The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1940-02-27

low overhead.
The sky was blue, clear.
Trees and foliages offered their
varying greens.
Wild flowers and the musical
notes OF songbirds added their bit
to the gsiety and soothness Of
the picture.
One OF the anglers. native Of
San Francisco, removed his fly
bedecked hat. He looked TO his
right. TO his left, behind him and
straight ahead.
He took in the complete scene
with that swivel motion OF his
head. Then he shook his head and
spoke:
II don't believe you natives
quite appreciate what You
have here. This spot would
be worth q fortune down
South. IL would be worth
treble fortune In the Los An
geles district.
Here we are, a few miles from
the heart OF your city In as beau
tiful surroundings as ! ever have
seen. And we're catching trout.
good-sized. fighting trout the
great cutthroat, the pugnacious
and glorious rainbow
Outdoor Paradise
In our country We drive hun
dreds OF miles and for what ?
Not fish like you have here. not
scenery to match. Boys never
let that escape your mind. You're
living in an outdoor paradise.
Keep it that way. Protect It,
Conserve. It's all too precious TO
lose through neglect"
What the Californian said, we
knew to be true.
Yet, too many of us are inclined
to take things for granted. Too
often we resent constructive out
doors legislation. Too often we
become careless, satisfied that
what we have always will be here.
But, 1t will not be with US al
ways unless we fully understand
the necessity of cooperation for
needed protection, propagation
Fortunately, however, sportsmen
OF Washington and the Northwest
in general have become and are
becoming more and more organ
lied To carry on the fight TO pre-
serve our heritage for future gen.
erations.
We are learning that our game
officials, our food fish chieftains
and our outdoors protectors are
men of the open, with thoughts
running parallel with those of the
constructive sportsmen.
We are yearly developing a
stronger bond of friendship, under
standing the enforcement officials
actually are our representatives,
protectors. And because Of that
understanding the future and its
hopes appear decidedly bright.
Countless Species
Within a comparatively few
miles from Tacoma. any direction,
there are to be found the great
salmon, five species, three in par
ticular, that take the anglers lure.
There are bottom fish of
countless species. There are
shell fish. including the coveted
goeduck.
There In the commercial
Olympia oyster. most delect-
able OF the shell family, the
original home being this Puget
Sound country.
From the Mother Waters come
our great steelhead trout, a giant
fighter that has been known TO
weigh as high as AZ pounds, the
record.
A Real Fighter
Scientists tell US that the rain
bow of this coast Is only the steel
head that remains in fresh water.
But, whatever the steelhead and
rainbow are, we know for a GER
tainty. they are as gallant as any
fish that swim. i,
The cutthroat ia a savage. car
niverous trout that fights with the
fury OF a storm. He makes spec
taculsr and nerve-shattering leaps
when touched by the barbed hook.
He gives up, surrenders only when
the last ounce OF resistance has
gone from his perfectly shaped.
handsomely marked, spotted body.
Then. too, our fresh water rivers
provide smelt by the countless mil
lions. They enter the fresh water
on their spawning runs in such
quantities they are easily taken
by the simple method Of dipping
some type Of receptacle into the
water.