144 



BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF FISHERIES. 



The hook is usually put about 3 feet from the large spoon and sometimes a 

 small spinner is attached just above the hook. About the only change that is made in 

 this gear is the substitution of a '•squid" spoon for the regular one. This is a large 

 oval spoon with a large hook attached directly to one end and with a swivel at the 

 other end for attachment to the line. Some of the fishermen consider this spoon 

 better for large trout than the regular one. 



The wire line is made of 4 to 12 strands of tine copper wire, the number of 

 strands depending on the size of the small wire used. For convenience in han- 

 dling, the line is wound upon a hand reel, which usually has a drum 5 inches or 

 more in diameter. Wire line is used in preference to any other, because it helps to 

 sink the spoon, and the fishermen have learned from experience that the hook must 

 be trolled at a considerable depth. The open season extends from June 1 to Novem- 

 ber 1. Early in June the fishermen use a line 50 to 75 feet long, but as the season 

 advances more and more line must be used, so that by September or October a line 

 200 feet long is sometimes used. 



Some years ago still-fishing was indulged in by amateurs, but this method is no 

 longer employed. 



Minnows are the standard bait, although man}' angleworms are used. When 

 the trout are not readily tempted by these two kinds of bait, the fishermen resort to 

 grubs, dobsons, and caddis-fly larvas. Formerly, canned clams were frequently used 

 in still-fishing. 



Most of the trout are caught along the edge of deep water — that is, where the 

 water rapidly descends from a depth of 50 or 60 feet to a depth of 200 feet or more. 

 The best results are obtained by rowing the boat alternately from shallow to deep 

 water and back again, in a zigzag course, along such a slope. Sometimes trout are 

 caught where the water is only a few feet deep, but this is a rare occurrence. Occa- 

 sionally, also, they will rise to a fly, but in general rod and fly fishing are not a 

 success. Deep fishing with the regular ''jerk" line yields much better results. 



Shipments of trout. — It is impossible to say, of course, just how may pounds of 

 trout are taken from Lake Tahoe in a season, for anglers are numerous and they are 

 not particularly interested in keeping records of their catches. But a general idea 

 of the results of the fishing done on the lake may be obtained from the following 

 tabic, which shows the number of pounds of trout shipped from the lake during the 

 past five seasons: 



The record for 1901 does not include the shipments from Tahoe City, as no data 

 were received from this office concerning its shipments in that year. So far as these 

 statistics go, 1900 was the banner season. This was followed by an unsually small 

 shipment in 1901 and a still smaller one in 1902, the shipment of the latter year being 

 only about one-seventh of that in 1900. There were marked improvements in 1903 and 

 1904, but even the shipment in 1901 reached scarcely more than a third of that in 1900. 



