The San Francisco call., 1897-01-12
NET STEELHEAD TROUT,
Attention of the Fish Commits.
sioners Is Called to
Point Reyes.
Where Sportsman Scored Good Bags
of Quail and Duck Last
Sunday.


This is the season of the year when
anglers should meet with good success
when fishing for steelheads. but, accord
ing to a letter which was received at this
Office yesterday, copy of which follows,
the prospect for good sport at Point
Reyes this year is certainly very poor,
unless the Fish Commissioners will so far
interest them selves as to stop the illegal
netting of steelheads in the deep pools at
the mouth of the creek. The writer says:
POINT REYES, January 10.
Sporting Editor Call: The CALL being read
extensively by anglers who visit Marin County
drop you a line to inform you that the salmon
or steelheads which run into the Paper-mill
are being caught by net fishermen, which is
contrary to law, as the fishermen use nets, the
meshe of which are much smaller than the
law allows In fact the same nets are used
in Tomales Bay by the fishermen This fact
was mentioned TO some of the supposed deputy
Fish Commits s1oners who recently visited the
Russian River, but they seemed to take no
notice of it. If the Fish Commissioners. so
called, still in existence in fact they can
be of some good to the angling fraternity II
they viii examine the nets used by the fisher
men OF TomGles Bay and arrest some OF those
poachers who are slaughtering the breeding
fishes that stock Papermill Creek annually,
which natural manner OF stocking is fsr better
and more productive than the artificial work
of the commission Yours truly.
In reference 10 the size Of nets allowed
by law section 634 of the Penal Code
reads:
Every person who shall, for the purpose Of
catching shad, salmon or striped bass in any
OF the public waters of this State, fish with or
use any seine or net, dragnet CT paranZella,
the meshes of which are, when drawn closely
together and measured inside the knot. less
than seven and half inches in lengh, is
guilty of a misdemea nor, and upon conviction
shall be fined not less than 500. or in de-
fault not less than 100 DAYS in the County
Jail. All moneys collected for fines for the
violation OF any of the provisions of this chap
ter shall be paid into the general fund OF the
county in which the conviction is had.
ANY citizen can cause the arrest of
fishermen who are seen in the act of trans
crossing the law, and it is safe to say that
the court Will show no mercy, as the fines
Will add to the general fund OF the county
in which the arrest is made. Judges and
Jurors take particular notice of such
things.
at least calculation thirty anglers of
this City visited Point Reyes Saturday
and Sunday last, but the same old story
was told on their return-viz.: the condi-
tion OF water was splendid, but no fish In
sight.
As this is the season of the year when
midwinter angling should be at its best in
the deep pools at the mouth of the Paper
mill Greek, it is the general opinion of
anglers that netting IS being done extern
slvely under the cover of darkness, and it
is hoped that a watch will be instituted by
the officers who are paid fat salaries.
John Butler. Frank Hofiing and Judge
Evans will leave to-day Tor Duncans Mills.
AS the Russian River Is now IN good order
for fishing the sportsmen anticipate first
class outing. Messrs. Cross, Wilson and
Babcock of the Fish Commission are said
TO be fishing on the Russian River now,
with a view of looking toward the pro-
lection of fish and game on those who
laugh and ridicule the law.
Fred Butler and J. Rud oiph, members
ofthe Tamalpais Sportsmen's Club, bagged
eighty-six quail on Sunday, in the can
yons east OF Hamlet. Marin County. On
Saturday, the 81 inst. the same sportsmen
bagged 125 quail in the same county.
Quail shooters who visit Point Reyes
and vicinity consider that the bagging OF
such large number OF birds in one days
shooting by two men savors pothunting,
which method of slaughter is not by any
means tolerated by the officers OF the club
OF which they are members.
John h. Orr and Frank Vernon bagged
few snipe and quail on Sunday in the
grounds OF the Country Club.
John Kerrigan and w. Lawrence had
very nice shoot on quail IN the vicinity OF
Tocaloma.
Dick Brooks, Billy McRae, Fred john
sen and Lloyd Eaton lost their bearings
last Sunday, while duck-shooting near
Antioch, and returned to camp minus
feather. The hunters state that thick
Fog has been lowering over Antioch and
vicinity Tor two weeks, and as conse-
quence game, with the exception OF the
''Remfree Can" is hard to locate. Brooks
is authority for the statement that during
foggy weather hunters should wear
smoked glass. as flying objects can be
easily diseerned, but Johnson says that he
can't see through it.
F. Hofing and his hunting partner,
"Bill Nye," bagged forty-seven clam Dig
gers, which are more commonly known as
spoonbills. at Alvarado on Sunday. Dom
aid and Pete McRae returned with los
ducks from Mount Eden.
John Fullerton and Thomas Grant
bagged twenty ducks, which consisted of
canvas back, bluebill and sprig, on the
Point Reyes marshes Sunday.
Thomas Casey was successful in meet
ing large bevy Of quail near Ignacio on
Sunday. He managed to bring TO ur to bag.