NOTES OX LAKE TAHOE, ITS TROUT AND TROUT-FISHING. 143 



It was pointed out above that the fishermen find it necessary to use a longer line 

 and thus, presumably, fish deeper as the season advances. Treat (1904, p. 868) has 

 suggested that tin's is due to a downward movement of the plankton, the trout follow- 

 ing it into the depths to feed on it. He gives no data, however, in support of his 

 suggestion. Neither did my own observations extend over a sufficient period of 

 time to determine whether the Daphnia do descend to greater depths in the daytime 

 as the season advances. It is not at all unlikely that they do, for the water becomes 

 wanner and it undoubtedly becomes more transparent, and both of these factors would 

 tend to cause the descent to greater depth-. But even if such a seasonal depth 

 migration of Ihtj>lnii't does occur, it would scarcely follow necessarily that the trout 

 move down also because of this fact, for they are not entirely dependent on plankton 

 crustacea for their food. In fact, the above records seem to indicate that these 

 cnistacea form only a minor part of the food in most oases, while insects form the 

 major part at this season of the year. So it seems probable that other factors are 

 involved, which can be determined only by observations coverings much longer period 

 of time. Jordan and Henshaw (p. 198) state that the wonderful transparency of the 

 water renders the use of a long line imperative, as the trout are too shy to be 

 trolled in very near the boat. Thus the increase in the transparency of the water 

 after the flood season of the strea'ms is over may, in part, account for the increased 

 length of line necessary for successful fishing late in the season. 



The stomach of a LO-inch Tahoe trout which was caught in Fallen Leaf Lake, a 

 small lake just south of Lake Tahoe. contained elytra of two beetles and fragments 

 of 2."> or 30 ants. Three Tahoe trout, each 7 inches lone', were obtained from (ira-s 

 Lake, a small lake still farther south, and their stomach contents were as follows; 

 No. 1. 32 damsel-fly nymphs.; No. 2, 6 damsel-fly nymphs. 4 water tigers (larval 

 Dytiscidse), and many chironomia larvae; No. 3, 4 water tigers and many chironomid 

 larvae. 



It is interesting to note in this connection that in these small lakes the Tahoe 

 trout or pogy readily rises to the fly. 



TKOUT FISHING IN LAKE TAHOE. 



Angling. — All of the fishing in Lake Tahoe is done by angling. Fishermen 

 located at several points around the lake were visited and interviewed, and their 

 methods and fishing gear were examined. The method which is almost universally 

 employed at the present time differs but little from that described bv Jordan and 

 Henshaw in 1878 (p. L98), so that, to use Treat's appropriate expression, ''it may 

 fairly be said to have been born of experience" (1904, pp. 864-866). 



Years of experience in trolling on Lake Tahoe have resulted in the adoption of the device now 

 employed — a metal, egg-shaped spoon of generous dimensions, of burnished copper or nickel plated, 

 according to the whim of the fisherman. Brass turnbuekles are attached to either end of this spoon. 

 A snell and hook is fastened to the smaller end while a twisted copper wire 75 to lL'o feet in length 

 leads to the 20 feet of cotton line in the hand of the fisherman. The hook, a large-sized Pennel, Lim- 

 erick, or Sproat for choice, is baited with worms or minnows. This gear is trolled from the rear of 

 the boat, the line being continuously moved back and forth, the latter movement being made more 

 quickly than the former so as to insure the proper spinning of the spoon. When the fish is hooked 

 fie is pulled in by main strength. 



