THE OREGON SPORTSMAN 97 



Rogue river which we catch in the fall with a fly are the same 

 fellows who visit our northern streams in January and February, 

 or, if not the same fish, then at least of the same family. True 

 they are all of the genus sal mo gairdneri. True the}' are all steel- 

 head trout. But I cling nevertheless to the fancy — if it must be 

 called such — that the trout of the Rogue are the finest, the 

 gamest, the best trout in the Pacific Northwest. 



Along toward the end of December, and in greater abund- 

 ance during January, the steelheads of our northern waters 

 ascend the many tributaries of the Columbia and the coast 

 streams. At this time very fine specimens are taken from the 

 Sandy river, Bull Run creek, Beaver creek, Clatskanine river, 



Angling- in the Rog*ue River. 



Hood river, Nehalem river, Salmon creek, etc., in Oregon, and 

 from the Klickitat, White Salmon, Washougal, Lewis, Cowlitz, 

 and many other rivers and creeks in Washington. 



In these streams and at this season the fish, for some inex- 

 plicable reason, readily strike a bait of fresh salmon eggs. For 

 this fishing a short, light casting rod with free running reel is 

 used, and the bait — a luscious chunk of roe probably half as 

 large as a man's thumb — is tied onto a number two or three hook 

 with red thread. 



Why the fish take this lure remains an enigma. They are 

 evidently not feeding. This is apparent from the condition of 

 their stomachs, which are absolutely empty and have contracted 



