Originally there were no fish in Crater Lake. Hundreds of thousands have been planted during past years, but even tho a planting is an event of interest, the original planting by William G. Steel in 1888, will always serve as the best fish story from Crater Lake.

Late in August 1888, Mr. Steel with a companion was driving over the old road to the Lake. They stopped for the night at the cabin of Mr. Gordon, on the Rogue River, forty-nine miles from the Lake. During the evening Mr. Steel casually asked whether it might be possible to get some trout fingerlings from the river to stock the Lake. Old Mr. Gordon 'lowed as how "My boys kin ketch some for you."

Next morning Steel forgot about the fish and was about to drive away when Mr. Gordon said that they boys were waiting to see him. Behind the cabin the boys had an old home-made tub, and it was swarming with minnows. Steel was considerably taken aback, because he had casually offered ten cents apiece for the fish and the boys had caught hundreds of them. Gathering his courage he asked what they would take for the tubfull, and the older boy answered that they'd figured four-bits would be about right! Steel gladly gave them each a new silver dollar.

Steel then dipped out a bucket full of water and fish, estimating that there were at least six hundred fingerlings in the bucket. A mosquito netting was tied over the top and the bucket was placed in the wagon. At the first lurch of the wagon the water splashed from the bucket and Steel jumped out of the wagon, refilled it and then started out ahead and walked forty-nine miles to Crater Lake, bucket in hand. At each stream he stopped, dug a hole in the sand, and when the pool cleared, placed the bucket in the water to allow fresh water to flow into the bucket.

The evening of the first day the party camped at Whiskey Creek, thirty-five miles from the Lake. The bucket was placed in the stream for the night. On the second day, late in the afternoon they came to the Rim of the Lake. Steel set the bucket on the ground to prepare camp. Presently, the fish began to roll over. He noticed this and quickly picking up the bucket hurried down the inner slope of the Rim, as rapidly as safety permitted, and arriving at the Lake, plunged the bucket into the water. He removed the mosquito netting and awaited results. Gradually a few fish revived and righted themselves, and swam over the edge of the bucket. Steel counted them and the first planting of Crater Lake was accomplished with thirty-seven rainbow trout.*

* As told by William G. Steel to Earl U. Homuth.