FISHING IN SOUTHERN WASHINGTON. 



M. F. JAMAR, JR. 



One of the most enjoyable trips I ever 

 had was in company with J , an old col- 

 lege chum and an ardent angler. We had 



determined to make the trip from V , 



on the North bank of the Columbia, to 

 Lewis river, a distance of 40 miles on our 

 wheels. 



One April morning we set out ; our blank- 

 ets strapped to our handle bars, our rods 

 to the frame, and our provisions to our 

 backs. For a few miles the road was ex- 

 cellent, but after entering the dense forest, 

 with which all Southern Washington is cov- 

 ered, it became quite muddy, and we could 

 make only about 6 miles an hour. After 

 10 miles of this hard pedaling, we again 

 emerged into the open country. Here and 

 there along the road we passed a log house, 

 occasionally a frame one, surrounded by 

 blooming apple, peach and prune trees. 



We then began the ascent of the water- 

 shed between the Columbia river and Lewis 

 river. The latter finally breaks through 

 the range and joins the Columbia. An 

 hour's hard riding took us to the sum- 

 mit, and we were soon spinning across the 

 bridge which spans Lewis river at Louis- 

 ville. 



We followed the road up the river for a 

 mile, and taking a wood road, soon found 

 ourselves on the bank of the Lewis ; a 

 river in name only, where we were, for 

 there it was but a mountain stream. Be- 

 fore fishing we ate our lunch and prepared 

 everything, so that on our return at dark 

 we would be in readiness for supper, and 

 would not have to grope in the dark for 

 wood and bedding. 



After putting on our wading togs and 

 gathering a supply of periwinkles, the best 

 bait for trout in early spring, we began 

 fishing. With varying success we worked 

 our way down stream, taking alternate 

 ripples ; each succeeding in catching about 10 

 trout to the ripple, varying in length from 8 

 to 19 inches. We stopped 2 miles down 

 stream to compare catches. I found, to my 

 delight, that I had the most fish, as well 

 as the largest. I had 27 ; my companion, 29. 



It was then 5 o'clock, and having as many 

 fish as we cared to clean that evening, we 

 decided to go a little farther down to a 

 large deep pool, and have a swim. As we 

 came out from our last plunge, J — sud- 

 denly exclaimed : "What a whopper !" 

 Turning, I got a glimpse of a silvery flash 

 near a clump of overhanging bushes, a 

 little down stream from where we were, 

 on the other side of the pool. A big trout 

 evidently lay in hiding there. It was, how- 

 ever, impossible to drop a fly near the 



clump from our side of the stream. Trust- 

 ing to find a ledge projecting into the water 

 from the cliff on the other side, J — seized 

 his pole and swam across. Cautiously feel- 

 ing his way, he proceeded down stream to 

 the place where the trout had risen. Luck- 

 ily he found a footing when about 30 feet 

 from the clump ; and, grasping a bunch of 

 ferns on the side of the cliff, he made a cast. 

 The bait had not yet touched the water 

 when, with a bright gleam and loud splash, 

 the trout jumped to meet it. Then began 

 a lively battle. Holding the rod in one hand, 

 and grasping the frail support with the 

 other, J — was at considerable disadvan- 

 tage. Had he not been provided with an 

 automatic reel, the fish would have never 

 been added to his catch. As it was, after 

 repeated rushes it became completely 

 wearied. Still keeping the line taut J — 

 swam back to where I was standing, and 

 landed his prize. It was one of the largest 

 trout I have ever seen, measuring 23 inches. 



Returning to camp, well satisfied with 

 our day's sport, we cooked some of the 

 smaller fish for supper ; the larger ones we 

 salted and packed in wet fern leaves. Then 

 placing 2 big logs on the fire, we sought our 

 blankets and fell asleep. 



On awakening the next morning we 

 hastily prepared breakfast, and putting up 

 a lunch, set out. We regained the road and 

 followed it 5 miles, then cut through the 

 woods back to the stream, intending to fish 

 down the stream to camp. In a sheet of 

 still water we gathered a good supply of 

 periwinkles. 



The trout were fairly ravenous, 6 or 8 

 'sometimes striking at the flies at the same 

 time. It was a frequent occurrence to hook 

 2 at one cast ; and now and then we 

 would find 3, one on each hook. When we 

 stopped for lunch at noon our baskets were 

 nearly filled. To make room for more, We 

 cleaned our catch, and found we had be- 

 tween us 55 trout, from 8 to 16 inches in 

 length. 



On resuming our fishing we found the 

 trout were not biting so well as in the 

 morning, but still we had fair luck. As 

 we neared camp, my hopes for a bigger fish 

 than my friend had captured began to 

 dwindle. It happened, however, the last 

 ripple fell to me. J — sat on the bank 

 Svatching. At that point the stream was 

 exceedingly swift, and it was difficult to 

 get a firm footing. The channel was al- 

 most choked with large boulders, between 

 which the water flowed as in a mill race. 



Standing on one of the smaller rocks I 

 dropped my line in the eddy formed in the 



27 



