28 
BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 
CELILO. 
Mr. A. B. Alexander was directed by the Commissioner to visit Celilo, Oreg., for 
the purpose of watching the daily catch of fish taken there in wheels. He arrived 
there September 17 and remained till September 23. His report is in substance as 
follows : 
Only one wheel was in operation September 17. Two others close by were not 
running, owing to low water. It was expected to pack 4,000 cases, but by September 
23 less than 1,000 cases had been packed. The fall run of salmon was very light in 
nearly all parts of the river. The accompanying table will show the daily catch for 
one wheel, with their condition, etc. : 
Steelhead. 
Chinook (all caught 
in wheel). 
Silver 
(all caught 
. wheel) . 
Date. 
Total catch. 
Number of males. 
Males nearly ripe. 
Number of females. 
Females nearly ripe. 
Caught in wheels. 
| 
Total catch. 
Number of males. | 
Males nearly ripe. | 
Number of females. J 
Females nearly ripe. | 
Total catch. 
Number of males. | 
Males nearly ripe. 
Number of females. | 
Females nearly ripe. 
1896. 
Sept. 18 
235 
Ill 
10 
124 
15 
160 
75 
28 
19 
10 
9 
9 
6 
5 
2 
1 
0 
19 
240 
130 
28 
110 
22 
180 
60 
18 
g 
5 
10 
6 
g 
i 6 
4 
2 
1 
21 
487 
121 
29 
366 
98 
192 
295 
53 
18 
11 
35 
26 
! 22 
9 
7 
13 
8 
22 
550 
159 
59 
391 
164 
350 
200 
20 
12 
8 
8 
6 
19 
11 
8 
8 
6 
Total . 
1, 512 
521 
126 
991 
299 
882 
630. 
119 
57 
34 
62 
47 
1 55 
1 31 
1 . 
21 
24 
15 
Among the 119 Chinooks, 13 were small males, with their milt as fully developed as 
that of the large fish. The wheels sometimes take these fish in considerable numbers. 
The Indians prize them highly and seldom offer one for sale. Those examined were 
quite uniform in size, few weighing over 4J pounds, the minimum being about 3 
pounds. In length they vary from 12£ to 23 inches. Their color is very dark, the spots 
not being visible a distance of 10 feet. On closer inspection all the marks of a large 
chinook are visible. Fishermen usually do not class this fish with the Chinook, but 
think it a different species. 
The chinooks taken in the fall of 1896 at Celilo were said to be somewhat larger 
than those for several years past, the average weight being 20 pounds ; average length, 
37 inches; greatest length, 43 inches. The average was about 1 pound larger than the 
usual fall run, and 1 pound less than the spring fish. 
The steelhead varied in length from 25 to 42 inches, the average weight of those 
taken at Celilo being 18 pounds. A few weighed from 35 to 37 pounds. On first 
coming from the water the steelhead is very bright-colored, the large specimens 
having a bright stripe extending along the sides the whole length of the body, vary- 
ing from a light pink to a deep bronze. The colors are very pronounced when the fisb 
is first caught, but grow dim on being exposed to the air. 
Silver salmon are from 18 to 30 inches long; their average weight is 7 pounds. 
Early in the fall Seufert Bros, operated three wheels, but two of them could not 
be run after the river had fallen. Mr. Taffe’s wheel was adapted to low water. An 
island lying between Celilo and Tumwater is exposed when the river is low, the 
