86 U. S. BUREAU OF FISHERIES, 
TROLLING. 
Each year the catching of salmon 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 pret demand for king, or chinook, salmon 
that the fishermen, who had previously restricted their operations 
mainly to the use of nets during 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. 
Trollmg 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 any very expensive gear, a boat, hooks, and lines being all that 
are required. Then, there ure 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 the 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 brunch lines are about 5 fathoms each. These lines cost about 
$3.50 each. No spoon is used, but bait almost 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 (niainly 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., for chinook and silver salmon. 
About 1912 the fishermen living along the lower Coluinbia River 
discovered that salnion could be taken by trolling off the bar. <A 
number of them went into the business regularly, while their numbers 
were greatly swelled by the addition of many of the net fishermen 
during the regular closed seasons on the river, these not applying to 
trollers. Some idea of the growth of this fishery off the Cosumbia 
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 
Neah Bay, Wash., have annually caught large numbers of silver and 
