FISH POISON OF CALIFORNIA INDIANS

VARIOUS PLANT POISONS WERE USED TO CATCH FISH. THEY CRUSHED PLANTS AND THREW THEM IN THE WATER TO STUPIFY THE FISH. WAILAKI USED SOAPROOT AS DID THE POMO TO STUPIFY THE FISH. THE RAPID AND FAST FLOWING STREAMS DID NOT ALLOW THE POISONS TO WORK, ONLY STILL STREAMS OR POOLS.

THE CHILULA TRIBE POUNDED SOAPROOT WITH ENOUGH WATER TO MAKE SUDS AND USED THE SOLUTION IN CREEK HOLES FOR TROUT. THE MIWOK USED A COMMUNAL. EFFORT TO CATCH FISH. THE SOAPROOT WORKED WHEN THE WATER WAS LOW. SEVERAL BUSHELS OF BULBS WERE DUG AND AND POUNDED INTO A PULP ON THE BANKS OF THE RIVER. THEY MIXED IN SOIL AND THREW IT INTO THE RIVER. THE STUPIFIED FISH ROSE TO THE SURFACE AND THEY SCOOPED THEM INTO BASKETS.

THE MATTOLE BELIEVED SOAPROOT AFFECTED THE VISCERA OF THE FISH. THEY TOOK THE FISH AND EVISCERALED IT. MOST INDIANS BELIEVED THAT THE BULB DID NOT POISON THEM AFTER EATING THE FISH.

BUCKEYES ALSO WERE USED IN A SIMILAR WAY. THEY WERE GROUND AND MIXED INTO WATER TO STUPIFY THE FISH. THE YOKUTS USED TA'DAD AND YA'AHA TO POISON FISH. THE NOMLAKI USED SOAPROOT AND TURKEY MULLIEN FOR POISON IN STAGNANT WATERS.

THE LASSICK AND WAILAKI TOOK SUCKERS AND TROUT WITH SOAPROOT, TURKEY MULLIEN AND MANROOT. THE SINKYONE USED MANROOT AND SOAPROOT. THEY ALSO USED WORMWORD, WILD PARSNIPS, AND COW PARSNIPS.

BEAR RIVER FOLKS USED BUCKEYE, SOAPROOT, AND TURKEY MULLIEN, MANROOT AND WILD ONIONS POISONS. THE TUBATULABAL TRIBE SCOOPED UP FISH USING SOLOMAN'S SEAL.

THE POMO PRIMARILY USED CRUSHED SOAPROOT. THEY HAD A FISHING CHIEF WHO DIRECTED THE COMMUNAL ACTIVITIES OF GATHERING PLANTS, MAKING WEIRS AND SO FORTH...THEY SOMETIMES POUNDED WILD TOBACCO AND MIXED WITH TURKEY MULLIEN. THE COASTAL POMOS CAUGHT OCTOPUS, EELS, AND SEA FISH IN POOLS USING MANROOT (MANAH FABACEOUS).

PAUL CAMPBELL