86 U. S. BUREAU OF FISHERIES. 



TROLLING. 



Each Yea.T the catching of sahnon by trolling becomes of increasing 

 importance commercially. Although begun a number of years ago 

 the industry never attained prominence until the mild curers created 

 such a persistent and profitaDle demand for king, or chinook, salmon 

 that the fishermen, who had previously restricted their operations 

 mainly to the use of nets durmg the annual spawning runs, which 

 last but a small portion of the year, began to follow up the fish both 

 before and after the spawning run and soon discovered that they 

 were to be found in certain regions throughout nearly every month 

 in the year. 



Trolling has several advantages from the fisherman's point of view 

 over seine, gill net, and trap fishing. To engage in it, one does not 

 need an}^ very expensive gear, a boat, hooks, and lines being all that 

 are required. Then, there are no licenses to pay and no seasons to 

 observe in many sections, as the fishing is done in many instances be- 

 yond the jurisdiction of State waters. 



The fishermen comprise all nationalities. While the majority of 

 them are professionals, men of all walks of life are to be found en- 

 gaging in tiie business, some on account of their health, others because 

 of reverses in business or lack of work, while still others engage in it 

 from pure love of the outdoor life. 



The Monterey Bay (Calif.) trollers use 48 cotton line generally. A 

 few inches below the main lead an additional line is added, with a 

 small sinker on it. This gives two lines and hooks, and as the main 

 line has but the one lead, and that above the junction with the branch 

 line, it floats somewhat above the latter, which is weighted down 

 with a sinker. The main stem is about 20 fathoms in length, while 

 the branch lines are about 5 fathoms each. These lines cost about 

 $3.50 each. No spoon is used, but bait alniost invariably. A few 

 fishermen use a spread of stout steel wire, 4 feet long, with 5 or 6 feet 

 of line on each end of the spread, two lines and hooks. 



On the upper Sacramento River (uiainl}^ at Redding and Keswick) 

 some fishing is done with hand lines. A small catch was made here 

 in 1908, but none were so caught in 1909. 



Even as early as 1895 trolling was carried on in the Siuslaw River, 

 Oreg., tor chinook and silver salmon. 



About 1912 the fishermen living along the lower Columbia River 

 discovered that salmon could be taken by trolling oft' the bar. A 

 number of them w^ent into the business regularly, waiile their numbers 

 were greatly swelled by the addition of many of the net fishermen 

 during the regular closed seasons on the river, these not applving to 

 trollers. Some idea of the growth of this fishery off the Columbia 

 River bar may be gained when it is stated that in September, 1915, 

 about 500 boats were engaged in it. It is reported that in 1919 over 

 1,000 boats were engaged in trolling here. 



At Oregon City and other places on the Willamette River a num- 

 ber of chinook salmon are caught by means of trolling each year, 

 mainly by sportsmen. A spoon is quite generally employed in place 

 of bait. The fishermen claim that the salmon are not feeding at 

 this time, as their stomachs are shriveled up. 



For a number of years the Indians living at the reservation on 

 Ncah Bay, Wash., have annually caught large n»imbers of silver and 



