Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1902-08-14
ROGUE RIVER FISH INFORMA-
TION.
The Stream is Being Rapidly De-
populated and Soon viii be
Bare of Fish.

yer salmon, SllNerslue or Steelneau
trout, Brook, Rainbow and Cutthroat
trout. The Chinook salmon commence
running up Rogue river in April of
each year, and keep running until
August Goth. These fish lie along the
river, from the mouth of the Illinois
to the head of Rogue river. They lie
close to their spawning beds, which is
in the deep holes just below the long
ripples, They deposit their spawn
upon these beds, if they are not dis
turbed. The Chinook salmon does its
spawning in the months of September,
October and November. The Silver
salmon come up Rogue river the lat
ter part of October and the first of
November and spawn in December and
January The Silver salmon are the
hook bill, commonly called Dog sal
mon. They are not SO large as the
Chinook salmon.
The Silverside or Steelhead trout
spawn mostly in the tributaries of the
Rogue river, but some spawn in the
main stream. The bulk of these
spawn in the months of February and
March, and the Brook, Rainbow and
Cutthroat trout spawn in the Rogue's
Some claim that the Sill
or Steelhead is n salmon, but
that is mistake. They are fresh
water fish. While salmon are known
to be saltwater fish, it is true, how
ever, that salmon in Rogue river
spawn in said river; but the min
nows from the spawn go to salt water
within sixteen months after they are
large enough to care for themselves
and these same spawns will return
within four and five years from the
time they go to salt water, and they
return for the purpose of spawning to
the exact places in the river where
they were spawned and Matched and
became minnows; and. if they are not
on their natural spawning
beds or grounds, they will deposit
their spawn in the same places along
the river where they were spawned
four or five years previously. After
if they wish TO heal up
and get well of the sores ON them
which have occurred from the spawn
ing, they must return to salt water to
do so, because they cannot or do not
heal up and get well III fresh water.
The tail of the salmon is round and
pigeon like, while the tail of the Sill
verside or Steelhead trout is fiat,
which shows them to be a different
species of fish than the salmon. The
or Steelhead trout have
different habits than the salmon, viz,
they spawn at different time in the
year. The bulk spawn in the tribu-
taries Of the Rogue river, while the
spawn in the main stream.
The Silverside or Steelhead spawn in
the months of February and March,
and the bulk of them, which spawn,
will live, heal up and get well in
fresh water, and in the same kind of
water in which they spawned,
which is not the case with the sal
mon. Ninety per cent of the salmon
die before they get back to salt water
from Jackson and Josephine counties.
1t is known that the bulk of the Sill
verside or Steelhead trout live after
and heal up and get well in
the waters of Rogue river and its
for the Silverside and
Steelhead have been caught at all
times in the year and in all the
different stages Of the fish, viz, be-
fore they had spawned and in every
stage and condition after they had
in Rogue river and its tribu-
taPies We have fshed in the Rogue
river for from twenty-six to forty
years, and have caugt these Silverside
and Steelhead trout. They are moth
ing but a large trout, and we now
wish to say few words in that re-
gard.
The fish in Rogue river in Jackson
and Josephine counties are becoming
extinct. In their natural propagation
and propagating places along the
Rogue river and its tributaries, dur
ing the time in the season when the
fish are lying in the deep holes pre-
pairing their spawning beds, and when
spawning, they are caught with gill
nets, siens and gigs and spears, and
the fish sold in the markets here as
good food fish, which is preposterous,
10 say the least. The salmon, which
are caught from their spawn ny
grounds and beds, are positively not
fit for table use. But these salmon
are caught in this condition, the tails
cut off, then laid in boughs, bleached
out and brought into the markets here
ana sold for good food fish. wish
that the good people who purchase
these fish could see them when they
are caught off their spawning grounds
and beds / am sure they would not
touch them under any consideration
whatever.
Now this is how the Rogue river
and its tributaries is being depopu-
lated Of fish In jackson and Josephine
counties, viz. by catching them of
their natural spawning grounds and
beds, and not allowing them TO de-
posit their spawn. wish 10 say that
II this kind Of business Is allowed 70
be carried on much longer the FISH
will be extinct for if the people de-
sire fish along the river they must
be allowed to spawn ON their natural
beds and places. These spawning
places are their natural homes, and If
they are caught and their eggs taken
Il a =.