CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME 111 



lieaded down the opi)Osite slope toward Pish Valley some six miles 

 away. Arriving at seven, I found Dobler camped at the head of the 

 Valley with preparations for dinner in full swing, certainly a most 

 welcome sight to me. With a good meal disposed of and a hard hike 

 of 14 miles behind me, a sound sleep followed. 



"Arising early the following morning, we were soon out to get 

 the fish. Pishing hard for some time and with little success was dis- 

 appointing when around 10 o'clock they began to strike. By the 

 middle of the afternoon, a rain drove us to cover and we spent some 

 time by a little fire. The rain slacking, we were out again and by 

 nightfall we had around 100 trout. 



"Early Monday morning (October 2), we loaded the packs and 

 fish cans on the horses and started fishing again, adding 20 or more 

 fish to our catch. We left the Valley at noon and by three in the after- 

 noon, we delivered the fish to the holding pond in the West Walker. 



"We then went to Bridgeport for a night's rest. Leaving there 

 early on Tuesday, we returned to Pickle Meadow from where we again 

 packed over into Pish Valley to try our luck once more with the trout. 



"Early Wednesday morning we found the fish striking well and 

 it was not long before 10 or 12 trout would be in the pail and we 

 would have to hurry for one of the cans which we had located along 

 the stream. 



"I used a fly most of the time although in one pool I baited it 

 wath pieces of grasshopper wath good results. 



"These trout strike the fly very well and seem to be a little 

 faster than the regular black-spotted ones, but not so lively as the 

 rainbows. They are not very easily frightened. ]\Iany times Avhile 

 walking along the banks, T saw a fish leave the shallows and move 

 to deeper water, when after a few casts he would rise to the fly and 

 even come back several times if not hooked. In one pool where there 

 w^ere six or so in sight, I hooked one about eight inches in length. It 

 fell off on the edge of the bank and finally escaped into the water. 

 After taking a couple from the pool, this same trout tried it again and 

 before long managed to join the collection. On this day, I svicceeded 

 in taking 77 trout, getting them safely into the cans. 



"It seemed to make little difference whether a man led or was 

 in the rear, he had about the same good luck. They seemed to take 

 the fly as well in the bright sun as in the shady places. 



"Upper Fish Valley is a wild mountain meadow through wliich 

 the stream winds back and forth and has many pools. The sides of 

 the Valley rise very steep to some two thousand feet. After leaving 

 the Valley, the stream becomes much faster and the banks are lined 

 with willows. There are many soda s])rings along the stream. 



"The falls are over granite rocks and they have some 20 feet 

 of perpendicular drop. The water falls on a sloi)ing apron of granite 

 and soon enters a narrow gorge after which the stream o])ens into 

 Lower Fish Valley. Here the stream keeps to the west side and it is 

 bordered by willows and has many fine pools. Pish are more plentiful 

 here. On leaving the lower Valley, the stream narrows, presenting 

 much very fast water and many splendid pools. When it reaches 

 Silver King Valley, it slows up again to its entrance into East Carson 

 River. 



