4 REPORT OF COMMISSIONERS OF INLAND FISHERIES. 



Lake lias its outlet into the Pawcatuck river, and through this 

 connection this river can now be said to be fairly well stocked 

 with the small-mouthed black bass. It being conceded that the 

 large-mouthed species will thrive even better than the small-mouth 

 in rivers of this character, it is the intention of the Comjnissioners 

 as soon as practicable, to introduce the former fishes into the 

 larger rivers and many of the ponds of the State. 



Bay Fishing. 



In the upper waters of the bay the fishino- has been very good 

 during the past season. Squiteague, hickory shad, scup and smaU 

 blue fish were very plentiful from the first of July to October. 



The tautog fishing, spring and fall, has been only fair. Small 

 scup appeared in the upper portions of the bay early in July, 

 weighing about twelve or sixteen to the pound, and, as was often 

 reported to us, the river bottom seemed to be paved with them. 

 Later in the season they were taken weighing from one-half to 

 three-quarters of a pound each. Fishing was good from Hope 

 Island to Fox Point. 



Squiteague were taken weighing from one and one-half to eleven 

 XDOunds. At Pawtuxet, in October, squiteague from four to six 

 inches in length were taken very plentifully along the wharves. 



The fishing in the lower portions of the bay the past season has 

 been in some respects unique ; there has been on the whole a very 

 good season, at times very abundant, then of a sudden would they 

 be gone. This frequent change has been quite a remarkable 

 feature of the last season ; the fish were not equally distributed ; 

 while some caught very largely, others did not catch the usual 

 amount. 



The scup were here in good numbers. 



The squiteague were extremely plenty. 



Black fish were plenty, the fall catch exceeded any before 

 known. 



The bass, the most highly prized of all our game fish, were not 



