Transcriber’s Note
The punctuation and spelling from the original text have been faithfully preserved. Only obvioustypographical errors have been corrected.
FISHING
IN
BRITISH COLUMBIA.
WITH A CHAPTER ON TUNA FISHING
AT SANTA CATALINA.
BY
T.W. LAMBERT,
M.A., M.B., B.C. (Cantab.); M.R.C.S., L.R.C.P. (London).
Late Surgeon to the Western Division, Canadian
Pacific Railway Company.
London:
HORACE COX,
"FIELD" OFFICE, WINDSOR HOUSE, BREAM'S
BUILDINGS, E.C.
1907.
LONDON:
PRINTED BY HORACE COX, "FIELD" OFFICE, WINDSOR HOUSE,
BREAM'S BUILDINGS, E.C.
The Author hopes that this book may prove of some interest to anglers bygiving a short account of the fishing which is to be obtained in a partof the world hitherto little exploited, and well worthy of betteracquaintance.
British Columbia only became fairly easy of access after the completionof the Canadian Pacific Railway in 1887, which placed it within twoweeks' journey from London. Before that time it was cut off by theimmense prairies of the north-west of Canada, and could only be reachedby a long journey round Cape Horn or over the Isthmus of Panama. Sincethe date given, however, a new era has dawned for the country, and allthe southern part of it has been opened up by railways. Thus its watershave been rendered easy of access to any fisherman willing to try them.The position of the country on the map resembles that of Norway andSweden in Europe, and the general resemblance is borne out by thefeatures of both countries. Each possesses a deeply indented coast lineand a wealth of pine forests, lakes, and rivers. But the climate ofBritish Columbia is much milder; the valleys are richer in soil, themountains in precious metals, and the waters are inhabited by differentspecies of fish. And whereas the Scandinavian peninsula has some tenmillions of people, British Columbia supports as yet but one hundredthousand of population, including Indians.
It is without doubt a country of great possibilities. The summer climateof the southern central plateau is very bracing and dry, resembling thatof the southern Californian winter; while the winter climate of thecoast is like Devonshire. Game, both large and small, is still plentifulin the south, while the northern part is one of the best big gamedistricts of the world.
British Columbia is the home of the rainbow trout, which flourishes inall its rivers and lakes to the furthest north, and spreads southwardsinto the neighbouring Pacific states, where it has, however, to competewith another species, the cut-throat trout. The eastern limit of therainbow is the Rocky Mountain range.
The chief purpose of this book is to give some idea of the habits andpeculiarities of the rainbow, and the sport which it affords in itsnative haunts. The author spent some twelve years in the interior of thecountry, and has fished a great many of its numberless lakes andstreams, so he may claim to write from practical experience. But hewrites also with the hope that perhaps someone more competent may in thefuture publish a complete history of this most interesting fish, andsolve some of the problems which are here but alluded to. For there isample scope in these almost virgin waters for both the naturalist andthe fisherman, to whom these notes may perhaps serve as t