Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1908-05-17
GETS BIG CATCH
OF FINE TROUT
BEAR VALLEY STREAM YIELDS
TROPHIES
ALEX. ALTMAN REPORTS RARE
SPORT IN MONTANA-RIvE
Five Taken Out on Last Day, Their
Aggregate Weight Being
More Than Seventeen
Pounds

Trout fishing in Southern California
since the opening of the season on
May has been better than ever before
and the limit creel is the regular re-
port sent in by every sportsman who
has tried his luck in the mountain
streams from the Tehachapi south.
1t has remained for Bear Valley and
Alex Altman, however, to produce the
record catch of this or any other sea-
son In Southern California. Mr.. Ak
man brought home the limit after his
week of fishing in Bear valley-in fact
he caught the limit every day he was
out, but his record catch consisted of
five trout ranging in length from six
teen inches to twenty-three inches.
with an aggregate weight of TN
pounds.
Think of it! Five mountain trout the
largest of which went five pounds
nine ounces, totaling weight of
nearly eighteen pounds.
Amt California just the Paradise
for sportsmen!'
Mr.. Altman left here ten days ago
and took a train for San Bernardino.
and after leaving the railroad staged
1t over the mountains into Bear val
ley, that Mecca for hunters and fisher
men which is ever green in the men,
DRY of those who enjoy outdoor life.
Nothing but Luck
ne WHlpDtu the SITcdIilS VI llc val
ley from early morn to dewey eve,
with nothing but luck and success
every moment he was out.
Two hours was long enough on most
days to take all the law allows, but
the last day was the day of days.
All during the week the fish had
been coming to the flies as regularly
as they were dropped on the surface of
the water in nine-incb, ten-inch and
eleven-inch lengths
One big pool yet remained to be
whipped, however and this was taken
on the last day of the party in camp.
1t was an ideal spot so far as water
and surroundings were concerned The
big black willows hung low over the
banks and there was a big rifle above
and below with just enough drop to
make a swirling current In the clear
depths.
= \ big brown hackle was the first fly
trle,. by Altman and no sooner had 1t
struck he water than there was a
fash of red and green and gold and
the little braided silk line began to
hum songs on the reel and buckle the
tip In fashion which showed too we'll
that a giant was at the end of the
leader.
1t was a pretty fight while 1t lasted.
and when this gamest OF game fish
came to net Altman gave a gasp of
establishment and unbelief, for 1t was
the biggest trout he had ever seen.
Weighs More Than Four Pounds
Four pounds and two ounces 1t
weighed a few minutes later. and then
the pool was whipped again. The
brown hackle was a winner the Sec
ond time and produced a two-pound
trout after the usual exciting battle.
Then there was dullness. There was
nothing doing. Brown hackles no
more lured the game to the hook, and
white millers were tried.
The first cast brought the king of
them all to the surface, and he took 1t
on the instant and fought a game if
teen minutes before his five pounds
and nine ounces of royal weight was
brought to creel
White millers didn't work a second
time. and May flies were tried after
several trials with other varieties, and
the creel was almost filled with little
nine and ten-inch fellows before the
other big ones answered the call
At intervals during the two hours
fishing which followed three more of
the royal family were taken, and
when the big five were taken from
out the bunch and weighed seventeen
and half pounds was the total re-
corded The photograph herewith
tells the story better than words.