The San Francisco call., 1905-04-22
RAINS RETARD
TROUT FISHING
Give Angling With the Fly
a Setback, but Do Not
Spoil Sport With Bait

The rains of the past week have given
the anglers who are devotees of fly
nshing another setback, as the streams
are higher than they were and the time
when the trout will take the fly has
been put farther away The rain will
have but little effect on the bati fish
ing, which is reported good at present.
One effect of the late rains will be to
freshen up the streams and to help the
last run of small fish, which usually
come in from the ocean about this time
In dry year they cannot get far up
the stream, but this year they can do
so. This should make the late fishing
good
The nearby streams still attract a
large number of anglers, but this is
only the skirmish line of the army
which will be afield later on, when the
sport begins on the rivers and noun
tain lakes. The first of the great fly
fishing will be engaged in the Big
Meadows at the headwaters of the
Feather River. About the same time
the McCloud will be available, then the
upper Sacramento, and finally the
Truckee. Flyfishing on the latter
stream is seldom good before July.
Many of the men out now believe st
is not all of fishing to catch fish. :"
They are repaid by the pleasure of be-
ing on the stream under the blue skies.
The sight of the wild flowers in their
profusion and the general freshness of
the country are alone sufficient to at
tract the lover of nature ouIof doors
The Paper Mill. although Whipped by
many men, continues to yield good
catches to those who know its peculiar
tiles. Some large fish have been taken
at, Point Reyes. Four steelheads landed
there ranged from 21z pounds to s
pounds.
Quite a number of fish from to 10
inches in length have been taken there
on the fly. To secure a good catch the
fisherman must know all the conditions
of the water. He must also know how
and where to cast.
Dr. Henry Van Dyke, the noted au
thor, will return to Princeton with a
high opinion of California anglers and
of California angling. AS the guest of
Charles S. Wheeler at the latter's
country home on the McCloud he had
the unalloyed pleasure of landing
seven pound Dolly Warden. These fish
put up stubborn fight like that of
the bulldog. Others of the trout fam
lily fight for their lives near the sur
face, but the Dolly Warden usually
seek the depths and it requires great
skill % bring them to the landing net.
Inc OOliy NdAuCh ~ CyS oiA eiAC SAAA1At
er trout and when full-grown one is
taken the fisherman usually says,
THAT means another $4,000 rainbow
trout saved
Many fish are being taken on the
McCIoud with bait at the present time
William Halstedt and some friends
f1shed the San Lorenzo near Santa
Cruz recently. and had good sport
w. w. Richards will soon be on his
favorite streams in Santa Cruz County
He knows this territory thoroughly.
AL Cumming and party left last night
for the klamath. This is the first OF
his angling pilgrimages of the season.
Louis Boutellier fished Kidd Creek,
near Cazadero, some days since and
secured a limit basket.
Although the upper Sacramento is
high the small streams which empty
into 1t are yielding good returns. The
anglers who live near Sissons are en-
joying good sport in the meadows near
the head waters of the Sacramento.
Favorable reports have been received
here from the Garcia River in Men
docino County and also, from the Big
and Little rivers. -
Striped bass fishing was good at San
Pablo until the recent rain. A party
of anglers went up from this city last
Sunday. but got no returns. The muddy
streams emptying into the bay are held
responsible for the absence Of fish.
Many fish are being taken from the
Purissima in San Mateo, but they are
of small size. The six-inch fish are
plump and weigh more than fish of the
same length taken elsewhere.