The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-04-24

ordinance making it misdemeanor for
any person to have in his possession
trout under five inches in length The
thorough sportsmen of the city and coun-
ty would gladly welcome the announce
ment of an ordinance of this kind, as the
slaughter of fingerings has been so great
since the opening of the angling season
that the Fish Commissioners have about
concluded that the stocking of streams in
Marin and Sonoma counties is q waste of
time and expense. Some people contend
that an officer of the law would have a
difficult task on his hands to catch an
angler with baby trout in his possession,
but those who oppose the idea VIII find
to their chagrin and bitter astonishment
that If such a law is passed that meas
ures will be taken by the officers of
Marin County and Fish Commissioners
to prove to the takers of little fishes that
the game of kill alP will cost them
Ndearly in the long run. Every sports
man who enjoys an outing with rod and
gun would be delighted to hear of the
Supervisors of every county in the State
passing ordinances protecting little fishes
and young quail from murder at the
hands of horde of pot-hunters who go
with view of potting everything that
will satisfy the cravings of the inner man.
A few years ago the LagunitaS and Pa
per Mill creeks in Marin County and the
SOnoma Greek in Sonoma County were
ideal angling waters, but with the in
crease of alleged anglers who basket
everything IN sight not excepting
chuPs and bullheads, the trout have al
most disappeared. much to the disgust of
the anglers, who return the little fishes to
their element when they happen on their
hooks. A fve-inCh trout ordinance is
what is needed and anglers who desire
to escape the law can easily mark off
five inches on the butts of their rods in
case they capture trout of doubtful size
1t is almost certain, however, that the
Supervisors of Marin and Sonoma coun-
ties will ordain that in future the an
CLING seasons will not open until May l
instead of April /. which is the State law
Anglers are certainly becoming interest
ed in the protection of trout, that is,
judging from the letters that are pouring
into this office. This is what resident
of San Jose says:
SAN JOSE. April 10. 1899
To the Sporting Editor, San Francisco Call
pear sf he nave l9Rg wondered WY the bn Sh
become so poor. But not until within the last
few days did l learn that it was being dyna-
mited, and by men in our own neighborhood,
viz, Milpitas Such wanton destruction of FISH
deserves the severest punishment. and now
that the authorities have the leader behind the
prison bars, with the hope of soon getting the
others, l trust the Fish Commission will con-
convict and make such examples of these men
as will deter others from following in their
footsteps. A LOVER OF SPORT.
SAN FRANCISCO. April 81, 1899.
To the Sporting Editor, San Francisco Call
Dear Sir: Fishing the Paper Mil Tor, as
anglers are now wont to call it, Trout Nil
Creek Is very poor in the vicinity of Camp
Taylor and Tocoloma, but at Point Reyes fly
fair-sized fish were taken by c. Precht, c.
Cate and Bert Spring.
The trout entirely ignored salmon roe shrimp
and worm. The FISH seem to hover in the pools
at the White House" and the "sandspit."
fearful of the upper portions of the stream,
and they have good reason to be.
Mr.. Rochefort of Point Reyes is a most
commodating fellow If angler wishes to
fish at the mouth of the stream he will be
driven to the destination by making known his
desire on his arrival at the point The flies
preferred the black gnat. March brown,
coachman brown hackle and silver blaze
The large number of French tourists who
camped on the Paper Mill and who have
visited the San Geronimo, Laguntas and Nj
casio creeks have so depleted those streams
stringent measures Immediately taken to
stop such depredations 1t Will only be a short
time before it will be hardly worth while to
mention the aforesaid creeks among the trout
streams of the coast.
When such we-known anglers A. B.
Finch, Del Cooper, Alex s. Ireland, c. Precht
from three to five miles the Lagunitas and
Paper Mill. catch but half dozen fish each
worth putting in their baskets II is high time
that q halt was called.
There is quite an agitation in Marin County
at present over the game and fish question,
but If the Supervisors of the county would
for a period of three years, limit the number
of fish to each angler and at the time
impose fine of 500 upon those who had in
their possession trout less than five inches fish
ing on the foregoing streams would soon be-
come what it was in years gone.
BY legislation of this kind the angler could
count upon getting a nice mess of trout and
of a size that he would not be ashamed to
show to his friends. How many anglers of
to-day will exhibit their catch on train
boat after returning from days outing?
Take the angling fraternity away from Marin
County for one year and the hotels along the
line as well the railroads. will think that
cyclone has visited them Yours truly,
TREE SPOON.