FISHERIES OE ALASKA, 1908. 75 



Eidachon {T/iaUlchthijs pacijicus). — Tliis species, the well-known 

 candlefish, is becoming more popular as a food fish among the whites 

 each season. The natives are the chief consumers of it, however, priz- 

 ing it highly for its excellent food qualities, while the oil and a grease 

 extracted from the fish are favorite condiments with them. In south- 

 east Alaska some of the catch is pickled and sold. The eulachon 

 has a quite general distribution along the Pacific side and also in 

 Bristol Bay, Bering Sea. It frequents in considerable numbers, but 

 for very short periods of time, the principal rivers along these coasts, 

 and almost invariably appears in May. 



Flounders. — In places flounders are extremely abundant, and large 

 quantities are taken in all forms of netting operated for salmon 

 and other fishes. They are usually killed and throw^n away, but a 

 few are sold in the markets of southeast Alaska, where they are 

 generally called sole. 



Red rod- cod (Sehastodes ruherrimus) is known from southeast 

 Alaska, where it attains a length of more than two feet and a weight 

 of many pounds. It is a good food fish, its flesh fairly firm and of 

 good flavor, and numbers are marketed each season. 



Smelt (Hypomesus olidus). — This species is found quite generally 

 distributed in southeast Alaska, but is especially abundant around 

 the mouth of the Stikme River durmg the wmter, while in the fall a 

 large run is found in Wrangell Narrows. But little is known of its 

 abundance and movements in central Alaska. In western Alaska 

 there is a large annual run of smelt in most of the streams, especiall}^ 

 the Yukon, where they are of considerable importance as food fish. 

 They generally appear in October and disappear the following June. 



Trout. — There are 5 species of trout known from Alaska, namely, 

 steelhead, Dolly Varden, cutthroat, rainbow, and Great Lakes. 

 Of these the Dolly Varden, rainbow, and steelhead are handled com- 

 mercially, the former being especially abundant in all sections. This 

 season large catches of dwarl" Dolly Varden trout were made by 

 anglers in lakes Dewey and Kern, small bodies of water in the moun- 

 tains overlooking Skagway, so situated that fishes from salt water 

 can not reach them. The former lake is about loO feet and tlie 

 latter 2,500 feet above sea level. But few of the Dolly Varden 

 caught were over 6 inches in length. It is reported that dwarf 

 trout are found in three lakes on Latouche Island, in Prince William 

 Sound, and it is probable that they wfll be found in other lakes as 

 our knowledge extends. Steelheads are found spawning in large 

 numbers in Ketchikan Creek late in May and in June. On Septem- 

 ber 18 and 19 one of the authors saw several taken with rod and reel 

 in the first large pool above the falls, the pool at the time being 

 full of humpback salmon. One weighed 10| pounds and measured 



