FISHERIES OF THE PACIFIC COAST IN 1899. 525 
Skagit River furnishes one of the most important fisheries in the 
State, and except the Columbia River is practically the southern limit 
of migration of the valuable sockeye salmon. These fish in quite large 
numbers ascend the river to the distant cold waters of Baker Lake for 
spawning. They furnish a large amount of the catch and income of 
many fishermen residing near the river’s outlet. 
The fisheries of Skagit River and the immediate vicinity show some 
decrease both in products and fishermen since 1895. The pound nets 
outside the mouth of the river are reported as having an increased 
catch at the expense of the usual supply of the river. The catch of 
1899 found a ready market at largely increased prices over those of a 

CuLtus-Cop (Ophiodon elongatus). 

BLACK Cop OR BESHOWE ( Anoplopoma fimbria). 
few years since, the fishermen having larger returns than formerly, 
when the catch was much larger and prices very low. Only gill nets 
are used in the river fisheries. Drift gill nets used in the river are 55 
fathoms long and set gill nets 10 fathoms long. A few near the mouth 
of the river are each 125 fathoms in length, 20 meshes deep, of 9 
and 10 inch mesh. A few Indians on the near-by reservation fish for 
the market, and many of them for their personal use, their catch being 
by the primitive yet effective spear. 
The various runs of salmon in the Skagit River are as follows: 
Chinook, from the last of May up to the last of August; silver salmon, 
from the last of August to November; a few humpbacks are taken in 
August; dog salmon run from September to November 15; blueback, 
from the last of May to July 15, with their greatest abundance in June. 
But few bluebacks are taken, as their capture requires a smaller-meshed 
net than those generally used for larger species of salmon. 
