198 



NORTHERN FISHES 



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Figure 3^. Troutix^rch. Percopsis oniificomaijcus, 3 inches long. 



at the mouth of the Cloquet River. Troutpcrch are common in larger 

 lakes, such as Mille Lacs and Lake of the Woods. 



Troutperch spawn late in May or early in June. They usually select 

 sand bars in lakes for this purpose, but where the lake environment is 

 unsuitable they may ascend rivers instead. The troutperch may be a 

 cold-water fish, for large numbers of them die in warm weather. Fully 10 

 per cent of the fishes that died in Mille Lacs during the severe losses in 

 the summer of 1921 were of this species, but were misidentified by the 

 local residents as young walleyes. Larger individuals are occasionally 

 utilized as pan fish. The troutperch may be readily taken on a hook 

 baited with angleworms. It feeds largely on small insects and Crustacea. 



