The Perils of a Fishing Trip in Snohomish County
A recreational fishing outing takes a turn for the dramatic when a rampaging bull sends a local man into the trees.
A. J. Clark, of this city, and B. H. Bolcom, F. H. Folsom, and E. Swallwell, of Everett, had a fine day's fishing in the Skykomish River at Monroe last Sunday, and returned with 175 trout, six to fourteen inches long. Mr. Swallwell's sport was interrupted and somewhat marred by the threatening bellowing of a bull which came tearing down the road and caused him to take refuge in a tree. The other members of the party walked up to the bull, and, though they kept a tree conveniently near them, they discovered that he was only bluffing and did not really want a fight. Then they coaxed Mr. Swallwell down out of his perch, rather nervous but uninjured.
“Mr. Swallwell's sport was interrupted and somewhat marred by the threatening bellowing of a bull which came tearing down the road and caused him to take refuge in a tree.”
While fishing remains a core component of the Pacific Northwest lifestyle, the landscape between Seattle and Monroe has shifted from untamed riverbanks prone to stray cattle to an exurban corridor. The story captures a quintessential moment of local leisure that, much like today, balances the beauty of the outdoors with the unpredictable risks of rural exploration.
From readers
No comments yet. If you know something about this story — a correction, a family memory, a source — it belongs here.