Los Angeles herald., 1910-05-10
RAINBOW TROUT
BITING NICELY.
Fishermen Returning from Noun
tain Streams Report They
Are Getting the Limit
MANY PARTIES BRING NEWS
West Fork of San Gabriel Seems
to Be Mostly Favored by
Those Who Know
Ry TR0UTIINE

Rainbow trout are biting well thls
year. Ask any fisherman VINO mas
trudged along the mountain ralls 10
the mountain streams in the vicinity
of Los Angeles whipping the rapids
and pools industriously and you VIII
almost invariably be told that he got
the limit" Although the strings OF
fish obtained are large the fish as
rule are comparatively small the aV-
erage size being from six to elght
inches In few cases this season nave
front of the rainbow species larger
than fourteen inches been repofleu
Trout fishing is a genuine pleasure
Among the cleanest of sports, IL Is ie-
moved from all other kinds OF nsnIHs
and is in a class by itself. CauIloH'
presence of mind and skill are re-
a1lired in great degree if ones trout
catch is to be large. Tho fisherman
finds himself a hopeless failure unless
he possesses these quahtles. he HiaS
as well remain at home, for there Will
he no enjoyment for him in attempt
ing to hook the wary denlzen OIL 1Il9
mountain brooks Horse-raclng' mo
forthcoming and aviation all nave tilelI
attractions and thrills, but the true
snortsman will award the blue ribbon
to trout fishing after all is said ana
done. -
For several days previous to the
opening of the season May the tralI5
leading through the mountains ana
canyons to the trout streams were
traVersed by numerous parties OF Ilsh-
ermen. several carrying their KNAPP
sacks and blankets, While in num-
ber of cases pack burros were useu.
The favorite stream for residents OF
Los Angeles and adjacent cities who
cannot resist the call of the wild IN
the rainbow trout is the west fork of
the San Gabriel.
The most direct route leading to the
west fork is by way of Sierra Madre
and the Sturtevant trail SturteVant
camp, situated on the stream, being
about ten miles from Sierra Madre
This trail has been repaired and is in
fairly good condition.
Few fishermen reported success in
finding trout up the stream from Stur-
teyant's camp. Most of the anglers
worked their way down stream toward
Devils canyon, a number continuing
through the canyon and coming out
near Azusa. At frequent intervals
along the west fork from Sturtevant's
camp to the Devils canyon fishing
parties camped preparatory to filling
their fish baskets on the morning of
May 1. In rare cases were the baskets
untitled, as the rainbow, hungry from
years waiting, bravely and reck-
lessly struck at each casting of ar
tificial fly and wriggling angle worm.
Though the game law is considered
rather complicated in its reference TO
trout fishing there was no excuse for
fishing for steelhead in the west fork,
as it is well known among fishermen
that steelhead seldom work into the
upper waters of the mountains. No
fish other than rainbow have so far
been caught in the head waters of the
San Gabriel.
A fishing party that met with graft
flying success in the west fork was
that composed of six young Pasadena
men, who spent a week in camp along
the banks of the stream. In the party
were Frank d. Kloeckner, Morton
Shannon, Kenton Fraser, James Ste
phens, James Cochrane and the writer
With three burros packed to their ca
pacity the party followed the trail
from Sierra Madre down the west fork
by way of Sturtevants camp.
Camp was made at a point about a
mile down stream from Lone Pine, or
ten miles from Sturtevants. 1t is an
interesting fact in connection with the
trail between Sturtevant's and the
camping place of the party and which
SHOWS IHe WlnulllS course Oh the west
fork that the stream was crossed
nearly fifty times. but the water is so
low now that the numerous CROSSINGS
may easily be made with dry feet
Beginning fishing with the coming of
daylight on May I, Shannon, Fraser
and Cochrane procured the 'limit" be
fore city mans breakfast time, while
the luck of the others in the party
was expressed in figures noticeably
less than fifty On the following day
the rainbow did not bite so lively.
The presence Of many fishermen in the
canyon frightened them so thoroughly
that they were somewhat shy for the