A Tulare County Fish Story

Words & Photos Provided by Terry Ommen

L-R are Arthur Crowley, Edgar O. Foreman, andJim Pogue showing off their catch at one ofthe popular Mineral King lakes. Circa 1910.Photo courtesy Michael Foreman (Mineral KingPreservation Society Collection)

For thousands of years, man has pursued the aquatic vertebrate animals that today we call fish. Early hunters used hands, spears, hooks, and nets to catch them, and when consumed, they provided life-sustaining protein. Today, not only are fish part of a healthy diet, they provide jobs for many and give anglers countless hours of enjoyment.

Like many places in the world, Tulare County has been a haven for fish and those trying to catch them. Before white settlement, the native people used spears and seines to fish Tulare Lake for lake trout, sturgeon and white fish. After settlers arrived, they too fished Tulare Lake, some using horse-drawn nets allowing them to catch literal tons of fish in a short time. Tulare Lake was a fisherman’s paradise.

In 1870, the State of California established the Board of Fish Commissioners “to provide for the restoration and preservation” of fish in California waters. The first planting of fish of any kind in Tulare County is believed to have happened in January 1879. The Visalia Weekly Delta newspaper reported on the event, “Two hundred thousand very young white fish were placed in Elk Bayou about a mile above Tulare Lake.” They were about one inch long and had been collected from Lake Superior.

Thanks to George W. Stewart, the "Father of Sequoia National Park" and then-President of the Tulare County Fish & Game League, we have a comprehensive record of documented fish plantings. According to his records, the first planting of fish in the mountains of the county took place in about 1880, when Mark Lavelle and Nick Wren brought trout to Mineral King Creek. Shortly thereafter, Wiley Watson, Arthur Crowley and W.A. Ward carried rainbow trout to “Mineral King Creek, Redwood Canyon Creek, and Eagle, Monarch, Crystal and Lady Franklin lakes.” Stewart said, “[previously] there was not a trout between Kings River and the South Fork of the Kaweah River in the upper altitudes of the Sierra,” and added the same was true for the upper waters of the Tule and White rivers and Deer Creek. More plantings continued throughout the 1880s.

In 1892, 35,000 small trout were taken to the middle and south forks of the Kaweah and Tule rivers. The same year, A.I. Weston, who was considered a pioneer fish planter, carried seven small rainbow trout in a pickle jar from the Kings River to Ten Mile Creek. The following year, the 4th U.S. Cavalry delivered 40,000 trout to several Tulare County streams including the Marble and Middle forks of the Kaweah River.

In September 1894, there was an effort made to propagate the rare Golden Trout. A few of these fish were collected and carefully placed into cans; using a relay system of pack animals, wagons, and trains, the fish traveled day and night to make it to the San Francisco hatchery of the State Fish Commissioners. Not all of the fragile fish survived the trip, but those that did were placed in a redwood tank at the hatchery. Unfortunately, shortly thereafter, the survivors died, too.

Throughout the 1890s and into the 20th century, many individuals and sports-minded organizations, including the Tulare County Fish & Game League, Visalia Rod and Gun Club, Tule River Fishing and Shooting Association, and Visalia Sportman’s Club (later called Association), did much to promote fishing.

The Mineral King area of Tulare County seemed to get special attention for fish enthusiasts. With all of its lakes and streams, the region became a big draw for those who enjoyed dropping a line in the water. In July 1892, a camping party from Visalia tried their luck in the streams at Mineral King and landed a “dozen three pound trout, all within an hour.” The Visalia Sportman’s Club also found Mineral King to be a special place. For several years, the group maintained trout rearing ponds there, where hundreds of thousands of rainbow and eastern brook trout were raised for planting. No story of Tulare County fishing would be complete without mentioning M. Wayne “Buz” Buszek. Truly, the County has produced some excellent anglers like Roy Norton, a national casting champion, Billy Lange, Frank List, Tom Mixter, and many more, but none can match the talent and notoriety of Buz. Famed historian Joe Doctor called him a legend in the sport. Not only was he an amazingly successful fly fisherman, he was also a distinguished maker of trout flies. Many tried to emulate his masterful work, but few could even come close. His secret was using the best supplies and field testing his designs. Buz rarely kept the fish he caught, but used his catches to

test new fly patterns and designs. He was so talented, he opened up a shop in Visalia where he sold them to customers from all over the world. One of his most popular designs was what he called Western Coachman. It was made with golden pheasant and peacock feathers, brown hackle and white deer hair. Fishermen using a Buz Buszek product knew they had the best. Unfortunately, Tulare County lost this amazing sportsman far too soon. He died in 1965 at the age of 53. Tulare County has been a destination for outdoor sports enthusiasts for many years, including anglers. We owe a debt of gratitude to the many fishing pioneers and advocacy groups that helped make fishing here such a popular sport.

An original 1914 California fishing license.

Expert fly maker Buz Buszek’sbusiness card about 1954.