THE SALMON FISHERIES OF THE SACRAMENTO RIVER. 



787 



" The proportion of sturgeon and salmon in the shipments of the various months is estimated 

 by the San Francisco market-men as follows : 



"January, 10 per cent, salmon, 90 per cent, sturgeon. February, 10 per cent, salmon, 90 per 

 cent, sturgeon. March, 50 per cent, salmon, 50 per cent, sturgeon. April, mostly salmon. May, 

 all salmon. June, all salmon. July, all salmon. August, all salmon. September, all salmon. 

 October, 50 per cent, salmon, 50 per cent, sturgeon. November, 50 per cent, salmon, 50 per cent, 

 sturgeon. December, 10 per cent, salmon, 90 per cent, sturgeon. 



" Besides the salmon above mentioned, a large number are taken by sailing vessels and by 

 the opposition line of steamers and other conveyances to San Francisco and the larger towns. 



" The points from which salmon are shipped on the river steamers are Sacramento City, 

 Courtland, Emmatowu, Rio Vista, Collinsville, Antioch, Benicia, Martinez. 



" In the spring of. 1872 about 25,000 salted salmon came from the Sacramento River to San 

 Francisco, and in the fall of the same year about 9,000. The Rio Vista salmon fishermen recom- 

 mend the prohibition of fishing from June 1 to October 1, or from June 15 to October 15. 



" FYKE-NET FISHING. The fyke-nets have a inesh of 2 inches. There were in the winter of 

 1872-'73 eighty-five fyke-nets on the Sacramento at Rio Vista. They are stationary, of course, 

 and are examined every twenty-four hours. All the kinds of fish that are found in the river are 

 caught in these nets. Mr. John D. Ingersoll, a prominent fyke fisherman of Rio Vista, informed 

 me that the daily catch for twenty nets is now about 75 pounds of fish. 



"They include cliubs, herring, perch, viviparous perch, sturgeons, hardheads, split-tails, Sac- 

 ramento pike, suckers, crabs. Of these the porch, pike, and sturgeon are the best food-fishes, 



though all of the spiM'ics named are sold in the market. 

 SEC V 47 



