Figure 9.— Typical catch offish from the eastern basin of Lake Erie. Catch was composed of about 75% smelt and 25% alewife. 



DISCUSSION BY SPECIES 



The following section discusses fishing results for 

 each of the more important species taken during 

 this study. The order of discussion is based on the 

 order of the total landings for the four cruises. 



Yellow Perch 



Though yellow perch was the most abundant of 

 the 31 species recorded in trawl catches during 

 these explorations, the number of pounds caught 

 and the percentage of catch composition dropped 

 off drastically between 1963 and 1966. The best 

 Vi-hr catch of yellow perch was made during Cruise 

 4, when 1,040 pounds were taken at a depth of 12 

 fathoms in the Central Basin off Fairport, Ohio. 



Clearly, yellow perch were concentrated in the 

 Western and Central Basins; the Eastern Basin 

 produced only modest catches. Yellow perch was 

 taken mainly at depths of 3 to 7 fathoms in the 

 Western Basin, from 3 to 13 fathoms in the Central 

 Basin, and from 6 to 32 fathoms in the Eastern 

 Basin. The best catches were in the Western Basin 

 from 5 fathoms. Thirteen of the 33 drags made at 

 that depth produced catches ranging from 100 to 720 

 pounds per drag. Of the 13 drags that produced 100 

 or more pounds of yellow perch, 7 produced 

 catches from 100 to 199 pounds, 3 from 200 to 499 

 pounds, and 3 from 500 to 720 pounds. 



Rainbow Smelt 



Throughout the study period, smelt was the most 



11 



