14 REPORT OF COMMISSIONERS OF INLAND FISHERIES. 



I. The Stocking of our Ponds and Streams with Suitable 

 Fresh-water Fish, Through the Distribution of Eggs 

 and Fry. 



Trout. 



The commission have purchased, and placed in various waters 

 of the State fifty thousand ( 50,000 ) yearling- trout. The beneficial 

 effects of stocking the streams in previous years are now becom- 

 ming clearly evident, and the results are highly gratifying. There 

 are several brooks in which the results of restocking have been 

 shown in the most satisfactory manner. Many years ago the trout 

 were abundant in these streams, but, through over fishing, were 

 practically exterminated. In the year 1900 two of these were 

 stocked with fingerling trout, and during the past summer the 

 commissioners have examined the streams and found a surprisingly 

 large number of trout in them. In some instances fishermen have 

 complained of the large number of small trout, which interfere 

 with the sport of angling for the larger ones. If the fishermen 

 would co-operate with the commission by returning to the water 

 trout and bass which are smaller than the legal length, the fishing 

 in our waters could be maintained with comparative ease. 



Large-Mouth Black Bass. 



The efforts of the commission in restocking the lakes, ponds, 

 and streams with large-mouth black bass, have thus far been am- 

 ply rewarded. Fishing has steadily improved in the waters 

 stocked, and is, from year to year, growing in importance. Expe- 

 rience has shown that the large-mouth black bass is well adapted 

 to slow-running, muddy, and weedy rivers and ponds, while the 

 small mouth species prefers clear waters, gravel, and rocky bot- 

 toms. The commission is again indebted to the United States 

 Fish Commission for a liberal consignment of large-mouth black 

 bass which have been liberated during the last year in seven or 

 eight different ponds. 



