FISHES OF THE PACIFIC COAST 101 



pyrosoma, all of which blaze at night in mystic lights. 

 Even the most insignificant animals, as the peridinium 

 an infusorian often colors the waters near the 

 mainland shores red, which at night turns the ocean 

 into a seething caldron of vivid flame, so that the en- 

 tire Santa Catalina channel appeared to have ignited, 

 all caused by a vast congregation of animals invisible 

 to the naked eye. Every drop of water is alive, con- 

 tributing to the story of the sea and its inhabitants. 



SALMON 

 (Oncorhynchus tschawytscha) 



The remarkable diversity of sports in California and 

 the Pacific Coast is seen in the fact that in Monterey 

 Bay there is fine salmon fishing. The Chinook salmon 

 is the one which affords the best sport, although there 

 are many kinds found up to Alaska affording fine 

 sport about Vancouver Island. 



The big schools of salmon which lie off the mouths 

 of the Sacramento in the winter ascend in summer 

 and spawn; the majority die in the rivers after the 

 spawning. In July and August, with the regularity 

 of clockwork, a big school of Chinooks, Fig. 52, is 

 found between Monterey and Santa Cruz, and followed 

 by scores of professional fishermen and anglers. The 

 latter go out from Santa Cruz, Capitola, Carmel and 

 Monterey in small launches or boats, and, when the 

 school is found, have sport that has made this region 

 famous all over the country, and several clubs have 

 been organized to prosecute it. 



The fish generally lie thirty or forty feet down, so 

 that the line, baited with sardine, anchovy or smelt, 



