THE OREGON SPORTSMAN 



RIVERS AND STREAMS OF OREGON 



With Some Descriptions of the Country, Fish and Fishing— Part 9 



By JOHN GILL 



THE KLAMATH RIVER 



The Klamath is a long way off — six hundred miles by rail 

 from Portland — yet many of our sportsmen go thither. To its 

 famous waters sportsmen come from far and near — some from 

 over the Atlantic — and all say the Klamath trout are the giants 

 of their tribe. In three hours, at the head of Link river, I have 

 seen in the air more big trout than altogether in my life time 

 elsewhere. But they were blind to fly and spoon. They were 

 leaping madly because infested with leeches which attack the 

 trout when feeding in the tules on the minnows. 



For real fishing one goes up the Upper lake to Williamson, 

 Sprague river or Spring creek. I have many tracings of trout as 

 big as fair-sized salmon — six, eight, even ten pounders, and more, 

 caught in Williamson river with the fly. 



Take the stoutest tackle you own when you go to the 

 Klamath. 



Other eastern Oregon waters of importance are the Wallowa 

 and its tributary stream, the Minam, in the northeast corner of 

 the state. A wilder region than that of the Minam I have not 

 seen — not a dwelling on its course of fifty miles in my time. 



The Wallowa rises in the Wallowa lake and flows from it a 

 big river. The lake itself is at the foot of grand mountains out 

 of which many streams pour to unite in the river. Above the 

 lake these wild torrents are almost inaccessible. There is good 

 fishing in the lake and in the river, Joseph being conveniently near 

 as a comfortable base. Bear creek, Middle fork and Hurricane 

 creek are all splendid streams coming in from the south side and 

 conviently reached from Enterprise or Wallowa, where accom- 

 modations are first rate. The mountain scenery of the Wallowa 

 is second to none on the coast and its rivers are purity complete. 



Fag*e sixteen 



