The San Francisco call., 1896-02-15

large hsh from snagging your line is to
keep as close to it as you can. Ii angling
from the bank of O river or stream, follow
yonr ilsh as quickly as possible and put a
tight strain on it should dash for any
obstruction be its object in view. Never
stand and allow your line to escape from
The reel when fish is heading for any
sunken matter. Hold tight, and II your
tackle is sound the fish will change his
course and dash down stream. Of course,
many little pointers, SO called, can be
given to new beginners, but to thoroughly
understand how to handle fish. ex-
perience is the only educator.
Ihe sporting editor of The CALL was
among the many favored ones who re-
ceived one of the many beautiful salmon
that were shipped by Mr.. Chase OF Santa
Cauz ~ to Henry Skinner OF E. I. Allen q
salmon is highly priced by epicures be-
cause of its rich flavor.
The residents of Point Rey es were sur
prlsed last Sunday at seeing such large
number of anglers leave the train on its
arrival from this City; but their surprise
army return from the tishing-grounds
minus scale. Possibly the sport may be
better tomorrow; it cant certainly be
worse than 1t was week ago. Some flsh
OF small size were caught during the past
week.
The following letter to THE CALL is self
explanatory:
TO The Sporting Editor Of the San Francisco
CdH-DEAR SIR: If Fish Commissioner OF
deputy would stroll around in the ne1ghbor-
nood OF the Fish ranch, San Pablo Creek any
sunday sunday be would find the creek lined with
nshermen. Yours respectfully, Sportsman.
1t is reported that the Fish Commission
ers, at a recent meeting, acting upon the
suggestion of THE CALL. appointed dep
uty to patrol the coast streams until April
l. If this report is true the local anglers
will appreciate the good intention of the
commission in their behalf.
Mr.. Bertrand of Tocaloma sends the fol-
lowing letter for publication in the sport
ing department of THE CALL, in answer to
statement which recently appeared re-
garding the killing of steelheads in Paper
mill Creek by people who do not respect
the law. The letter speaks for itself:
Sporting Editor of the Call: In THE CALL
OF February IS published an article in which
the assertion is made of the wholesale slaugh-
ter OF steelhcads by nefarious fishermen with
spears and gaffs on Paper mill Greek, between
Tooaloma aud Camp Taylor. This oft-repeated
tale goes the rounds of the daily press year
alter year just before the fishing season opens.
Whether this is the spite work OF some unscru-
pulous persons or that there is the real want
Tor the proper vigilance on the part OF the Fish
Commissioners, II reflects but little credit
upon those sportsmen who were, as claimed,
| witnesses to this system of fishing without
making any advances TO have the offenders
punished by due process OF law, as would have
| been the course of every true fisherman who
! upholds the dignities and rights OF sportsmen,
| instead OF spreading the Intelligence after the
! acts were committed.
| AS resident OF Tocaloma and one who is in
position TO throw some light as to what is
| going on In this vicinity by reason OF my daily
trips to and from Camp Taylor | can state for
the interests OF sportsmen generally that |
nav nave not as yet seen any OF this wholesale
slaughter going on, and even II it were SO
where could the eleven or twelve hhermen
have come from when there but four resi-
dents between the points designated? That
such outrages could have been tolerated in
this vicinity after have gone to the trouble of
planting over 100000 trout in the Paper-mil
Creek at Camp Taylor can only be vindicated
by the parties producing the evidence for the
prosecution OF the law-Dreakers. AS a further
guarantee to justify the falsity OF the forego-
ing assertion any Fish Commissioner is at
liberty to stay at the Bertrand Hotel for two
weeks any time between now and the LIST of
April In order 10 assure the Commissioners as
well as sportsmen whether the residents OF this
community require deputy tagging after
JOSEPH F. BERTRAND.
Tocaloma, Cal, Feb. 10, 1896.
1t is to be presumed that the proprietors
of summer resorts near a stream which is
the open season for trout fishing will take
sufficient interest in the protection of
breeding fishes to cause the arrest of per-
sons seen in the act of killing large fish
above. tidewater. Statistics show that by
the killing of large female steelhead on
a spawning bed, the loss OF frv to the
stream from which the fish is taken
amounts to something like 400. 1t can
therefore be very easily seen that grand
creek for trout-fishing purposes may be
quickly destroyed of all interest to anglers
by depopulating it of the breeding fishes
during the months of the year when ang-
ling is prohibited by law. There have
been steelheads killed in the Paper-mill
Creek above tide water this year, and on
Sunday last five large fishes were speared
in the Lagunitas Creek which is one Of the
feeuers of the Paper-mill.
1t Is by no means to be supposed that
Mr.. Bertrand can see all that may oe going
on in the stream in question, yet there is
no doubt but that he has an eve out for
poachers, and would report to the Fish |
Commissioners any infringement Of tue
law that may come under his observation.
Regardless, however, OF the close watch |
that Mr. Bertrand may keep on the stream
the anglers OF this City,. and they are
many, would be pleased to learn that the
Fish Commissioners had detailed one of
their deputies to patrol Paper mill and |
Lagunitas creeks in Marin County and the |
Sonoma Creek in Sonoma County, as those |
are the principal streams which are visited
by the local fraternity during the early
months of the angling season.
The managers of the San Francisco and
North PACING Coast Railroad, having an
eye to business, refuse to ship any fish |
tahen from the streams near which their /
trains pass during the closed season for
angling. The anglers will appreciate this I
action on the part of the railroad officials
by patronizing their line when the angling
sea son opens. If the fishermen who ship |
steelheads from Duncans Mills over the |
North Pacific Coast Railway were treated |
IN ilke manner there would be little !
need for fish patrol on that part of the
river. Since Deputy Wilson made a cap
ture OF two nets at the mouth of the Rus
sian River two weeks ago some boxes of |
steeiheads were shipped by Wells, Fargo |
q 20. IRON Duncans Mills This proves |
that there are yet few nets remaining
near the mouth of the river which need |