30 U. S. BUREAU OF FISHERIES 



whom had come from 50 to 75 miles to fish for bullheads. Many- 

 made catches of more than 100 bullheads in an afternoon. 



Eight 3^ears after Red Lake was stocked, licensed fishermen seined 

 out tons of bullheads each day during the fall season. At one time 

 they reported a catch of 10 tons. This shows that under the ordinarily 

 favorable conditions that existed there the bullhead reproduces in 

 great numbers, which assures an abundant supply and gives it added 

 economic value. 



The bullhead is caught easily, a fact that increases its value to 

 the general public. There is no need for an expensive outfit, and it 

 makes little difference what kind of bait is used. Though ordinarily 

 it chooses its food carefully, the bullhead apparently is not loath to 

 accept unaccustomed food from a hook, as will be shown later in this 

 paper. 



South Dakota has recognized the value of bullheads to the extent 

 that the department of game and fish has undertaken the stocking of 

 many of its streams, lakes, and ponds with them. This work was 

 begun in 1914. The fish were then obtained through the United 

 States Bureau of Fisheries and were placed in waters both east and 

 west of the Missouri River. Since 1915 the stocking has been 

 accomplished by transferring fish from overstocked waters to barren 

 waters. 



The annual game and fish reports have not recorded the stocking of 

 any of the lakes from which specimens for this study were taken, 

 except Lake Andes, which received 1,300 adult bullheads in 1926. 

 However, newspapers reported that 30,000 bullheads were put in 

 under the ice at Lake Madison in January, 1927. 



To make the stocking of lakes with bullheads most successful, their 

 food must be known. Propagation can not be profitable in lakes 

 where the food supply is insufficient and the fish are in a starving 

 condition. In 1915 the bullheads in Lake Alice, Deuel County, 

 were below normal size, the larger ones were thin, and many died. 

 On investigation it was found they were starving; their stomachs 

 were empty. 



Exact information concerning the food of the bullhead will assist the 

 State department of game and fish in estimating the number of fish 

 the available foods in the lakes will maintain. Then bullheads need 

 not be placed in lakes lacking essential foods, and these foods may 

 be introduced into lakes where at present they are wanting. 



LOCATION OF LAKES 



The lakes from which specimens were taken for study were renr'^- 

 sentative of the lakes of eastern South Dakota. They are located in 

 widely separated parts of that section of the State. The location of 

 each lake, with a brief description, is given below in the order in 

 which they were visited. 



1. Lake Andes, Charles Mix County, is a long, narrow lake north- 

 east of the town of Lake Andes. The water in this lake, as well as in 

 most of the others, was several feet below normal during the summer 

 of 1926. Bullheads were not common here. This is a fresh-water 

 lake with a pebbly and muddy bottom. Being annuals, the water 

 plants had made very little growth bj?^ the middle of June, when the 

 fish were taken. 



