FISHES OF THE CONNECTICUT LAKES. 45 



are well stocked with minnows and small wliitefish (Coregonus quadrilateralif<), 

 known locally as billfish. The stream flowing into these lakes are free from 

 sawdust, and afford fine spawning grounds for adult salmon. 



Some salmon are caught every year, but nothirxg could be learned 

 regarding the abundance in the lakes. 



The salmon subsists upon fish and insects and, as indicated before, 

 in its native waters particularly upon smelts. In some waters this 

 relation to smelts to a great extent determines the time and method 

 of angling for the salmon. In the spring, when the smelt ascends 

 streams and brooks or approaches the shore for the purpose of spawn- 

 ing, the salmon follows it and feeds greedily upon it. The salmon 

 is then taken by trolling, with any bright lure, but mainh' hooks or 

 spinners, with a smelt or shiner bait. At this season it may be caught 

 also by casting a bait, or sometimes a fly, in streams, where it 

 seldom lies in an edd}^ or pool, but just in the edge of the 

 swiftest flowing water, feeding upon fish as they appear, or 

 aquatic larvse of insects, and occasionally insects at the sur- 

 face. When taking bait it is sometimes, but not always, rather 

 particular or capricious. Sometimes any kind of a bait, from a tinsel 

 imitation of a fish or a bunch of earthworms to a spinner or smelt, 

 is acceptable. Again, it will take only one or the other; at other 

 times, if it will take anything at all, it may take only artificial flies 

 and only certain kinds of these ; the killing flies of any body of water 

 must be learned by experience. In some water bright flies like Scarlet 

 Ibis, Silver Doctor, and the more somber Jockscot are killers; in 

 others only plain flies will attract the least attention. They may be 

 dark or light, but without much, if an3% red or other bright color. 

 The salmon in some waters may be caught all summer and into Sep- 

 tember; in others it seldom bites much after the first part of July, 

 and in September it begins to run to the spawming grounds, the run 

 continuing well into November. The spawning, as a rule, takes place 

 in November and the eggs hatch in the following spring. In most 

 instances, if possible, salmon ascend or descend streams, to spawn upon 

 gravelly bottoms in quicldy running water. When streams are not 

 available the operation takes place on gravelly shoals of the lake. In 

 such places a hollow is made in the gravel, which serves as a nest. 

 These are sometimes termed " redds." 



There are more or less structural and chromatic changes in the fish 

 at the approach of the breeding season. The jaws of the male are 

 prolonged, the under jaw becomes hooked, owing to a cartilaginous 

 knob which fits into a socket in the snout, but in some cases it passes 

 up over the end of the snout. The hooked lower jaw of the male per- 

 sists for a long time, the long- jawed hungry fellows being frequently 

 caught in the spring. In many instances the fierce appearance of 

 these fish have caused them to be mistaken for or regarded as other 



