Fish Food

Fish and Fishing

The Eastern Pomo extensively used the rafts made out of bound tules and developed elaborate nets and fish traps. Fish hooks were used mainly on the lake and were made out of shell or bone. Most stream fishing was done by spearing or by nets or weirs. A weir was made by running two brushand stick fences in the water to a narrow opening where fish could be driven and caught with the hands. Poisoning was done in still or semi-still water by dropping ground-up soap plant bulbs or buckeye balls into the water, poisonous substances in them stupefying the fish so they could be caught on the surface easily.

Fish Spear

The fish spear was usually three pronged with horn or bone points lashed to the shaft, though sometimes sharp obsidian was used. The harpoon, used mainly at the lake, had two or three prongs, and was made of two parts, the lower with the prongs being detachable, so that a large fish, like a salmon or bigsteelhead, would carry off the head of the harpoon attached by a cord to the main shaft.

Seine Nets

Seine nets were used by several boatman on the lake to surround schools of fish. Stretche gill nets were tied to stick posts in the shallows. Smaller gill nets helped land the fish.

Cooking the fish

Fish were mainly grilled over fires or baked in oven. They were also dried and smoked for a reserve food supply.

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