SALMON FISHERIES OF PACIFIC COAST. 19 



The Klamath River is important as a salmon stream because it has 

 both a spring and fall run of salmon. In 1888 a cannery was estab- 

 lished at Requa, at the mouth, and this has been operated occasion- 

 ally ever since. The pickling of salmon has been done here for a 

 number of years. Some years part of the catch has been shipped 

 fresh to the cannery on Smith River, or to the Rogue River, Oreg., 

 cannery. 



Humboldt Bay and tributaries. — The shore line of Humboldt 

 County is bold and high except in the vicinity of Humboldt Bay, 

 where it is rather flat. The latter is the only harbor along the 

 county shore, and it is quite difficult of access, owing to the bar at 

 the entrance, upon which the sea breaks quite heavily. The bay is 

 about 12 miles long and about 3 miles wide. Mad River, which has 

 its rise in the lower part of Trinity County, runs in a northwesterly 

 direction, then makes a sharp tufn and enters the bay from the north 

 side. Eel River, which has its rise in Lake County, far to the south- 

 east, runs in a northwesterly direction and enters the bay at its 

 southern extremity. Small railroads running south from Eureka 

 traverse the shores of both rivers for some miles. A railroad to run, 

 from the north side of San Francisco Bay to Eureka is now nearing 

 completion, and when in operation it will doubtless aid very mate- 

 rially in extending the market for salmon caught in these rivers. 



Mattole Hirer. — This is a small and unimportant river in the 

 southern part of Humboldt County, and is said to have a good run 

 of salmon each year, but no commercial fishing has as yet been car- 

 ried on here. 



Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers. — These two rivers are the 

 most important rivers in California. The Sacramento is quite 

 crooked, the distance by river from Red Bluff to San Francisco be- 

 ing about 375 miles, 'while the distance by rail between these two 

 places is only 225 miles. The river rises in several small lakes in 

 the mountains about 20 miles west of Sisson, in Siskiyou County, 

 and for nearly half its length flows through a narrow canyon. The 

 upper portion is a typical mountain stream, with innumerable pools 

 and rapids. A little above Redding the river emerges from the can- 

 3'on and widens into a broad shallow stream. Below Sacramento it 

 runs through a level country and is affected by tides. Sloughs are 

 numerous in this stretch, some connecting it with the San Joa- 

 quin. The Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers join as they empty 

 into Suisun Bay. 



The principal tributaries of the Sacramento which are frequented 

 by salmon are the Pit and McCloud Rivers and Battle Creek. At 

 one time salmon frequented the American and Feather Rivers, but 

 mining and irrigation operations along these streams either killed 

 them off or drove them away. 



