110 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[Sept, 7, 18S2. 



RIVERS AND FISH OF NEVADA. 



[A paper rend before the California State Sportsman's AsBocfatibjj.j 



WHILE no! attempting to enlighten any one as to ihe 

 rivers' of Nevada, their source, Course, volume and 

 sink, I may be permitted, from the in Inn. 1 seas receiving 

 (heir waters, and from the evaporation constantl} going mi. 

 lo revert lo Nevada's waters its unlike --.II others outside of 



Perhaps He- rivers of no State or country received their 



names f i more celebrated tmrelera, explorers and soldiers 



Mini Nevada. 



Prior to 1 lie discovery <>( gold in California, Humboldt, 

 the great scholar and traveler, journeyed down tie- longest 

 and largest river emptying jnto owluftmd sea, which river 

 Ioda\ hear- the muuc'ol ihis moel distinguished f 



Ii was the articulation of tie "PathiBnder's" trusted guide 

 that caused General Fremont to write "Trucked' as the 

 name for the grand river that drains hake Taboo. 



Ii has been my pleasure to ascend the summit from which 

 Kii Carson, the celebrated scout ami Union soldier, first 



viewed Carson Valley, and gave the silvery stream, QOUrsiDS 

 through rich meadow's, his' own name-, a' name then and 

 sincc,"both in history ami romance, so proudly mentioned in 

 discoveries ami war! thai In.- followers, knowing the daring 

 in.) purity of their commander, compared the dashing 

 water.-, fresh from Ihesuow banks of the Sierra?, to the in- 

 trepid scoul that fulfilled every mission, led them from dan- 

 gers, and halted ou ly when ready to quench their thirst from 

 the cooHnewaters of the Carson. 



Walker River has itB source in the Sierra Nevada Moun- 

 tains. Her several brandies after leaving California run 

 through Esmeralda couutv. where the main Walker forms 

 and empties into Walker Lake. The liver t, , ok its name 

 from an old mountaineer ami trapper, who. as earh a.- 1844, 

 had penetrated these mountain fastnesses, set his traps 

 along the river hearing hi- name,. traversed theadjace.nl 

 valleys, little flunking the "toll road fiend" would at some 

 future day demand tribute, or the "Bailroad Gazetteer" 

 would ind'ex •■Railroad Crossings of the Walker." 



Thesefovu 1 comprise the main rivers, d I may no! mention 

 Reese River, whose Boating palaces and ferryboats having' 

 been hauled off and placed on ill. dry dock to give way to 

 the iron horse, are now in a slate of majestic decay, while 



their human freight, the "Pioneers of L8B3."look from their 

 prosperous city in the Toyabe range with as much delight, 

 upon thi- historic river, as did the Israelites upon Jordan, 

 or De Soto when be first gazed upon the Father of Waters. 



The Hue, i, ran. he- oi the Owybe uniting in Idaho rise in 

 Elko county, as -well as the Bresunftan, one of the tributaries 

 of Snake River; these How northerly into and through the 

 Columbia, discharging their waters into the Pacific 



On our southeastern border we have the ( .dorado -killing 

 the boundarv nf I. iiir-.Mii county for abflul 135 mil.-. In 

 ihis county the Muddy. Vega- and Rio Virgin Have their 

 rise, (low south and empty into the Colorado. Tin Anna- 

 gosa rises in Nye county, Hows' southerly and wastes her 



water.- in tin- lap of Death Y.dl.\ None of ihese river-. 

 other than the Humboldt and Colorado, receive any consid- 

 erable tributaries from Nevada. The an-a I -all. ml re and 

 boras deposits found easi and north of the Forty-mile 1'. sort 

 a.e within the territory receiving the waters of the Carson 

 and Huiniiei.it rivers 



lietv the absorption and evaporation is sogreat thai during 

 the fall months but little oi the targe rolume of water car 

 tied down these rivers can be seen Enough, however, and 

 its saline character has fustified me in stocking them with 

 salmon, believing the -;dt wat.-i require. i by these fish will 

 here be found. In the Maggie. M o\ and Pine creeks, the 

 principal tributaries of the iluiui.oldi in Nevada, are found 

 the best qua i it-, or finest flavored trout. Tfiesamemuj be 

 said of the trout in the Humboldt, These fish, from one 

 half to six pounds in weight, in color and shape resemble 

 more the speckled trout of Northern Pennsylvania, or from 



-trcain- Mowing into the Sti-ipn hanna ihan am of the Sev- 

 eral speoies west of the Rocky Mountain-. A more warlike 

 '•biter" cannot be found, and the beautiful valleys and wild 

 mountain gorges through which these stream- course make 

 a day's angling most enjoyable. A more choice repast can- 

 not i)<! served than from those delicious, while-flaked, firm 

 trout, sure to be ready for the "pan" when the evening 

 camp tire is lighted. 



Among the most peculiar and leas) known fish of Nevada 

 is the "Gauewe," native of and found only in Pyramid and 

 Winnemucca Lakes. This fish belongs to the sucker per* 



masioli. avelaging about four pounds, and w hen first caught 



and properly cooked is not unlike our Lake suckers, but after 

 remaining out of water for four or five boms it is worthless 

 forfood. During the. month of March, the only season of 

 the year when these fish are seen, large numbers are taken 

 and cured by the Indians. It is at this time oi the year thai 

 one of the natives' holidays is most observed. Indian- of all 

 ages pa ticipatu in this required duly, made traditional by 

 the yearly reunions of their forefathers 



In 1877 it was mv sood fortune to nave the opportunity of 

 introduoimriuio the Nevada Legislatures bill creating a Fish 

 Commission, stocking- the waters with lish, and to provide a 

 fund for the purpose of ..airs big out the provisions of the 

 measure. The Governor signed the bill, audio punish im- 

 for Introducing -ueh a measure, appointed lne Fish C.iii- 



uii— ; on.i. without salary, or the hope -Pr expectation of fee 

 or rewind. 

 One thousand dollars w as appropriated, ami lor this sum 1 



Was enabled lo make such favorable report- that at the next 



session of 1870 four thousand dollars was appropriated, and 



-ion of 1881 two thousand more was granted for 



three thousand has been expended, over one I 

 eighty plants have been made, besides a haiehii 

 beeu furnished, lish can- purchased and nearly 

 fish have been hatched and distributed. Bo 

 hatched only McCloud River salmon, Met loud 

 land-locked Salmon trout Maine, and uieea-tern 



While this small expenditure would seej i 



little work in the interest intended to be bench 

 be remembered that whil. 



iou-e ha- 

 (- million 

 r I have 

 .- r trout, 

 .ok trout. 

 icale but 



I. it must 



. Eri 



the 



peculiar, hei 



ce ex 



.-■in 



eats h 



had to 



d to be made, a 

 be unaided agaii 



id in do 



so failure- a 





akes 





Other St a 

 large appro] 



Stock, bring 



es, h 

 jriatio 



fj] the 



liva 



,1 thot 



ry and 



1 fish commi-s 

 -aniU of tailes 

 combined energ 



of rivers 

 v from H 



various sect 



Large and i 



readable and 

 the. most not 

 ■ 'ill. by the. v.- 



it real 



hchel 



lo ll 



cial 



in ll 



inform 

 reat mi 



investigation o 

 are compiled, a 

 ■ lion derived fro 

 ■k iS the bi netil 

 nlicis of supcrio 



the w. 

 i<l the n 

 nthem; 



ll.ule ap| 



i- food lis 



brought within ihe reach of neativ all our people. Believ- 

 ing 'I belter to "go slow than make mi-lake-." 1 have eon- 

 lined the planting of Nevada streams, ..th.-r Kuan tie- several 



kinds ot trout heretofore mentioned, will, < aiiM, and perch. 

 QUI ■ mndih -treatii- -e.-ming li. invit- this, haraei, r . a fish, 



Mosl iii-.-iiil"\ imr results have been observed. Reports from 

 u-aih every plant are at hand, and ihe increase and general 

 healthy character of the young lish assures me thai in every 

 instance I was in nowise mistaken a- to the nature of the 

 water and the adaptaoility of ti.-h Introduned. 



i'i>< most destructive element to fish in Novaaa so fai is 

 the great quantity of sawdust- annually discharged unto the 

 Car-on and Truc'kee rivers. There being no effective law td 

 pecvebt it, all attempts at remedj have proved futile, and 



until -onieslioiig reciprocal laws between California and 

 Nevada can lie ad.,) I and enforced, no relief :,•,-.„ i|,i- 



practice can be hoped for. The large amount of capital in 

 vested in the manufacture of lumber will hardly give way to 

 the comparatively insignificant revenue m employment 

 derived from-the fish busmess, heme wiihout kindle oon- 

 tfderate protection hy the lumber interest in the absents of 



ne.ded laws we imi-'t e.vpeel in-tead of an incn-a-e a gradual 



diminution in the rivers above named am; their tributaries, 

 From the poisonous substances used u) quarts mills on the 



tipperCars nmii injurv must re.-uit. particularly to the 



young fish, as the spawning bed- are in this locality, tint as it 

 is within the bounaan of California, ihe Fi-h Commissioner 



of Nevada i- pow.rlo-'s in suppressing the evil and can onlv 



ivpo.-i ii- existence Other than this no complaints against 

 deleterious substances have been made. 



'I 'he fragmentary remain- of a Chinaman found on the iliim 

 boidi River, and considered unfit by his countrymen to ship 

 'othc Flowery Kingdom, together with the fact of dead fish 

 Boating near hy, and exploded giant powder cartridges scat- 

 tered about, evidenced the Celestial's merited death. Had 

 our Chief Magistrate witnessed this vrblatipn of sagebrush law 



by one of hi- Cabinet advi-.-r-. he probably would have. 



placed his John Hancock toa different and 'more popular 



document than his late vein message. Ill hk Q, PARKER. 



nd quicker judgment than the capture, of a dozen bass. I 

 lave 'east' my line in some of the clear, rippling streams of 

 he West peopled' With game fish moving through their 

 rystal waters, or, anon, ru-hing as it On the wing- of the 

 Find in some .hep, dark and -h-idv pool, and the sight of 

 - they darted hilher andttii'her ' 



earl to expaud and glow with confident 



. ports 



. half do 



spet 



sport- 



lalion 





apanying.il bin little of tl 



-11 



h r.,,1--.. eflicictit in the 



\- 



ain. 1 have ,„.-„„. Va-I.- 



Ti 



mi ->ei--i hat secluded mo 



At 



lerioa and the Eden of 



tn 



Iv lo g'adden the honndin 



V\ 



jlton. 'jocund dav stands 



t(.| 



.' and where, in drinking 



fir 



:.uliliuie and awe inspirin 



•turning'' one to five 



.ei. But the beautiful 

 uld have been of little 

 line;in fa :t, there is at 



ihel'llalia wMeii renders 



..i practical fishermen 



p.-aih streams of East 

 land, tin- Italy of North 

 nny southland — where, 

 of the disciple of 1/aak 

 on the misty mountain 

 beauties of nature and 

 "eh breaks upon 

 i exclaim, with 

 ict of hi.- being 

 nn beloved 



etl t 



•ote i i 



lll'.l 11"! : 



etc., was uol an Last I enne— can and hud never even 

 that enchanted land, as I haveuone— nevt 

 .- upon lh. denizen- of her gloriously beautiful streams 

 •eflect back to heaven the mviiad ravsof -unlight fall- 

 in i leir rippling surfaces, as I have doni . Hut 1 imagine 



was ever taken from with a rod. however "a-sthclic" 

 portions, which was so sadly wantiug in tin 

 •- to .. complete trout rod as the c 

 l thank you for your highly appreciated gift— naked 



Very respectfully— Alvts Hawkins.-" *" J. D. JJ. 



THE GOVERNOR RESPONDS. 



OOME time ago I wrote that Col. Geo. F. Ak.-r- bad re- 



sighed hi- position a- Fish Commissioner for Middle 

 Tennessee, but had never learned who of the mam a.-piranls 

 for the position had been honored with ii until I -aw the fol- 

 lowing letter, which has been published: 



"jSTasuvii.i.i;. Augu-i 86.— Dear Sir: Gov. Hawkins did 

 n.e the honor lo appoint me Fish Coniiui-ioner, and having 

 learned that vottr highest aspiration in regard to fishing is to 

 vank out by main strength and awkwardness a slimi catfish 

 from one of the sluggish muddy stream- of W.-t Tennessee. 

 I. preaching a higher gospel of'piscatorial art. send you the 

 accompuning fishing-rod, trusting that its aesthetic propor- 

 tions may teach you that then, is something- better than cat 

 fish fishing, add that when yon have once landed a game 



black bass, that von will emerge from the -lime and become 



a respectable fisherman, v,,,,,-- truly, Ki.wun. I). Hi. i». " 



Whether the niwv ,.-on,iui-sioi,er will lie as energel ie as his 



predecesiior time alone will -how. That he is an ardent 

 li-heiiuan and partial to the game varieties his own words 



aw .-i identic 1 

 Catfish in the waters <<( Tennessee other than Reelfqoi 



j.aki have alway- heel, cla-ed with ihe gam,.- varieties, 

 affording, according l'< piscatorial critic-, tpiiie a- Bltli h 

 -port to "the angler as ih.-ba-s. though prol.alilv the li-l,mg 



-rouuds of our illustrious Governor have nol been frequented 

 by those gentlemen; and hence they know but little oi the 

 breed of cats which require lite yanking process to gel them 

 out oi ihe water. .Now. however, that a prominent member 



of ihe Wisconsin Angling Club, a leading spirit iii the Cum 



lierlaud Angling t lull and a noted breeder of Devon Qflttle, 

 has assumed command of the non-lucrative bin important 

 olliee Ihe li.nernor mav l.eenln it lo quit hi- coarser modes 

 ofanglingiind in the future adopl the 10-oz. bamboo, -ilk 

 line and reel, and forever abandon ihe uii.-p.iflsiiian like 



taekl.- hitherto lised by him. 



(.tube a large party have been to the Collin- River lately, 

 and there had splendid sport, annoying the unaccommpdat 

 tug landlord of t ' lisp's Springs by camping" out near hi- 

 grounds, and tilling hi- tavern wi"th the ooois of savory 

 fishes, COOked bv. xo.:rl- taken from tliecily. Ibabuo.-i 

 felt like conde-irndiug to have hi.- rigid rule.- ..lioul cooking 



fi-li laid aside, but the campers told him to condescend it he 

 pleased, but they counselled to the contrary, as hit eonvei 

 -ion to civility had been too slow in coming, and that in the 

 future hi- former guests, like themselves, would lake the 



(ented field for their abode in preference to hi- inhospitable 



hoslebv. 



The fatuous catfish eater 1 wrote you about -ome time 

 -inc.-. is at present in training for a grand oyster feed, as 

 soon as the weather geU cooler and the bivalves cheaper, 

 lie will attempt ihe' no very easy task of eonsumiug 134 

 ov.-i.ei- between the hours of 6 A. M. and (i P. M„ every day 

 for one month, reserving for himself the pri\ ilegc of having 



against his pledge to eat a peek of the oyster shells in default 

 Of accomplishing the leal. 



Andy Headers will furnish the ov-ter-. and as he i.- confi- 

 dent that the champion lish eater e.-in get a'.vav with the 3,720 



men, and your old contributor, to » -upper on the evonin >. at 

 the 30th day, al which the boss eater will Consume one hun- 

 dred additional oyster- and six quail on loa.-t a- n finish up 

 of the wager. 

 I.iitcr.— The Govt nun lias responded to tihe letter of Mr. 



Hicks, as follow-: 



- Km-;, . rrra Omul, N.\-ii\ n.i.i:. Tian., Aug. ii 1882. 



EJ, It. Hick-. Esq., City.— Dear Sir: Your note of this in- 

 -taut and trout roil referred to have been received. The rod 

 is indeed a beauty, and permit me to return nij lhafiks 

 for ihe same, ami to assure you it will never be us d 

 lo me o. M"'k Slimy catfish from the slugg-i.-h. until. ly 

 BtrcamSOl \V.--I Tenne-e,-.' I regret Hial being- a li-liei-- 



man yob are ool betl ir informed as to the nature of the 



streams in thai seotio ' the Mat -. and the oharactier oi (he 



Hsh found therein, As W the character of these itreams, 



particularly in Carroll county, nil home, see Mr. Killeerew s 

 dte-o-.ire-'an.l .« .h anlages o| \V,--t i ,•„„.-,-.-.' page IN.) 



1 also regret thai you have been so woefully misled as to the 

 nature an I ext.ni of mv piscatorial aspirations. My expen 

 .1, ee in the delightful pastime of angling has not bi en con- 

 fined I" what von de filiate -the nuiildv. sluggish streams 



of We.-l Tenne-ee.' though even there We have a lish winch 

 ib 'gamer' than any black bassthai ever 'rose to a fly-,' 

 and to laud one of 'which requires more -kill, steadier nerve-. 



MISSISSIPPI COAST FISHING. 



I HAVE fished al Alexandria Bay, Lake George and many 

 of our We.-i Mississippi lake-, and have read of your 

 Northwestern fishing in Forest ,\ni> Strkav. but. aone do 

 I think can compare with tin- eoa-l fishiug of South Missis- 

 sippi, both for varietv and quantilv. Dr. I.ewi- and Col. 

 Polluck, Of Greensville, JCbs , Commodore ilan-ing, of New 



Orleans, l.a. 

 Wim.n.i. Mr- 

 I.-laud (a (list: 



Captain 

 left tin 



T. Lay 



Montross 

 liles) . 



■h a pleasant plat 

 rers of fishing would ever find time 

 dk- and drive- are magnificent, hi 

 light fttl .-en breeze and the pfirpefut 

 -iii- to have been built up in a grove 



flows. 



he morning of the SOHl 



Earl 

 tgal Uttle 



vitul. Ri 



(I son. Ii. M. I.av of 

 rase. Biloxi, for ship 

 -on the 20th of July. 



a that only the true 

 for such sport. The 

 th on account of tin- 

 i -hade, for the town 



of large live oaks antl 

 ■ left the piers in a 



Ihe" Mary, and had onlv 

 he.i Ship Island at eleven, and in b 

 we wen on tin- Government piers with bail 

 For the fli-st fifteen minutes we had very little 

 menl. We could nol understand why shrimp- 

 nol -uit them, but soon we found thai it did please the 

 " ml hlucush. After they began to bite 



ilerabli 

 • 1 1" an f.oi.i 

 ind tat kit . 

 encourage 



t get tl 



, otT fast i 



llg bill linllM 



One of 

 oulv on 



a lookei 



igh, all hough Wfi had one 



them. 



•r iu water fortj feel deep 



irat we eaughl i.lueli-h. 

 ad and a halt. Next the 

 ind until we left. They 

 \\ w. n not expecting 

 deep as we wen fish 



eiioitsly , too, average 

 i- lost and two rods 



'ihei a largt bamboo, 



ighlg rod 

 fommudori:'- 1 i he 



a times all fdui of us had a fish at the same lime. The 



tghed from t 

 ckerel to bit' 

 ; in, but Hc- 



li. I, and coiiti 

 to li\. pound.-. 

 especially in water 

 lid bite, and very 



li: 



r ptu 



atti 



i was in i. is little yawl 



illy 10 pill the fish in a- 

 to pull lilt " 



nd had his li-k ear along- 



:asl a- possible, \\'< did not 



.n the pi.r as they wvr.; too 



5 on top of tin water to our 



i taking them oil. lie never 



i line in Ills baud. While 



t0 the top of the 



more, alter their 



had in hi- mouth. Wo decided that 



and al three ..', look we. began lo gol 



id a< tin 



Olllleil ill! 



boatman who was well s. 



lost a fish after -onci getl 



lirinj.- oar "trout" dow n 

 water, we usi 

 brother or tin 

 we bad taken 

 ihingsinlotl) 



While we. W( re get line oi 

 ot n "jack tish" ilioted "for their Strength ai 

 almost catch proof); but the Doctor was fori .i 

 : ■ I.:.m a n.el with one huudred yards of v 

 linc. We could see tin lish In the clear blue \ 

 Smaller one.- a- liicv darted out of his way a- h 

 ing toward them, for the water was alive witi 

 all kinds. It took the Doctor twenty rninui 



icketH iu Dr, Lewis 



got hold 



insidercd 



enough 



mall -ilk 

 and lie- 

 ie charg- 

 .11 tish of 

 tire it. 



down, anil then all the skin was off his thumb and fore- 

 linger, where the line hud run under as it came oil" his reel. 

 1 had never seen such a strong fish before, ll weighed about 

 thirty- pounds. That wound up the day's fishing. Going 

 home we were caught in t wo squalls, and'wheu within about 

 one mile of the -hore we were eaughl in a dead calm. The 



Commodore and i >r. i.' wi$ 1 



eje pul in iiie vawi and --. at 



ashore with the mackerel lo 1 



e broiled for our supper-. 



\, lengfii a -mall breeze - 



.rang up, and we reached our 



Starting place. There was a 



arse crowd to meet ns. having' 



heard of our success* The 



ii-h ear WHS (.idled OUt and 



rolled down lo Hie end of 



ihe pier; lie- ii-h Well- then 



counted, and were a- follows 



s:; "n- .' oi Spanish taack- 



del. :»! blueti-h. and a niimbi 



r of -uialler Jish oi I ■■-- not! 



After giving our hotel .- mg 



IV as ll Waned, w, gave till 



Others to any who wanted the 



n. As soon a- we had washed 



and changed our drc-s. sttppe 



was annum, eeil. ami von who 



have becu fishing- or hunting ; 



11 dav Willi uOthlUg . -ai ex- 



c.-pt a -.., all snack, can imagi 



ic how we enjoyed our broiled 



mackerel. cookciI exactly lo 



our taste, and the Monlro.-s 



llou-ei- lam. m- lor fixing li- 



i - 1 even the most fastidi- 



on- .an gi-uinbl.-. 1 never h: 



i. visited Shaiidalicr Islands. 



In. t am told thai the li-hing 



~ lietier than at Ship island, 



i-pi-i ially for red fish. 



B. M. L. 



Mao Rivkb.— Greenborough. N. V.. S-pt l - frouting 

 on the Mad River for the week just, passed ha- been poor, the 

 river and it- branches being very low. Parties catching 

 many thousands for fishstock farm- hav, done a groat deal 

 i,,w aid the poor luck on this pretty little river. — W II. R. 



Eeraember if vou wish to buy a fine gno and save tuouey, go to C. 

 L. Rt'fZMANN,'!U3 Broadway. New XorJ 



