the
impale ed worms little above the water and
seeing the fish Jump for the bait.
''Well, it was great sport. Sometimes half
The San Francisco call., 1896-06-28
The Marine
Monster That Frightens the
Italian Fishermen.
The Experience of Frank Galucchi.

Frank Galucchi, a native of sunny Italy, who
follows his vocation fisherman on the
waters of the bay and outside when the
weather permits, had an experience Monday
that will last in his memory as long as ne
lives. He declares that he hooked some great
monster OF the deep that is unknown to men,
and his fellow-fshermen about F1sherman's s
wharf believe him, some of them telling OF
similar experiences in days gone by. They
assert that marine giant inhabits the waite RS
off this coast, and that it has never been
brought to the surface.
Galucchi had put over his codlines well out
side. near the Marin County shore, and made
all fast about his little boat. The heat OF the
sun. or perhaps lack OF rest the night previous,
had made him little sleepy, and while wait
ing for his quarry to fasten to the hooks he
stretched himself out on the thwarts and dozed
into dreamlaud.
Fishermen, like sailors, sleep with one sense
on the alert, and ere long Galucchi noticed
that the gentle rolling of his boat in the swell
had changed somewhat, and that she seemed
TO be moving. He was on his feet in an instant
and saw that number of his lines were taut,
and that the boat was being dragged seaward,
anchor and all The movement was slow and
The San Francisco call., 1896-06-28
SOME DHWPLE FISH YDRNO
THHTSHOW WHIT CHLIFOR-
NIHNS CHN DO IN THHT LINE


reused up at once and pulling up, what should
I see come bobbing TO the surface but human
skull, which. to all appearances, had swal-
lowed the bait through its eyes. Naturally
my otherwise teady nerves were considerably
shaken, and with a sort of howl l started
back suddenly, which motion swung the grew
some thing rather sharply against rock,
whereat it cracked apart and the several
pieces-to my relief-slid off into the stream,
leaving dangling on my line most peculiar
looking fish, almost white and forming an
almost perfect ring.
al quickly jerked the hook out of its gil/
and let it drop into the clear water, whGe it
went through the strangest motioE, still
keeping its circular shape. 1t was/unable to
swim, but twisted around in~>He water, or
moved with wheel-lke n>>fon. My friend,
who had been attracted(y my howl, arrived
just in time to see s>Ie of the eccentric gyra-
tions, and rc>>~y believe, if he hadn't actu-
ally seen lie would always have said it was
Cal><fnia yarn.
><Ne afterward came to the conclusion that
the fish, when small, had strayed into the
skull and probably through some motion of its
own had turned the ruin over and so closed
its mode of egress though it could easily sur
vive and grow on the food which came floating
by, and there it continued to grow, only IN a
ring, till the worm, falling through one of the
eye-soekets, provided mode of relief from its
cramped quarters.
"We quit fishing for that day, and it was
some time before could eat fish without a
thought of this strangely imprisoned curio."
The San Francisco call., 1896-06-28
A Cutthroat
Trout That Swallowed a
Flask of Whisky.
As william Rawlison Tells 1t.

Talking about fish, said Billy Rawlison,
the well-known expert fisherman of Truckee,
81 guess the cutthroat trout has the most un-
common appetite of any member of that fam
lily. You take three or four FOUNDER and he
can give an ostrich or billy-goat cards and
spades and then swallow the whole jackpot.
81 have seen them with woodrats, water
snakes, cigar stumps and buckskin crackers
from whips stored away in their insides. But
what particularly brings this subject to mind
is thing that happened on Donner Lake re-
Gently
ave had made rather poor catch in the
m><2ing and were just setting out again, after
having ~ dinner at the head OF the lake,
when old Albc>>eave us nice flask to bring
luck. We trolled c>Sn 10 about Darronville's
place and caught se>>sal fine fish. Then,
upon celebrating, we fou>l the contents OF
Albert's flask ra ther warm, sNa stout line was
tied to its neck and the bott\ thrown over
board to cool off.
ave then headed over toward \2ho rock,
and had not been there more tha1N half an
hour when we saw whopping big trtSit just
a-playing horse on top of the water. He Mould
jump into the air and shake himself, roll Nver
and over and then shoot about like a strea\ of
lightning. We could not guess the causeN2f
his hilarIty until one OF the crowd went II
pull up the bottle and found only its neck.N
We then concluded that Mr.. Trout had nailed
the bottle and got clean drunk on its contents.
"After trying uusuccessfully all the ways we
knew OF 10 catch that fish, we had an inspira-
tlon We steamed back to Albert's, got an
other flask and tied heavy line with three
treble hooks on to it. When we got back our
game was still having his fun. We took a
circle around him and then dragged the bottle
close up. He saw it and made for it, but
missed it three times before we got him. He
weighed fourteen pounds, and in his stomach
we found not only the remains OF our first
flask. but the second one and corkscrew.
with which we opened the bottle and drank
to our success from its undamaged contents.
''The bottle and corkScrew are now on exhi-
bition in Truckee.
The San Francisco call., 1896-06-28
A String of
Trout That Got Mixed With
a String of Catfish.
Told by Jack Sims.

Jack Sims of Chico tells fish story on W. H.
Peacock, his felloW-citizen, that will bear re-
peating. Mr.. Peacock has the reputation of
being one of the luekiest and most skillful dis
ciples of Walton in Butte County, but this
story would seem to show the evil side of
good reputation, the dangers that beset one in
an honest effort to live up to his reputation.
Recently Peacock. Sims and Colonel McIn-
tosh went to Mud Creek on fair Sunday with
rod and reel in hand. 1t was their avowed
purpose to catch fish, ana Peacock-with gen.
erous ticipation--promised all his friends in
Chico that he would bring them back one or
more fine mountain trout apiece. When they
reached the canyon the trio separated. Sims
and the colonel went one way and Peacock
sought out his own favorite hooks.
Evidently the gods of the waters had not
been properly propitiated. The trout did not
bite-or if they bit at all took tiny nibbles and
declined TO swallow the hooks of any of the
three. Sims and the colonel turned their al
tention then to catfsh-after exchanging
winks and nods-which, of course, bit freely
enough, and they soon had big mess of these
worthless fish.
= But Peacock was not easily discouraged.
He went on up the stream and tried and tried,
but in vain. AS he was coming back to the
rendezvous very much digusted he met an
Indian boy who sold him beautiful string of
great reputation as Mr.. Peacock's. But the
boy saw his chance and Peacock paid the
cash. Sims and the colonel had an idea where
the fine string OF front came from, but they
said nothing-only when Peacock's back was
turned the catfish changed places in Peacocks
basket with the trout
Mr.. Peacock talked wisely and gave his two
friends much sage advice about how to catch
trout as the three wended homeward. OF
course, when Peacock bade his friends adieu
and strobe proudly up Main street, everybody
asked, "Well, what luck?" Peacock answered
with becoming modesty, albeit not underesti-
mating the size and number OF the string he
thought was in his basket. At last he met
Colonel Park Henshaw, Major Nichols and
General ]. w. B. Montgomery, who insisted
upon inspecting the fine catch. Mr.. Peacock
stopped, opened his basket and drew forth!
Can you not imagine the rest of it better than
I could tell it? He drew forth that string of
catfish.
The San Francisco call., 1896-06-28
Tame Fish
That Would Come When the
Boys Whistled.
Told by H. B. Pendergast.

Ne truth of this story can be vouched for by
sucA reliable citizens of Yolo County as Judge
E. T. ampton, Professor Barr, George W. Rup-
ley, DfA George H. Jackson, and the old veteran
fsherm\ n, Hon. Jason Watkins
few \ummers ago the canal in the eastern
part of the county was full of salmon that had
come in tA the tule waters early in the spring,
and were Mt in the canal after the water had
subsidized in the Sacramento River. Some men
and BOYS conceived the idea of putting wire
screens acrcNs the canal, mile or so apart,
then by forming line of persons and wading
from one screAl TO the other, driving the fish
before them, tNey would catch wagon-loads OF
big, fine salmon Some boys, while engaged
in this sport, caught one day huge salmon,
at least four feet Kong, that had been injured
by running again\ta snag, or in some other
manner, so they tuAned him loose.
This happened several times until the fish
became quite gentS and would come to the
waters edge whenever the boys whistled to
him, and would be fed by them with bread,
worms, etc. One OF lhe boys became possessed
with the idea that ley could have some sport
with old 'ssam," /ld, carrying the idea into
execution, he o% day caught the fish, and
fastening strCLg cord around the fore part
OF Mr.. SalmonAe mounted astride OF him, and
away he wet down the canal at more than
railroad seed. AS soon as one of the screens
was reaLed the fish stopped and another boy
bestr/e, and away they went for the other
scrc/n. The fish seemed to enjoy the sport,
aI would flop his tail and jump around in
/ne water, while the boys were shouting with
laughter This sport continued through the
spring, until the poor old fish died, on account
OF the water getting so low and so warm in the
canal, and the boys buried him with all the
honors he deserved.
The San Francisco call., 1896-06-28

strangers sat opposite me at the table, and they
were talking of the subject SO dear to the heart
of Ike Walton. The younger man was either
wonderful fisher or an unmitigated liar. HIS
story run il this fashion,:
Last summer was up in Lake County LOT
an outing. l had taken with me common
three-pronged gig, although why took 1T /
am at loss to tell, as I never threw gig in
my life before. One morning, gig in hand,
went down to the lake, and to ascertain the
depth of the water ran my gig down. 1t had
hardly reached the bottom until felt ter
rife tugging, and l immediately drew it out to
find that l had an immense carp on each
prong.
"I kept this lick up for two hours and a
half as fast as could put the gig in the
water and pull it up. had three 20 -e--- a--c-v
time. l mad to move alo<------sn more 50 |
could scatter the>~I OuI, ana only quit when
------ctely exhausted. In those two
and half hours had lifted four tons OF carp
out of the lake
"About this time I naturally asked the
speaker what he did with the fish.
DO with them? l couldn't do anything
with them l came back to camp and reported
my catch. The next morning, realizing the
necessity for immediate action, the Sheriff OIL
Lake County sent two drays and an express
wagon to gather up the dead fish and haul
them off to a nog ranch
The San Francisco call., 1896-06-28
A Fish That
Grew in a Human Skull and
Became Circular.
Told by Mary w. Edwards.

\ ''The strangest fish story ever heard was an
experience had myself" said Judge Scudder
of Ntaluma, as he settled himself back in his
big N,nchair, while a reflective look passed
over hiNopen countenance.
at was\l the summer of '82, 1 think, that
an Eastern Mend and myself started out on
the warpath a\er fish. Salmon Creek afforded
fine fishing for sNmon, trout and salnon-trout
as well, and many were the stories of man.
moth fishes caught there which were waited to
our ears when our frieNls learned of our des-
tinaton; to MI of which my friend from the
East listened incredulousi\
This stream, as you knoN flows through a
narrow defile, with precipit>Nis sides, and
winding around considerably Nter leaving
Freestone finally empties into the Nacific, and
right near there we had our headqA rters-at
the Ocean View housekeeping upNhe mar
row canyon each morning with bait N our
selves as well as the fishes.
'We had good sport-fne luck. in faet< for
two days. and on the third day l chose a vNy
wild spot and seated myself on q large roc\
overhanging the creek. l fshed with line
and rod, using the same old-fas hioned sort of
worm did as boy. There was no need to
use the more scientific fly when fish were so
easily caught
"The Fastener was down stream little way,
and everything was intensely solemn and
quiet. When felt fierce pull on the line l
The San Francisco call., 1896-06-28

ledge of rocks where the big fish MADE his
home. had hardly done so when there was
a ssswish" and the water broke, revealing q
beautiful trout, but not the one l was after.
In second my reel was spinning, for the 1el-
low had been we'll hooked. Here and there ne
darted and / was kept pretty busy Tor min
ute playing him away from the dangerous
root that extended into the pool. In my ex-
citement my foot slipped little and before
could recover fully thirty feet of line had
been run off the reel and the gamy little lei
low was down the stream, having darteo
under the body of the fallen tree. He had
gained the rifle below. Then came splash
and a jerk on the line that 1 could not ac-
count for, as I could not see beyond the tree
for the BRUSH followed by steady hard pull
kept my line taut, but it was OF no use.
Foot by foot the line was taken from me-n1ty,
sixty, seyenty-five feet-still | could not stop
it, When the end was reached was amazed,
for the strain was terrific, but held on until
the line snapped, or rather the knot slipped
from the reel. Away went the line down
stream. 1 dropped the rod and ran around the
pool hoping to catch up with the fish some
where down the creek. Fifty feet below the
log was fairly paralyzed to see my line cut
ting across the path and up the hillside l
wondered if that fish had legs and was escap-
ing over the hills, for I heard the underbrush
cracking some distance ahead. Selling the
line followed, pulling as scrambled through
the brush Suddenly the strain ceased and
worked my way along to the foot OF small
sycamore tree. The line ran up the trunk, and
glancing upward saw what had on my hook.
There on a limb sat terrified coon with the
hook firmly fastened in the tough hide on the
corner of his mouth.
The San Francisco call., 1896-06-28
Remarkable
Fish That Are Found in the
Stockton Baths.
Told by John Craig.

There are some queer fish in Jackson's
baths, just south of Stockton. No one, not
even the most expert of those who handle the
rod, seems to be able to tell just what the fish
are. They look something like a pike, and
some OF the knowing ones say they resemble a
"split-tail." The queer part of the whole
thing is how the fish ever got into the big
swimming tank. Several years ago some cat
fish were placed in the tank, but they died off
as fast as they were placed in the water. Some
carp were tried and they Jared little better,
but did not seem to thrive as they do else
where. The water is full of minerals and is of
peculiar greenish color.
1t was finally decided to keep all fish out of
the big tank, and wire netting with fine mesh
ings was placed over the outlet of the tank
where the water runs off and into the adjacent
sloughs, and thence on into the San Joaquin
River. The stream outside is always filled
with minnows and small fish, but they never
get through the fine wire netting. Several
months ago. however. some small fish began
to make their appearance in the tank. They
were trifle larger than the ordinary minnow,
and when they first made their appearance
they acted SO strangely that Tom Towle, the
custodian of the batning suits, called the at
tention OF Frank Hopkins, who was then man.
The San Francisco call., 1896-06-28
An Exciting
Experience With a Jewish at
Catalina Island.
Told b. Miss B. B. Freeman.

Not q sportsman in all Los Angeles County
has won larger success or displayed more
enthusiasm in iewfshing than Professor
Charles Frederick Holder of Pasadena To
hear him tell how ne hauled in jewish sets
ones blood a-tingling.
Mexican Joe,' he says, tone of the Oldest
fishermen of Santa Catalina, was my osrsman.
We tossed the anchor over, the rope ran mer-
riIy out, and the hook, balted with a-Six-pound
white fish, went kissing down. sat silent for
half an hour, holding the throbbing line, when
suddenly became eware that its tension had
increased to q steady pull then came jerk
that carried my hand in the water. Jewish,
sure,' whispered Joe. paid out the line while
he seized the anchor-line ready to haul up.
When about six feet had gone over the gun
vale stopped, and when the line came taut
jerked the hook into the fish.
sFor single second there was no response;
then came jerk that almost lifted me from
the boat, and the line went kissing over the
rail like living thing. Nothing could stop
such a rush and I simply waited while Joe
pulled up the anchor, when grasped the line
and braced back for the fl ght. The light boat
whirled around like top and away we went,
an ominous wave of foam rising high around
the bow.
"a ten-foot shark never pulled harder than
this gamy fish, and for five minutes it was a
question who was master. / took 1t in with
the greatest difficulty, gaining ten feet, only
to have the fish rush toward me and then dash
away with an impetus that was more than
irresistible. Occasionally it would turn and
dash to the bottom, making everything hum
and sing. After giving and taking and haul
ing and easing off for twenty minutes. sud-
denly the fish rushed up, and with a final
effort 1 brought the black giant to the surface.
For a moment saw pair of eyes as large as
those of an OK, rich chestnut back, and
then, with tremendous heave, the fish threw
itself over, deluging me with water and half
capsizing the boat. 1t was the last struggle
and with another haul had the king of the
Pacific Coast fishes at hands length, where it
rolled and tossed, It's huge tail bathing us with
spray, protesting against its capture"
The San Francisco call., 1896-06-28
The Wonderful
Luck of Two Fishermen in
Mendocino County.
Upon the authority of Joseph Allen.

A. " Phillips, an employe of the Southern
Pacific Company, now living in Tulare. WENT
fishing some time ago on the Bell River, IN
Mendoctno County Far up in the hills, nere
the trout prevail the stream courses along
comparatively level strip of country forl the
distance of something like half mile. With
friend he drove to this spot, having pre<i-
ously arranged bait and lines and hooks. Mn
Phillips had thoughtfully collected an oyster
can full OF grasshoppers to be used as bait in
case the trout declined to accept the fly. He
cast in his hyhook, but the willy gamesters did
not appear to be hungry. To wake up the fish
he drove the horse in to the bit of the stream,
the water being about knee-deep, and cast in
his line with live hopper on the hook. No
sooner had the hook struck the water than
trout seized it and was quickly landed in the
buggy.
The sport was continued driving up the
stream, landing the trout in the buggy, until
the stock OF hoppers was exhausted. When
they ceased fishing they found they had $50
trout in the buggy, varying in length from 6
to 10 inches.
This, Mr.. Phillips says, was the best sport he
ever enjoyed fishing, and as the fishing season
is at hand again he is going to take layoff
and hunt that same trout spot again.
The San Francisco call., 1896-06-28

dozen big fellows would leap clear out of the
water for the worms, and not few were
actually caught on the fly. Hooking fish in
the air is amusement that sportsmen don't
have every day, but we got lots OF them that
way. We stayed by that pool until we got all
we could carry and our bait gave out. Then,
just for fun, we fished with bare hooks, and do
you believe it the hungry beggars actually
would get caught on the naked hooks. 1t was
most too good a snap to give to the neighbors,
SO Gil stocked the pool with few chunks of
stale meat and we kept the remainder from
starving until we cleaned out the hole, which
we did about the time it driedup. How many
fish did we take out of that pool? I'll never
tell you. You would put me down for a man
who has no regard for his word, and that
might interfere with me selling you horse
some day."
The San Francisco call., 1896-06-28

aging the place for Mr.. Pearson, to the strange
antics OF the fish. Their eyeballs protruded,
and they swan about as though blinded and
dazed. In few days they seemed more at
home in the water, and their eyeballs receded
until the heads of the little fellows looked like
those of other fish.
They grew rapidly and now many are as
much as foot long, and there are hundreds
OF them in the large tank, though none appear
in the smaller covered tanks. The attaches Of
the place cannot account for the presence of
the fish, except that they came from some
subterranean passage with the water that is
constantly flowing from the gas wells. The
water at the baths comes from three large gas
wells that are bored to a great depth and
bring up an immense volume of water all the
time. The men at the baths are firm in their
belief that they come up from the wells, as
they say there is absolutely no other way for
them to get into the tank. The fine netting is
so arranged that no fish can get into the baths
from outside streams to deposit their spawn
The other night Donald McRae of THE CALL
business office, while swimming in the tank.
caught one of the larger fish and threw it up
on the bridge that crosses the tank. He was
very anxious to see what sort of fish it was,
but before he could Chamber out it had fopped
back into the water.