116 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 



still rests too miicli with persons who possess the privilege of construct- 

 ing weirs across rivers, whether a fishwaj^ shall be constructed to make 

 their weirs passable for fish. Owners of weirs claim almost incredible 

 indemnities whenever they think that their privileges are going to be 

 infringed in the slightest degree. As a matter of fact, the fishways 

 will in nearly all cases receive an abundant supply of water from the 

 overplus of water from mills, &c. The objections which have been 

 raised against the construction of fishways are, therefore, in most cases 

 based on too great timidity, and on lack of information and experience. 



41.— A L.ARC;]<: CATCH OF CARP.* 



By MAX VOW DEM BORWE. 



During the winter of 1885-'8G, by fishing through the ice in the Eoss- 

 kamp Lake (which belongs to me, having an area of 10 J acres and a 

 depth of IG feet), I caught 235 carp, weighing 923.1 pounds; and in the 

 Botzen Lake (which I lease, having an area of 151^ acres), I caught 

 1,536 carp, weighing 5,715 pounds. Among these there were fish weigh- 

 ing more than 10 pounds. My other lakes also have a very good stock 

 of carp, while formerly this fish was not found there at all, and the first 

 stocking of them with carp was in 1871. 



As a general rule, during the first years I put in 100, and later 50 

 one-summer-old carp to one acre of water, usually transferring the fish 

 in autumn, when the carj) were about five months old ; but sometimes 

 in spring, w^hen the fish were about ten months old. As the lakes con- 

 tain a great many pike, perch, and bass, many of the young carp were 

 destroyed, but nevertheless a good many grew up to be fine food-fish, 

 as may be seen from the catch stated above. I have also, instead of 

 the one-summer-old carp, set out two-summer-old fish, and obtained the 

 same results from about half the number of carp set out. I prefer, 

 however, to set out j'ounger fish, because it requires at least three 

 times as large a pond area to raise two-summer-old carp. 



As a general rule, I consider it a very easy matter to stock a lake with 

 carp. But, on the other hand, it is often very difficult to catch the carp. 

 In summer they are quick and shy, and at that time it is difficult to 

 catch a large fish. But even in winter, during the fishing through the 

 ice, the carp know very well how to avoid the nets, especially when the 

 ice is transparent and the weather clear. In the Botzen Lake I did not 

 succeed in making any satisfactory hauls until T had enlarged my net 

 so as to catch all the fish in a single haul. And the rich haul of this 

 year I made by setting the net during the night by torchlight, and by 

 having it taken out in tlie morning. 



• "Mn (jliinzendcr Fischzug." From Circular No. 1, 188fi, of theGerraau Fisliery Asso- 

 ciation, Berlin, March 4, 1886. Translated from the Geruiaa by IIekman Jacobsox, 



