Bibliography Background About KRIS
THE FISHERIES OF THE VAN DUZEN RIVER
Compiled by Susie Van Kirk April, 1998
Newspaper References
Arcata Union(AU) Arcata, 1886-1995
Daily Humboldt Times (DHT ) Eureka, 1874-1967 [Times Standard]
Ferndale Enterprise (FE) Ferndale, 1878-present
Humboldt Standard(HS), 1876-1967, Eureka.
Weekly Humboldt Times (WHT) Eureka (HT after daily started]
WHT (9 June 1877) Rohnerville, June 4, 1877, Editor Times--
...Indians, said to be from Hoopa, are fishing in Van Duzen, not far from the bridge. They are successful and the salmon trout they catch are a splendid fish, fat and in fine condition.
WHT (11 Aug. 1877) Rohnerville, August 6, 1877, Editor Times--
...More than one hundred large sturgeon have been killed in one deep place in Eel River, near the mouth of Van Duzen, in the last month...
HT (17 July 1880) Pleasure Resort--One of the most delightful pleasure resorts in Humboldt county is to be found at Samuel Strong's place on the Van Duzen river, about ten miles beyond Hydesville...Game and fish can be had in abundance.
HT (23 July 1881) Fishing--Good fishing is reported in trout streams throughout the county...Reports from some places on the Van Duzen state that sport there is fair, while Eel river does not seem to contain any fish this season...
DHT (7 April 1883) From the Rohnerville Herald--...Jas. Smith caught a sturgeon in the Van Duzen which weighed 125 pounds and was 6 feet 2 inches long.
AU (13 April 1895) ...Wm. Huestis, deputy fish commissioner, took about 200 young German trout from the Korbel hatchery to Hydesville, from which place they will be transferred to Yager Creek and planted...
FE (8 Nov. 1895) The Oracle is informed that the upper Eel river and the Van Duzen have been visited by quite a run of fish this fall, owing to the rise in the river from the September rains. These fish have spawned and will help considerably in keeping up the fish supply.
BLA (9 Jan. 1897) Lots of sport is being had in the Yager section by torch-light fishing parties. The fish are secured by means of a spear or gigs, and good catches are made.
FE (15 Nov. 1898) Messrs. Hunt and Fassett, in charge of the government hatchery at Price creek, were in Ferndale yesterday. They report that the hatching outcome of the 4,000,000 salmon eggs received from McCloud river a little more than two months ago was a most satisfactory one, although delay in receipt of the spawn perhaps resulted in some loss. They are now engaged in planting the small fry at different points in Eel river and the Van Duzen, though no other tributaries of the main river have yet received an allotment...
FE (17 May 1904) Salmon have been quite plentiful in Laribee creek this spring.
FE (24 June 1904) Fly fishing in the Van Duzen and Eel rivers is reported good at present. Several of our anglers have already made some fine catches.
FE (27 July 1906) Fly fishing in Eel river near the mouth of the Van Duzen is reported very good this week, and local sportsmen have been making some fine catches.
FE (6 Aug. 1907) Tells of Our Fishing--In the California Promotion Co.'s Magazine for August appears an article on the fishing streams of Humboldt from the pen of George Kellogg of Eureka. From the article, we take the following excerpt:
"South of Humboldt Bay the county is equally as well provided with trout streams. Bear river and the Mattole along the coast, and the Van Duzen, Lawrence creek, Laribee creek, the South Fork of Eel river, and its various branches, all offer the finest of early season sport, while most of them continue to yield fine fish throughout the open season..."
FE (18 Aug. 1916) Forty thousand more young rainbow trout were released in the upper waters of the Van Duzen river a few days ago.
FE (26 Jan. 1917) Scofield Writes of Van Duzen Fish--In response to a letter from H.E. Wilder of Carlotta regarding the large fish taken from the pools on the Van Duzen river above Bridgeville, N.B. Scofield of the Fish and Game Commission has written to Mr. Wilder a letter which will be of interest to all who are familiar with these gamey fish.
Mr. Scofield's theory regarding the fish not eating does not coincide with the experience of local anglers, who have taken them with flies and with preserved spawn. He writes in part as follows:
"We are interested in your account of the trout in the upper Van Duzen and as to the fact that these large trout spawn in the fall and not in the spring like the steelhead. We have not visited the upper Van Duzen but we have had a very good description of the stream and of the large trout from Mr. Adolph Sutro, who sent us one of the fish last September. It is our belief that these trout come in from the sea during the high water of the winter or spring and get caught above the 'falls' and remain over summer and spawn as you say in the fall. We can do no better than quote from our letter to Mr. Sutro:
"In regard to the trout taken by you on September 16, 1916 in a deep hole in the Van Duzen, 12 miles above Bridgeville, we have the following report to make. The trout is a rainbow (Salmo irideus) 24 inches long, measured from the tip of the snout to the tips of the short central rays of the tail fin. According to your examination in dressing the fish, it was a male with the spermaries white and well developed. An examination of the scales under the microscope reveals the following facts: The fish was in its fourth year. Its first two years were spent in the stream, the third year and part of the fourth year were spent in the sea. It no doubt arrived in the Van Duzen during the high water of the spring. After entering the stream it took little or no food and the tissues and fat of the body were drawn upon during the summer to develop the spermaries. This is the same thing that happens with salmon that enter a stream in the spring. The evidence of all this is shown in the scales. In this instance nearly all of the fourth year's growth around the edge of the scales had wasted away, there being only enough of the fourth year left to determine that the beginning of the spring growth took place in the sea. This coincides with the statement of people there that large trout, left during the summer in the deep holes, seldom or never have food in their stomachs. It is certain that the trout you sent us reached its large size in the sea and was able to get above the falls in the Van Duzen during high water. It is remarkable that the spermaries were developed to near maturity. It seems impossible that it could have spawned last spring and be prepared without returning to the sea, to spawn again this winter. We prefer to believe that it was sexually immature when it entered the stream from the sea.
"It is barely possible that if we were to examine more specimens of these large trout that we would find some of them have never been to sea, but that is hardly probable. We have heard reports before of large rainbows remaining in the stream through the summer, but it has been taken for granted that they had spawned and were unable to get out.
"In order not to be misunderstood, we wish to state that we believe there is no specific difference between the steelhead and the rainbow of Eel river; that the steelhead is a rainbow that has run to sea."
FE (17 April 1917) Steelhead in Yager--A correspondent from Yager writes:
"The annual run of steelhead salmon is on in Yager and the same conditions prevail as in the past as in regard to the barrier opposite the Porter place. The fish unable to get over the falls gather in great numbers at the foot of the falls and batter themselves against the rocks in their attempts to get over and will soon become unfit for food. The bones will soon be seen lining the banks of the river. Repeatedly the attention of the Game and Fish Commission has been called to this matter but no investigation has been made. As before stated, this condition could be remedied by the expenditure of a small amount of money and by removing the obstruction the salmon could go for several miles further up the river and also enter several of its tributaries."
FE (7 May 1926) Many Fish Taken on Opening Day of Trout Season--Last Saturday, May 1st, was the opening day of the trout season and several hundred fishermen lined the banks of the different streams in Humboldt county. Many limit catches of trout were taken but the fish as a rule were small, though a few good catches of good-sized trout are reported....It is reported that some good catches were made in Mad river...In the Van Duzen, Yager Creek and other streams the fish were mostly small...
FE (16 Dec. 1927) To Plant Large Number of Fish--At a meeting of the Humboldt Fish and Game Association held in Eureka...it was decided to ask the State Fish and Game Association to furnish fish to this county...
Providing the...allotment is granted, the fish will be distributed as follows: Rainbow trout--...upper Van Duzen, 200,000; Yager creek, 25,000; upper Lawrence creek, 25,000...
1938-1939
HS (7 Sept. 1938) Fisherman's Luck by Chet Schwarzkopf--...William Rhea, Jack Howard and Marian Allen, Sid Murrish and Alva Jones provided a real sensation when they came back from the headwaters of the Little Van Duzen with five gorgeous rainbow trout, ranging from five and a half to seven and a half pounds dressed and measuring from 25 to 29 inches in length. Many people viewed their catch at the Safeway Market, Henderson and F streets, and discussion was rife as to whether these were sea-run steelhead gone "native" or were they stream fish born and raised?
HS (7 Oct. 1938) Fisherman's Luck by Chet Schwarzkopf--...Eel river is still somewhat muddy, but clearing. When the Van Duzen mouth broke through recently, considerable mud and silt was washed into the Eel, but both streams should be clear enough for any kind of fishing by Saturday...There should be fish all the way to Bridgeville by Saturday and the lower reaches should be fine, especially from Strong's station down through Carlotta and past the mouth of Yager creek...
HS (23 Dec. 1938) Fisherman's Luck by Chet Schwarzkopf--...Van Duzen river has been active recently. Ellery Petersen brought in steelhead and salmon from the big hole opposite Hydesville. This pool can be reached over the road from Alton by turning to right onto the dirt road at foot of Hydesville hill.
HS (27 Dec. 1938) Fisherman's Luck by Chet Schwarzkopf--...On the Van Duzen below 101 highway bridge, Axel Sundquist took a limit of large half pounders and lost a large steelhead...
HT (22 April 1939) Local Sportsmen Complete 268 Mile Tour of Streams--Fishing conditions in Humboldt and Trinity counties should be the finest in years, according to Sam Wells and Dowling Bunce, who completed a 268 mile inspection trip of northern California streams Thursday.
Due to lack of rainfall, most streams are in the same condition usually found in June and good fishing is predicted for the opening of the season May first. Wells and Bunce visited Yager Creek and reported seeing many fish. From there they went to the upper Van Duzen near Bridgeville and found the river clear but not too low. Larabee Creek was found to be in good condition. The Little Van Duzen was reported clear and is expected to yield some good fishing...
HS (29 April 1939) Fisherman's Luck by Chet Schwarzkopf--..."Where are you going May 1st?" ...The Van Duzen up towards Bridgeville should be good, several having reported steelhead in the pools recently. The spring run seems delayed everywhere by low water...The upper Van Duzen around Cobb's and Dinsmore's is down so low that automobiles can ford it. Steelhead are reported in the Little Van Duzen between Larribee road and the mouth, as well as abundant small trout...
HS (3 May 1939) Fisherman's Luck by Chet Schwarzkopf--...Spring runs of steelhead are known to occur in the Mad, Eel and Van Duzen rivers. As a rule the water is too high to get at them in the lower reaches and the only evidence of these runs are the big ones that gather at such places as the Big Bend and Salmon Hole...Jim Usher fished the Van Duzen near Strong's station and saw a number of steelhead in the pools...
HS (3 June 1939) Fisherman's Luck by Chet Schwarzkopf--...Mr. and Mrs. Verne Johnson returned from a week end at Dinsmore's resort on the upper Van Duzen, and brought in a couple of limits of good size trout, taken with flies and spinners. The stream is in normal shape following recent rains and it is a safe bet that the big native rainbows and spring run steelhead have made their way upstream as far as the Little Van Duzen mouth and probably up the Little Van Duzen itself. That territory should afford good fishing from now on.
1940-1949
HT (4 Oct. 1940) Timberman Outlines P.L. Woods Operations, Yager and Jordan Creeks to be Future Log Source--A two-page layout in the September issue of the Timberman logging industry trade paper tells of recent woods developments entailed in feeding seven head rigs at the big Scotia plant of the Pacific Lumber Company...Following is the Timberman story written by George F. Cornwall:
"Biggest logging development at the moment in the California redwood region is the opening of the Yager-Lawrence creek area by the Pacific Lumber Company of Scotia, California. This recently consolidated tract comprising 23,000 acres, carries an estimated stand of nearly one and a half billion feet of choice redwood timber, averaging about 50,000 feet to the acre. Twenty-three miles of standard gauge railroad will be required for the complete project together with an indeterminate amount of motor truck feeder roads for later consideration.
"The new scene of logging operations by the Pacific Lumber Company lies north of Carlotta, pioneer timber community standing at the junction of the Van Duzen river and Yager creek, 12 miles from Scotia by motor road. The northern limits of the area join the eastern portion of the Company's Freshwater operations, where electric logging equipment and boldly conceived inclines once played their part before yielding to skylines and tractors.
"The new railroad on which construction was started in June begins at Carlotta where a junction is made with the Northwestern Pacific and follows Yager creek for a distance of seven miles to its confluence with Lawrence creek. Here the road branches, one line proceeding to the eastern limits of the tract and the other extending northward along Lawrence creek almost to the divide separating the new theater of operations from the old Freshwater development and terminating at Bell creek. The grade will average 1.5 percent, favorable to the load. Leaving Carlotta the railroad follows the west bank of Yager creek a distance of four miles, then crosses on a 60-foot steel span to the east bank.
"The new headquarters camp will be built three miles up Yager creek from Carlotta, occupying the same site as Holmes Eureka Lumber company did when it logged up to the entrance of Yager creek basin a decade or two ago. A private motor road will connect the camp with the county road leading into Carlotta. Living accommodations will be built for only 50 men at the start, since a large part of the crew will be made up of residents of the community. Cookhouse facilities are planned for 150 men to provide for expansion. The makeup yard will be at headquarters camp. It will consist of three tracks, each capable of holding 50 cars of logs.
"The equipment from the Freshwater camp will be transferred to Yager creek when logging begins on the new operations next summer. Two sides will be kept in continuous production with a third side rigged ahead for quick changes. Equipment will comprise both stream and tractor units. On the tractor side there will be four machines, two with arches and two with bulldozers.
"The northern end of the tract will be logged to a four-mile extension of the Freshwater railroad. A combination of tractor haul and incline will place the logs within reach of the cars. Logs from the main body of the tract will be delivered to the Northwestern Pacific at Carlotta and will move to Scotia via Alton.
"The Pacific Lumber Company with seven headrigs to feed at Scotia requires 400,000 feet of logs a day. During recent years these have been supplied from the Freshwater tract and from the Monument creek operations directly across the Eel river from the plant. Next year will see a complete shift in log supply. Freshwater operations will be transferred to another development at Jordan creek, south of Scotia. This timber is entered by means of a low-level summer bridge over the Eel river. The Jordan creek tract is now only half its former size due to the fact that the southern half of it was recently consolidated with state park holdings.
"The logging department of the Pacific Lumber Company is headed by Gordon J. Manary. His staff includes L.T. Carl" Irwin; superintendent; William Bozich, foreman; Ted Carlson, construction engineer; and H.I. Bower, logging engineer.
"The development of Yager creek, including its planning and actual construction, is regarded merely as a routine job by the logging department in addition to its regular work and according to Manary, it is right on schedule."
HS (8 Nov. 1940) Fisherman's Luck by Chet Schwarzkopf--...Good news comes from the Van Duzen rivers. Glenn Shively returned from a scouting trip Thursday late and said that salmon and steelhead are being taken on bait and spinner at Yager creek mouth, near Carlotta. And here's some hot news--at Grizzly creek mouth on the Van Duzen, big red-sided rainbow from eighteen to twenty-five inches in length are biting on single eggs. These fellows are coming downstream from the Salmon Hole and Little Van Duzen country it seems, and they are prime sport. So, all in all, the Van Duzen looks like a good bet...
HS (15 Nov. 1940) Fisherman's Luck by Chet Schwarzkopf--...The Van Duzen is in fine shape and should pay off. Best spots are still at Yager creek and Grizzly creek mouths, according to reports at hand. Large salmon have been biting on fresh roe at Grizzly creek. And Sam Siebert landed two salmon Thursday at 101 highway bridge.
HS (3 Jan. 1941) Fisherman's Luck by Chet Schwarzkopf--...Van Duzen river shows signs of clearing and we heard that the hole at Yager creek mouth, below Carlotta, was going good for bait fishing. Another good bet for Sunday, if it doesn't rain too much.
HS (11 Jan. 1941) Fisherman's Luck by Chet Schwarzkopf--Where'll We Get "Em?...The Van Duzen is doubtful. Henry Cox was in from Bridgeville Thursday and said the stream was still high and dirty. A lot more rain has fallen back there than on the coast.
HS (22 Feb. 1941) Fisherman's Luck by Chet Schwarzkopf--...And there's one last suggestion. If you'd like to hit into the hills and the weather is decent, try the Little Van Duzen where it crosses the road just this side of Dinsmore's resort. There are lots of big fish in that stream just now and a couple of nice pools not far downstream from the highway bridge.
HS (27 Feb. 1941) Fisherman's Luck by Chet Schwarzkopf--...From Shirley Phares of Scotia comes word that steelhead are being taken on the Van Duzen below 101 Highway bridge...
HS (11 March 1941) Fisherman's Luck by Chet Schwarzkopf--There are lots of steelhead going up the fishway at Sweasey Dam on Mad river these fine spring days. Your reporter visited there recently and got some interesting information from warden Jim Gilman who is in charge.
It was a sight to stir one's blood to see those big wallopers go through the counting station. Some of them seemed to be fully fifteen pounds in weight, and one fellow looked more like twenty... The falls at Big Bend long have been thought by sportsmen to keep steelhead from going farther up Mad river. However, when there is water in the smaller falls to the right of the main stream, fish can and will go up. Your reporter, in company with Glenn Shivley, has found them in the holes above the falls and at the mouth of Bug creek. Residents of that section often have noticed this, and have reported large steelhead by the hundreds above the falls.
The answer seems to be in the habits of these trout. This present spring run will not spawn now, but for the most part, will stay in deep holes back in the hills until the water rises in late fall. Then they proceed upstream to their spawning grounds. The same condition prevails on the Van Duzen above Bridgeville, where hundreds of steelhead concentrate in the deep holes of that stretch known as Eaton Roughs. There are falls there also, but the fish get through and go far up into the Little Van Duzen. They are able to go far up the main Van Duzen, but for some unknown reason, apparently do not. And the same seems to apply to Mad river, for they are rarely seen at Low Gap.
Apparently, the Big Bend section is a natural layover spot for steelhead that stay in the stream over summer. Indeed, they are often found in pools miles below the falls, from which they could move upstream whenever they chose. So maybe the falls are unjustly blamed, when the real answer is that the fish prefer to stay along in that stretch because of the protection they get from deep holes...
HS (29 May 1941) Fisherman's Luck by Chet Schwarzkopf--...Where to Go? [on opening day June 1]...The Van Duzen country also will attract crowds. There should be some hefty ones in that stream, particularly around the Little Van Duzen mouth and the big holes in the canyon below Dinsmore's. For a less strenuous trip, the stream around Bridgeville looks good...
HS (3 June 1941) Fisherman's Luck by Chet Schwarzkopf--Well, how many did you get? Where did you go?...Thanks to recent rains everywhere, the rivers and streams were high...Most active stream seemed to be the Van Duzen around Dinsmore's where some nice messes of pan size trout were taken on fly. Gray hackle paid off best, it was said...On the upper Van Duzen, Bill Hunt tied into the limit, while Bill Wares and party got limits of fish up to fourteen inches near Dinsmore's. Walter Ball and Joe and Harry Counsil also had good luck in the same vicinity, using flies. And way up on the Little Van Duzen, Ted Bowermaster reported excellent luck, according to Frank Pidgeon.
HS (10 June 1941) Fisherman's Luck by Chet Schwarzkopf--...Rube Walter [Albert] and Dean Dietrich both took limits on Yager creek Sunday, using Louie Gephart's gray hackle with yellow body and royal coachman flies...Jack Lysle and Barney Bernard took 29 dandies Sunday on the Van Duzen above Dinsmore's with gray hackle and yellow body flies. The fish ran up to half pounder size...From Sam Wells comes word...that the Van Duzen mouth at Alton has been producing some fat catches. There is always a chance of tangling with steelhead there, also. Sam also stated that Nelson Bowles and Don Crowe got their limits on the upper Van Duzen around Cobb's Wednesday, using flies...
HS (17 June 1941) Fisherman's Luck by Chet Schwarzkopf--...Betty Hughes, Rube Albert and Mr. and Mrs. Al Powers brought in their limits from the Van Duzen around Dinsmore Sunday. Royal coachman and gray hackle with peacock body flies did the trick. They reported the stream in good shape...A couple of big ones were taken on spinner Sunday in the gorge at the Little Van Duzen mouth, Betty Hughes tells us. That is a tough place to get down into, but there is plenty of deep water and that is where the 30 inchers like to hide out. They are worth going after.
HS (11 July 1941) Fisherman's Luck by Chet Schwarzkopf--...Steelhead are in the lower Van Duzen river here and there. Blaine Boice got hold of one in the big pool near Hydesville recently while fishing for small trout and played hard luck with his light tackle...And Bud Turner has landed several at Van Duzen mouth, getting his first one July 4th.
HS (15 July 1941) Fisherman's Luck by Chet Schwarzkopf--...Harry Scholl of Scotia hiked into the salmon hole on the Van Duzen Sunday and reported the hole half filled with sand. Big fish were in evidence in what deep water remained but they wouldn't connect...Bud Lancaster brought in a pretty limit of trout measuring from 8 to 10 inches, taken on Lawrence creek with fly and spinner Sunday.
HS (29 July 1941) Fisherman's Luck by Chet Schwarzkopf--...Bert Harris and Chub Swan tried the Van Duzen mouth near Alton Sunday and saw allkinds of steelhead milling around in the stretch known as Pollard pool. There seemed to be a fairly large run, and fish were breaking water frequently. Using red ibis and Carson flies, Chub got hold of seven and lost every one...
HS (8 Aug. 1941) Fisherman's Luck by Chet Schwarzkopf--..."Fly swatter fishing" is a sport introduced by Bill Lake of Scotia, who brought back five gorgeous red-striped rainbow trout from the Little Van Duzen river Tuesday. The big fellows ran up to 28 inches in length and put up a classic battle. Bill hung into seven all told and lost two. Eh? No, he didn't get 'em with fly swatters. That's how he got the grasshoppers that got 'em. Bill says they will take worms and salmon eggs too but hoppers are best. Spinners and flies did not seem to work.
HS (15 Aug. 1941) Fisherman's Luck by Chet Schwarzkopf--...Many fishermen have caught those red-sided rainbow trout, running up to 30 inches long on the Little Van Duzen river and at times on the main Van Duzen below Dinsmore's resort. A.A. "Art" Garcelon tells us that they are descended from Montana rainbows planted in that territory some ten years ago by himself, acting for the Eel River Valley Fish and Game Club.
Beginning as early as 1928, Garcelon's records show where hundreds of thousands of steelhead were planted yearly in such streams as Bear River, the Mattole, Butte creek, Russ creek both the Van Duzens, upper Mad river and a host of others. This was kept up for several years. The fish were obtained from the state hatchery near Alderpoint on the main Eel river...Bert Harris brought in a fine six pounder from the Van Duzen mouth near Alton.
HS (19 Aug. 1941) Fisherman's Luck by Chet Schwarzkopf--...Mrs. Lake's Big Fish...Another lady angler has won her laurels. Mrs. Bill Lake of Scotia was fishing the deep pools on the Little Van Duzen recently, and tied into one of those whopping red-sided rainbows up there. The big trout rose instantly to a grasshopper and for the next half hour did his best to tear the lady's fly rod out of her hands. Thanks to skillful handling, the mighty warrior finally had to give up. A 27-incher, that weighed better than five pounds. Nice work. Welcome to the council fires of the fishermanics, lady nimrod!
HS (22 Nov. 1941) Fisherman's Luck by Chet Schwarzkopf--...The Van Duzen is clear as a bell and there ought to be some real fishing at that stream's mouth right now. In fact, we saw one man below 101 bridge playing what must have been a big one Wednesday. Upstream on the Van Duzen should be good at such places at the big hole below Hydesville, Fisher's hole, Yager creek mouth and others.
FE (6 Dec. 1946) Steelhead Fishing Receives Setback by High Water--Local fishermen were disappointed this week by a surprise rise in local streams which again sets back the possibility of good fishing indefinitely. Both the Mattole and Bear rivers were in perfect condition for steelhead fishing last week end and many fishermen tried each stream. No one reported a catch, however. Eel River at Weymouth and the Van Duzen near Yager Creek were also in excellent condition and numerous catches of steelhead were reported from there...
HT (6 Jan. 1949) Fisherman's Luck by Chet Schwarzkopf--...Good news came in Wednesday night about the Van Duzen...They say she's clear enough for spinners or bait above Yager creek mouth, and if the weather holds out, flies might be the order of the day by Sunday. All we know is that the Van Duzen was about olive drab Wednesday at 101 highway bridge, but that may have come from Yager creek logging.
HT (4 Feb. 1949) Fisherman's Luck by Chet Schwarzkopf--...And Sergeant Frank Kearney of the local Army recruting office landed a beautifully colored steelhead on Mad river above Blue Lake last week. The fish was some 29 inches in length, Kearney said, and had a red streak from its jaw to tail. Some steelhead show their rainbow ancestry more than others, and color up like a Christmas tree after they've been in fresh water for a time. Fish like that are occasionally taken near the Van Duzen headwaters in the early summer, and are in prime shape as a rule.
HT (29 May 1949) Fisherman's Luck by Chet Schwarzkopf--...Spring run steelhead have worked their way far upstream into the headwaters of streams like the Mad and Van Duzen. These are not spent fish. They are, for the most part, fresh arrival from the sea that will spawn in the late fall or early winter. Just now, they are prime.
You will find them in the holes at and below the Big Bend of Mad river and in the main and Little Van Duzen rivers below the Dinsmore resort...Often you'll see 'em in the deep holes. But be careful they don't see too much of you, for they're scary-wary fellows. They'll hit spinners, flies and bait, on occasion...On other occasions, they can be exasperating obdurate, to say the least, and nothing will tempt them. But they are a royal fighting trout, well worth going after, and they run from three to ten pounds in weight.
HT (5 June 1949) Fisherman's Luck by Chet Schwarzkopf--...Anne Dillon reports that Hal Halvorsen got a limit of sizeable trout out of the upper Van Duzen river, using a Russellure orange colored lure, size 1. Bud Dean had good luck on Yager creek fishing with a small spiner, Anne says...
HT (22 June 1949) Fisherman's Luck by Chet Schwarzkopf--...The upper Mad and Van Duzen rivers are paying off consistently with always a chance of a whopper in the deep pools...
HT (26 June 1949) Fisherman's Luck by Chet Schwartzkopf--...From way up on the Van Duzen in the gorge below Dinsmore's comes word via Spiro Angus of Dillon's that huge rainbows are hitting on spinners. Pop Card of Bridgeville brought in three, the largest of which measured 27 inches. A No. 2 brass spinner did the trick...
Frank Doppelmaier got his limit three days running on the Van Duzen above Cobb's using flies, according to Hap. Again, that is a case of judicious rainbow planting paying off.
HT (7 July 1949) Fisherman's Luck by Chet Schwarzkopf--...Many people hit back into the hills over the Fourth of July weekend and several reports have come in that large steelhead, which have reverted back as stream rainbows are in the headwaters of such streams as the Mad and Van Duzen in unusual numbers. For instance, John Branham returned to town with a limit of red-sided beauties from the upper Van Duzen near Cobb's, taken on a Russellure. He reported that the biggest one measured 24 inches, which is a lot of trout for anyone's money.
HT (18 Aug. 1949) Fisherman's Luck by Chet Schwarzkopf--...There's a quiet-spoken, modest man in charge of the Prairie Creek hatchery, who has been doing a lot of good work since he took over a few years ago. We refer to Steve Smedley... Steve has planted hundreds of thousands of young Shasta rainbows in the headwaters of streams like Redwood creek, Mad and Van Duzen rivers and others...
