Humboldt County Historical Society
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By Suzanne Forsyth
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Historical Photos of Salmon Fishing in Humboldt County
The town of Requa began in 1876 when the first salmon saltery was established. Commercial salmon fishing on the Klamath was banned in 1934.
The early Requa cannery scene is described by Jerry and Gisela Rohde in their book Redwood National and State Parks; Tales, Trails, & Auto Tours:
- "Salmon canneries were the big business in town. A whistle announced the start of each day's fishing, and supervisors watched closely as derby-hatted fishermen boated their catch; when the observers calculated that there were enough fish to keep the cannery running for the rest of the day the whistle blew again and the fishermen quit. The daily quota often ran to as many as 7,000 to 10,000 fish, a figure sometimes reached in only one or two hours. During salmon season, entire Yurok families left their upriver homes to come fish the lower Klamath or to work in the canneries."
Salmon fishing net racks at Requa in 1915. Indian men, skilled at diving, were hired to help set the nets.
Indian men fishing