The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-01-03
THE LORDLY SALMON.
Habits and Manner of Catching
the Greatest Food Fish
of the Coast.

Habits and Manner of Catching
the Greatest Food Fish
of the Coast.
The salmon is by far the most plentiful
and important OF Washington food fishes,
and the tide waters of the state from time
tmmemor.al have teemed with them. In
the early days not only were they the sta
pie food of the Indians. but a we.come and
cons an1 item in the settlers bill or fare
Five varieties OF this fish, and the steel
head. considered and treated as salmon.
but really trout. are common al different
seasons and in size they vary from young
salmon Weighing but . few ounces to the
regal chinook that has been known 70 tip
tho scales at 100 pounds. Considerable dr.
fiouity is encountered in obtaining an ex-
act classification of this FISH. as the Indian
names of its various species were dlner-
ent in each tribe. and the settlers after
wards IN many instances corrupted the
name given TO them by the Indians OF each
particular locality. The salmon. afford-
ing as It did tho chief article of diet among
the Indians. was naturally endowed by
them with supernatural powers and fig
ures largely in the aboriginal myths and
folk lore OF the Pacific Northwest. Like
the .brer rabbit" of the Southern negroes.
the salmon was deemed 70 DE possessed Of
al cunning and a few virtues
Habits of the salmon.
Salmon are anadronlous fishes and peri
odicsliy seek the shore for spawning pur-
poses. II is AT this time when, tmpelled
by instinct. they seek the bays and har-
bors of the coast, and during their annual
pilgrimage up the rivers that they fali
prey to mans ingenuity and support the
thousands OF men engaged IN the salmon
industries of this state. After the young
fish are Matched on tbs spawning beds
they remain for one year IN fresh
water and, gathering together In great
schools, make their way down the
rivers and out to sea Great guam
titles OF these young salmon. errone-
ous.y called salmon trout, are caugn n
the bays and harbors of the state and in
the rivers tributary thereto. The salmon
trout IL a species by itself. having In some
respects the habits OF each, but being In
termedlate between the two and belong
ing neither TO the trout nor 20 the salmon
family.
A peculiarly OF the salmon !. claimed by
fishermen 10 be that they de either on
their second visit to the spawning beds
or before their return TO salt water
In many streams during the fall run the
channel Is 50 crowded with Ash that In the
shadows IL has been claimed that their
backs give the appearance OF dry land.
Not many years ago there were instances
where the progress OF the stern-wheei
river boats was seriously irnpeded hy the
solid masses Of fish in which they were. 50
to sneak Undecided. TIE SIZE or the
stream seems no obstacle 70 them In their
arenzlea rushes and large FISH may be seen
dashing themselves over rocks and logs
In their attempts 70 force themselves up
streams scarcely wider than they. OF
course under taese circumstances they are
bruised and battered 70 such an extent as
a ., #t4.
arc often thrown cut with p.tchforks BY
me farmers and led TO chickens or hogs
or used for fertilizer.
An important opponent 20 the theory
that eatTn0n are Injured while making
5helr way u7 stream IS Prof. 3. w. Ever
man. fcathyoIoE.st OF the United States
fish commission . man whose opinion.
bath on account OF his position ard his IN
firing research. IS entitled to the pro-
foundest respect. According 10 his indl-
v.dusl observation 81 would seem that the
ash reach the srawElrg beds in a sound
condition ard that their INJURIES are due
20 collisions with rocks ana other obsta-
c.e5 encountered wh..e dragging their bel
LES over tAe beds IN ,he performance Of
their functions.
Indian Fishing Methods.
The indians capture salmon n three
ways. by gpesr.ng them. trolling for them
7lrions by stfl3 dshlrn. Os these methods
zneaf.ug is tho most picturesque and At
the same tsfue wonderfully effective when
sa.neon are EuEnrE, a place IL usually
seleetc5l where ina stream Is not 800 broad,
but srAere it COWS smooth and shallow
over tae rsbbly 30 fom. ~ This 20 nt a
sfnaB tree Is fe.Isd ssross or a medium
sized log Is brought and foot bridge
made shour eve or s.x feet above the wa
ter A han8 ISL or gesrd Is also butt
about four fee. above tie ieg on the down
stream 3s g hen .afs structure IS com
DIe.es eee fisherman taxes as s,aad with
a Icrr srasr ErHsG - IN q tarbe3 point la
his rsKA. ns1s over he ne ch1unei, ard
gases nt ere &xser beneath h.1C 80 TIE
aea appears down rea15 aad aeDr3as9es
aa h9.1s ai.nRslf 81 readiness ard T1eu
lr qFthin feW feet 20 grass me lard
Pal firmly wlsh MS let hand, ieans out
aver tka s-s er w.ta hs spezr posed and
ey 8 8exte~1as shrus; translates the fish
IS i PASSES beneath him Ia broader
streams srea-4sE s. 6one from canoes.
from stones Sd she rapids and even from
.ae hank waers the eon9stioHs are favor
ale
In rro.Erg the Indians ar .lept- and
taesr catches even WIN primitive tackle
are the envy - 7sany a white nshsrrn = n
equipped wien The .sses. ard most sp-
proven gsafuE gear. % me b@ys ard r.y-
e-s w1en salmon are running. the indian
ero5s1ar& Ess caaoe at fuHf rae proper
spaes zlth az Almost sa1psrcspf bic effort
; . caruueu s.gef. Be7snd him = fptcaex
OF a uia1aFats length O. Inc. attached 70
tas csc - va 20 - s.theF . white mans
spo1a % csoqpag or llck1. plate x a shell
fferr wesea tGe 0uf@- eirr Nas been re-
rnovse ~ SIS % display lhe mother % pearl
a. Is a9s- - AIS .nG v.ausl tsste Waan
e Ssh = hooked Re drops a8s paddle and
hzuls n sis ssh. ds@4.ng IL SNARE bow
Ven a zaoTt. neayE c.ua 70 k3sl Il, as ne
DROPS Z 4r-o his esnos AI.aouga only one
Asa - caught a. q tine ~ this assAo1