PACIFIC SALMON FISHEKIES. 89 



spinners of the Siwash and Victoria patterns are very effective, while 

 red beads, feathered hooks, or a piece of silvery salmon skin placed 

 on the hook as an additional bait often add to the attraction of a 

 spoon. 



Quite generally the fishermen use single hooks on their spoons. 

 Various lengths of line are used, but on the average about 60 feet for 

 outside lines and 40 for inside are used. As fish can be landed much 

 quicker with a short line, the fishermen generally shorten their lines 

 to 20 or 30 feet when the fish are biting rapidly. Quite heavy lines 

 are used from the pole to the sinker; from there extends a length of 

 light line, and then a piece of wire, to which the spoon is attached. 

 The sinker, which is usually between 2 and 3 pounds in weight when 

 fishing from a power boat and about 1 pound when a rowboat is 

 employed, is attached to tlie line about 18 feet from the spoon. 



The best fishing times are in the early morning and evening, 

 without regard to tidal conditions. The low slack water is always 

 favorable to good fishing. 



These fish are deUcate flavored, but do not keep well, it being 

 necessary to rush them to market if they are to be sold in a first-class 

 condition. 



Considerable numbers of these fish are taken by both American and 

 Canadian fishermen on S\viftsure Banks, off Capo Flattery. As 

 complaint had been made in 1914 that these fish were immature and 

 were unfit for canning because of their appearance after being out of 

 the water some hours, H, T, Graves, acting commissioner of agri- 

 culture for the State of Washington, which department is concerned 

 with the wholesomcness of food products, made a thorough investiga- 

 tion of their fitness for food. In a letter to the Pacific Fisherman, 

 Seattle, Wash., and published in that journal under date of August, 

 1914, he states, among other things, the following: 



The question, thorofore, for U8 to determine was to aarertain their vahie as a food 

 product. The condition of these fish arrivinj; at the various canneries 'was carefully 

 noted; samples were selected for bacterioloj;ical analysis. 



The fish when first taken from the water are \ erV soft when compared with the 

 other salmon. After they have been out of the wafer 12 hours the fish easily separates 

 from the bony structures, and in the course of ordinarv handlinc; in the tin)e which 

 elapses between the hour of taking from the water until they are offered for packing 

 at Hound canneries, which is anywhere from 12 to 48 hours,th"ey become badly broken 

 up and present a rather ugly and distasteful appearance, to say the least. 



We found that many different methods of handling were being expcsriniented with 

 by the fisherman and by Puget Sound canneries, but without any noticeable effect. 

 While from a physical observation one would imagine these fish as received at the 

 Sound cannenes to be unwholesome, a bacteriological examination by Dr. E. P. 

 Pick, State bacteriologist, indicated that putrefaction was not present, although some 

 of the specimens did contain a rather high bacteria count. 



BOW AND ARROW. 



On the Tanana River, a tributary of the Yukon River, in Alaska, 

 the Indians hunt salmon in birch-bark canoes with bow and arrow. 

 As the canoe is paddled along and the Indian sees the dorsal fin of 

 the salmon cutting the surface of the nmddy water he shoots it. The 

 tip of the arrow fits into a socket, and when struck the tij), wliich 

 when loose is attached to the stock by a long string, comes out of tiic 

 socket and the f rrow floats, easily locating the fish for the fisherman. 



