50 Conservation Department 



Below Rochester Lake Ontario fishes enter the river. The more 

 common ones which might be eaten by other fishes here are: 

 Spot-tailed minnow {Nofropis hucUonius) . 

 Slender minnow {Notropis atherinoides) . 

 Yellow perch {Perca flavescens) . 

 Alewife (Pomolohus pseudo-harengus) . 

 Common bullhead (Ameiunis nehidosus), young-. 



In the lakes of the Genesee watershed the important foods for 

 predaceous game fishes are : 



Yellow perch (Perca flavescens) , young. 

 Golden shiner {Notemigomis crysoJeiwas) . 

 Blunt-nosed minnow {Hyhorhynchus notatus). 

 Satin-fin minnow (Notropis ivhipplii). 

 Common sunfish (Eupomofis gihhosus), young. 

 Rock bass (Amhloplites rupestris), young. 

 Common bullhead (Ameiurus nehulosus), young. 



In a few cases we have evidence from stomach examination that 

 some of these fishes are eaten. Fishes which we have found in 

 bass stomachs include : hog sucker, horned dace, common sunfish, 

 and minnows (unidentifiable). In northern pike and pickerel we 

 have found : golden shiner, yellow perch, log-perch, common sun- 

 fish. In wall-eyed pike we have found : yellow perch, sucker, 

 minnows. In rock bass we have found yellow perch. 



Bait fishes of the region. — Small fishes of various kinds are 

 useful as bait for game fishes. Desirable qualities of a fish for 

 this use are (1) suitable size, (2) hardiness, (3) easy visibility, 

 light colored baits are preferred by most fishermen. 



The more important bait fishes of the region are : 



Common shiner (Notropis cornutus) . 



Horned dace (Setnotilus atromaculatus) . 



Common suckers (Catostomus commersonnii) , young. 



Blunt-nosed minnow (HyborJiynchus notatus). 



Stone roller (Campostoma anomaJum) . 



Golden shiner (Notemigoniis crysoleucas) . 



Yellow ])erch (Perca flavescens). 



Many anglers and dealers in bait take their minnows from the 

 streams as they are usually more easily secured there than in the 

 lakes. Most of the warmer streams of the region abound in 

 minnows suitable for use as bait, especially the two species first 

 listed, and no serious dei)letion of the su])i)ly that could be 

 attributed to collecting foi* this use was found. 



Ecology of Fishes. — The numerous kinds of fishes show a 

 remarkable adaptation to their various conditions of environment 

 and it is apparent that a s])ecies will thrive best wlien in that 

 type of enviroinneut for which it is adapted. For example, <\ 

 fish sucli as our brook trout, which is fitted for life in cold watei-, 

 usujdly flourishes in a cold stream but cannot luaintain itself in 

 a wai-ni one. Such a fish as the small-mouthed black bass is quite 

 the reverse, being adapted to life in warm waters. This fish does 



