THE OREGON SPORTSMAN 265 
OREGON UTILITY FISHING WATERS 
By ALLEN T. GRIBBLE, in American Angler. 
HILE for the hunter nature was providing so many protected 
WV places and natural haunts for the home of our wild game, one 
might have formed the impression that the lovers of rod and 
reel were being slightly overlooked. But a glance at a map of the 
world shows us that the largest part has been set aside for inhabitants 
that dwell under the surface of aquapura, 
‘Oregon, the land of plenty,’’ is a good slogan suitably adapted, 
and a bona-fide statement, when it comes to speaking of fishing waters. 
This state is located centrally on the extreme western shore of 
Uncle Sam’s great domain. It is bounded on the north by our northwest 
corner state, and on the south by our southwest corner state; lying 
between the two it has a coast line of about three hundred miles, and 
a strip of land approximately the same width extending eastward into 
the interior a distance of three hundred and fifty miles. Within this 
area there are no less than sixty rivers, forty lakes and two hundred 
and fifty named creeks that will stand the stamp of approval as first 
class fishing waters, 
If one should interview a number of anglers that have fished the 
different waters of the state, and ask them individually to name the 
best fishing water in Oregon, each would perhaps name a different lake, 
river or creek, and have a good strong argument in favor of the same. | 
If it were in regard to the best fishing for a stated time of the 
season, or for a certain species of trout or salmon, it would be an easier 
matter to name a suitable water. 
Supposing that we have obtained one of the néw combination rods, 
that to a certain extent can successfully be used on all occasions, we will 
endeavor to seek a stream, on which to use the newly acquired four-in- 
one combination in practically all its transformations, viz., fly casting, 
bait casting, still fishing or trolling. 
Nearing the state’s population center. brings us well up into the 
northwestern part of the state. Here there are a greater number of 
anglers and less unfished waters than in the sparsely settled districts. 
The drainage system of this part is centered by Mt. Hood, the 
ever white-capped sentinel of the Pacific, its peak towering over eleven 
thousand feet above Balboa’s discovery, and is ever inviting to those 
who love the exhilarating sport of scaling the steep slopes of ice and 
snow. 
In this district a majority of the streams head around or near the 
base of this peak, and flow in every direction that the wind ever blew, 
but eventually they all westward flow to the calm Pacific, and mingle 
as one body. There giving life, food and home to the salt water fishes, 
when but a few hours previous they had been supplying the identical 
elements for several varieties of trout and other fishes which are found 
in the Pacific Coast streams. 
As one of this state’s utility streams I will refer to one which heads 
well up in the Coast Range mountains northwest of Portland. It flows 
through a heavy timbered region for probably fifty miles, and nearly 
the same distance through open country and a fertile valley, finally 
making a semicircle it starts back in the direction from which it heads, 
but is soon stopped attempting a circle by emptying into a funnel- 
shaped bay that bears the same name as the stream, ‘‘The Nehalem.’’ 
To attempt estimating how many fish have been taken annually 
