First, taking up the fishing in Humboldt from the sportsman's view- 

 point, as most interesting to the greatest number of people, let it be said 

 that conditions here cannot be excelled anywhere in civilized climes. With 

 the opening of the fishing season in spring, — heretofore on April 1st, but 

 changed by the last Legislature to May 1st, — the smaller and more acces- 

 sible streams are the Mecca of the devotees of rod and reel, and the brook 

 trout of California the fitting object of pursuit. 



Each of the smaller streams flowing into or near by Humboldt Bay 

 teem with the finny beauties, running from six to twelve inches or more 

 in length, and to these the attention of the Eureka anglers is first turned. 

 One or two hours' travel from Eureka will suffice to bring the fisherman 

 to Salmon Creek, Elk River, Ryan's Slough, Freshwater, or Jacoby Creek, 

 and from each of these streams many well-filled creels are the reward 

 of anglers throughout the early months of the season. Going further away 

 toward the north, Mad River, Lindsay Creek, Little River, Maple Creek, 

 Redwood Creek, and Prairie Creek, each may be reached by from a few 

 hours' to a day's travel, and each offers the highest class of sport to fly, 

 to troll, and to bait fishermen. Indeed, the gamy fish of these streams are 

 somewhat larger than in the smaller streams emptying into Humboldt Bay, 

 and Cutthroat trout of from twelve to sixteen inches in length are a com- 

 mon occurrence. While treating of this northern section of the county, 

 space must be taken to dwell a little upon the lagoons, — Big Lagoon, Stone 

 Lagoon, and Freshwater Lagoon, — ^three large brackish lakes, situated be- 

 hind the coast sand dunes some forty miles north of Eureka. Throughout 

 the early part of the season these lagoons offer an especially favorable 

 outing for the fisherman. Not only may the ordinary trout be caught here 

 in abundance, but Steelhead trout may here be found from twenty to 

 thirty inches in length, and weighing from five to fifteen pounds each. 

 And at the mouth of Maple Creek, where it empties into Big Lagoon, Rain- 

 bow trout of marvelous size, from twelve to thirty inches in length, may be 

 taken on the fly or troll. These handsome fish are also found in Stone 

 Lagoon, a few miles further up the coast. 



South of Humboldt Bay the county is equally as well provided with 

 trout streams. Bear River and the Mattole along the coast, and the Van 

 Duzen, Lawrence Creek, Larribee Creek, the South Fork of Eel River and 

 Its various branches, all offer the finest of early season sport, while most of 

 them continue to yield fine fish throughout the open season. 



But chiefest of all the piscatorial sport in Humboldt is fly fishing for 

 Steelhead trout in Eel River, beginning usually in July, and extending on 

 throughout the season, the month of September being accounted the best 

 of the season. All things combine to make this the acme of the real sports- 

 man's season. The river is broad, and contains long reaches and pools 

 where these finny beauties swarm. The river is open, the background of 

 the finest; the gentle sea breezes give just the right amount of "ripple"; 

 no better opportunity exists on earth for prime sport in fishing. The 

 Steelheads, fresh from the ocean, are strong and vigorous, and the fight 

 they put up before yielding to the angler's wiles is worth a long journey 

 to experience. These fish run all the way from one half pound to twenty 

 pounds in weight; the smaller being denominated "half-pounders," the 

 larger "Steelheads." Fly fishermen have been known to catch in a day's 

 sport from eight to ten Steelheads and twenty to sixty half-pounders, the 

 latter varying from one-half pound to one and one-half pounds each. Many 

 other varieties of fish are also caught during the season, especially by those 

 using trolls or bait. Ordinary trout, salmon-trout, Chub salmon. King 

 salmon, — all these add to the variety of the sport. 



Many San Francisco sportsmen are aware of the fine sport to be had 

 on Eel River, and make annual pilgrimages to the resorts along that river. 

 Greig's, eighteen miles from Eureka; Fortuna, twenty miles; Alton, twenty- 

 four miles; Weymouth's, twenty-six miles; Scotia, thirty-one miles, — all 

 have their contingent of anglers from abroad, as well as their local clientage. 



A Government hatchery at Price Creek, near Weymouth's, yearly 

 hatches millions of salmon eggs, the fry being mostly deposited in Eel 



