18 Conservation Department 



Our ti-out are nest builders, seleeting a gravel or rocky bottom 

 and, ill many cases, ])articulai- localities where water seeps up 

 tlirougli the bottom or where spi-ings enter. 



The pike-i)erch, it is sui)i)osed, si)awn in schools over sand, 

 gravel or bare rock where the water is more or less agitated either 

 in streams or in lakes. (Cobb, 1923.)^ 



Whitefish and lake herring select shoals of gravel or rocks in 

 lakes. 



Natural si)awning must continue to bear the i)rincipal share of 

 the burden of keeping u]) the yearly crop of young fishes in lakes 

 and larger streams. Stocking with those reared elsewhere must 

 be supplementary. In the smaller heavily fished trout streams, 

 however, it is doubtful if the results of natural spawning can 

 begin to compensate for those taken out by anglers. We must 

 depend to a larger extent here upon the output of hatcheries. 



Barriers to Fish Movements. — Dams and natural waterfalls 

 often constitute bari'iers to the upward movements of fishes. If 

 an im])assable falls hai)|)ens to be located in the right j^lace, it may 

 serve as a barrier to the mixing of two s])ecies of trout, brown and 

 speckled trout, in which case the bi-owns are i)lanted below the 

 falls and the speckled above. 



Rainbow trout not only may move up stream to the spawning 

 grounds, but return after s])awning. The movement is usually 

 over a longer course than is the case with the brook and brown 

 trout. Young rainbows also tend to move down stream until they 

 find larger and more suitable waters in which to grow to maturity. 

 A falls, though not i)reventing the downward movement may stoj) 

 them on the return, in which case all rainbows would disai)pear 

 in the course of two years from the ui)per waters unless yearly 

 stocking Avere resorted to. 



The upper Genesee i-iver and tributaries constitute a very favor- 

 able habitat for the rainbow trout. The only objectionable feature 

 is the dam at Belmont. Although many trout nuiture above the 

 dam a gi*eat many do pass over it, as is |)roven by the catches of 

 the fishei-man at this place. A fish-way correctly installed at this 

 ])oint would undoubtedly do much to improve the fishing above 

 Belmont. 



Waters of the Genesee System Worthy of Stockin«: 



The (lenesee valley streams fall into six groups, depending upon 

 the species with which they should be stocked: 



Brook Trout Waters. — These may be of two elasses based 

 ])rincii)ally U])on water temperatures: (a) Those in whieh opti- 

 mum conditions pi-evail, tempei-at ures never exeeeding about ()S, 

 rapid to moderate cui-reiit, watei- pui'e and oxygen above .") pans 

 pel- inillion. ( 1) ) Streams showing conditions whieh ai'e toleratt'd 

 l)y brook tront, water tem|)ei-ature ranging upwai-d to possiblv 



I l'ol)li. Ivlicii W.. I'.fi:;. I'ikc-r.Mcli l»ro|.;i-:iti(.ii ill Nortlicni M inncsotM, 

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