Historic Hood River
Fish Story, Circa 1905
2-6-2015
Notes
Yes, the reference scale for that salmon is a yardstick. It is from “B. P. Youman’s Hardware, Sash, Doors, Paints and Oils, Bicycles and Repairs” in Vancouver Washington. Other photos in this collection with known dates are from 1905- 1910.
Charlott
I remember watching as my Dad, Grandpa and Uncle’s pulled those old Chinook out of Celilo Falls. I have a photo of them with their catch on a prop supported between two orchard ladders. They used to catch them that weighed anywhere up to 60 or 70 pounds….
l.e.
Arthur….I think the name is probably B. P. Youmans
http://content.libraries.wsu.edu/cdm/ref/collection/vanhist/id/137
nels
Any of you fishermen have any comments about the fish’s skin patterns.
Buzz
Used to catch big hogs like that. Gut them, wrap them in tinfoil, and throw them on a grill over an open fire. And gorge ourselves on big slabs of meat. Good stuff.
Arthur
Thanks, l.e., I corrected the hardware store name. The yardstick was wet and slimy so it was hard to make out the writing.
Judy
I cannot get over the price of salmon in the store for us people that don’t fish! That’s truly a large fish!
l.e.
Yes, and now the yardstick is going to stink and have fish scales stuck to it!
Hooked upper jaw, pointed lower jaw. Mouth is probably black inside.
And that wonderful tail that you can grab and hang on to.
Susan Turner
Yep, I remember they were called "June hogs" because of their size and the late-spring run of salmon. Now I get blank stares when I try to relate how truly large (enough to feed many villages!) those fish were. Not that I was around for that, but the plentitude lives on in legend.