Biological kSurvey — Erie-Niagara Watershed 155 



of fish that can be taken by hook and line that is not sought after 

 by someone. The folloAving are more or less important as anglers' 

 fish : brook trout, brown trout, small-mouthed bass, perch, pickerel 

 (northern pike), yellow pike (pike-perch), rock bass, large- 

 mouthed bass, rainbow trout, muskalonge, bullhead (2 species), 

 catfish (2 species), common sunfish, common sucker, red-fin sucker 

 (4 species), sheepshead, eel, chain pickerel, white bass, sauger, 

 crappie and bluegill sunfish. The last 2 species are too uncommon 

 to furnish much fishing at present but are being recommended for 

 stocking small ponds. ^ Large numbers of brook, brown, and rain- 

 bow trout are planted in streams of the area each year. Stocking- 

 has been done with small-mouthed bass, yellow pike (pike-perch), 

 yellow perch, muskalonge, and steelhead trout and probably with 

 a few other species of which we have no record. 



There is a considerable amount of spearing of coarse fish that 

 is carried on as sport fishing, that is, non-commercial. This is 

 confined largely to the spring of the year when suckers, red-fin 

 suckers, carp, and catfish enter streams to spawn. Catfish, at 

 least, do not appear to be sufficienly common to make it advisable 

 to permit this to occur without danger of depletion of the supply. 

 Spearing is most effective when fish are on their spawning grounds 

 and should not be allowed unless it is evident that the supply will 

 stand this reduction of breeders. 



Non=Food, Non=Qame Fishes. — The greater number of the 

 species, 58 [considering only those of which specimens were found 

 within the region], would come under this designation. These may 

 be summarized as follows: Lampreys (3 species), gar, moon-ej^e, 

 hog sucker, goldfish and 28 other species of the minnow family, 

 stonecats (2 species), mud minnow, little pickerel, killifish, trout- 

 perch, pirate-perch, log-perch and 7 other species of the darter 

 famil}^, silversides, sculpins (5 species), sticklebacks (2 species). 

 Many of this group are of high importance as food for important 

 economic fish. The ones identified from stomachs of fish from 

 this watershed are listed in Dr. Sibley's report.^ 



Bait Fishes. — The majority of the fishes that are used for bait 

 are members of the classification just discussed. In Lake Erie, by 

 far the most important bait species is the lake shiner, Notropis 

 afherinoides. These shiners are of economic value,^ being sold 

 by several persons along Lake Erie and the Niagara river. Most 

 of those used, however, are caus'ht bv the anglers, themselves. 



^ See page 235. 



2 Fish Distribution, Waters in New York State Stocked in 1925, State of New 

 York Conservation Commission 1926. 



^ See page 183. 



^ The following data has been supplied by Mr. IM. W. Brackett: There are fifteen 

 minnow net licenses issued for the Niagara river; ten for Lake Erie; four for Catta- 

 raugus creek from Lake Erie to the Snow farm and one for Little Canadawaj^ creek 

 from Lake Erie to source. Licenses to sell minnows for bait number two in Dunkirk; 

 one in Buffalo and two in Lackawanna. 



