Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1904-03-10
GOOD
TROUT
YEAR
Veteran Fisherman H.
w. SWart Says the
Law Is Wrong
Once Caught Means Killed,
Nine Out Of Ten Small
Fish Hooked Never
Recover

H. W. svarts. o. R. 6 n. agent a
Bingham Springs. who attended th'
Knights Of Pythias convention. sayi
the prospects are that this will b
the best year for good trout fishing
ever enjoyed by Umatilla county
sportsmen
The young rainbow and speckled
trout placed in the pool at Bingham
Springs BY the state FISH commissions
ers are doing remarkably well and are
a strong. beautiful lot Of FISH.
Umatilla county enjoys the dis
tinction Of being the best trout fish
ing district in Eastern Oregon and
Mr. swart's opinion on the various
phases OF the hsh laws and regula-
tions are interesting. Aside from his
father. J. swart, the veteran fisher
man Of Meacham creek, Harry swart
Is the best authority on fishing in
the county.
| Speaking OF the present FISH law, he
says:
1T Is idle for the state to require
the fishermen to replace in the stream
all the trout caught under five inches
In Length. A FISH once caught With
hook is a dead ish and the law fixing
the limit for a days catch at 125. with
the provision that all small fish be-
thrown back into the stream. en-
ables a fisherman to catch as many
as 800 fish In a day.
The law should place the limit a.
l25 counting the small fish caught
Every hsh taken out OF the stream
should be counted in the days catch
and none should be killed and thrown
away and the fishing so on unul l25
ive or six inches fish are taken. |
Fully as many small fish as large
ones will be caught In a day. BY a |
careless and inexperienced fisherman. F,
and the law as II now stands permits
man 10 take double the number Of
FISH intended. The small ones caught ]
are killed by the hook and thrown /
back into the water. but that don't
count against the fisherman.
lie keeps on fishing until l25 OF
the legal size are taken, no matter
how many small ones are slaughtered
In the process.
Every small fsh taken should be
part of the legal limit. because thar
hsh is removed from the stream and
no one else will have the enjoyment
Of catching Il second time. for one
catching usually Kills a hsh no MAT.
ter how tenderly IL Is handled.
Another wrong feature OF the law
is the protection OF the bull front
The bull trout destroys more small /
trout than an the careless fishermen
combined. Il eats the small trout
'nvades its spawning ground. aud runs
Il into the bitches and shaliows IN
trying TO anuihilats the smaller
species
This ball trout also follows neI
salmon up stream on the srawnlpr
Journey and destroys its eggs by The
million and In fact the bun trout Is
the pirate Of the mountain stream and
shouid not be protected. :
III Is almost impossible 10 catch 4
the ouh trout 80 cunning and sly i
the oid free lance. There Is s,andine
oner on Meacham creek that auv
Psndieton fisherman Who will catch
two bun trout each day In succession
Tor 10 DAYS In the FISHING ssaso,
AN be furnished with free hoard ana
odsing the 10 days. II he fails ~
make a catch equally. two each dav
ne fisherman 70 pay Tor his boarl
fhAi Is the esteem In which the bun
rout Is held ca Meacham creek
The hshlng season win soon open
nd these are Interesting subjects tor
lmaiiila county ashermeu. .--Fsst
lregonian. "