400 SEVENTH REPORT OF THE FOREST, FISH AND GAME COMMISSION. 



are driven on the lake shores by storms or devoured by fishes on the spawning beds. 

 The number of Pike Perch annually hatched by artificial methods is enormous. This 

 advance is due to improvements in the treatment of adhesive eggs. Formerly these 

 were hatched by placing them on glass plates, to which they readily adhere. Recently 

 it has been found that the sticky substance can be washed off the eggs, after which 

 they are placed in jars and hatched like eggs of the Shad and Whitefish. 



" Dexter," in Forest and Stream, August 14, 1890, makes the following statement 

 about the habits of this species in the lakes. These fish run up the rivers before or 

 as soon as the ice is out, and after spawning lie off the rivers' mouth feeding on and 

 off the sand flats, as the spring rains bring down plenty of worms, and probably 

 other matter which tliey feed on. As soon as the water gets warm, the\' sag off and 

 work along the shores in 10 to 30 feet of water, preferring cobbly bottom ; from 

 here they go into very deep water, coming on the reefs to feed, and when the wind 

 blows very hard, or for a day or so after a big blow, you will find them right on top 

 of a reef. I think the wind changes the water over the reefs, making a new current 

 and cooler water, so they come up to feed. They are a bottom fish, and to fish for 

 them successfully one must go to the bottom for them. They are nearly as particu- 

 lar as Salmon Trout about the water they inhabit and consequently rank very high 

 as a food fish, being white, solid and extremely free from bones. 



Color olivaceous, mingled with brassy; sides of the head vermiculated ; the dor- 

 sals, caudal and pectoral with bands ; those of the dorsals and caudal not continuous ; 

 sides with about seven oblique dark bands, differing in direction ; a jet black blotch 

 on the membrane behind the last spine of the dorsal. 



The colors of the Pike Perch change remarkabl\- with age. The young have 

 oblique dark bands much like those of the Kingfish of our east coast, and bear little 

 resemblance in the pattern of coloration to the parent. The eye of the living fish 

 is like a glowing emerald. The rate of growth must be rapid. In July, 1888, we 

 took examples from 4 to 6 inches long, some of which seemed to be the young of 

 the year. 



This is one of the finest food and game fishes of the United States. Its flesh is 

 firm and white, flaky and well flavored. Commercially the species ranks high in the 

 Great Lakes region, being ne.xt in importance to the Whitefish. In angling for the 

 Pike Perch live Minnows are used in preference to all other baits, particularlj? such 

 as are more or less transparent and with silvery sides, as the Fallfish or Dace, the 

 Corporal Roach, the Redfin and the Gudgeon. On some parts of the Susquehanna, 

 between Columbia and Harrisburg, the favorite mode of capture is by trolling with 

 the spoon with the same kind of tackle as is used for the Black Bass. 



