58 FISHES OF THE CONNECTICUT LAKES. 



other fresh waters, where it has multiplied exceedingly. In fresh 

 waters the smelt varies from a few inches in length to a much larger 

 size than is usual in salt water. In some Maine lakes it has been 

 caught weighing over three-fourths of a pound, and there are unau- 

 thentic reports of even larger ones. 



In 1898, 100,000 smelt eggs were placed in First Connecticut Lake 

 waters, but the results of the plant are uncertain. It is maintained 

 by some that smelts are now so abundant as to furnish so great a food 

 supjoly for salmon and lunge that they will not often take a hook, 

 and that the few caught are gorged with smelts. Others state that 

 in the spring large numbers of small fish have been seen in Main 

 Inlet and still others have observed schools of smelts moving about 

 the lake, sometimes undisturbed, at other times harassed by larger 

 fish. We, ourselves, on a number of occasions saw the schools of 

 supposed smelts, but were always unable to got near enough to 

 identify them and could catch none by any means, until, by a device 

 in the form of a small cork float and tiny gauze-winged artificial 

 flies, which was cast among the supposed smelts in early evening, 

 many bites were received. Only a few fish were hooked and these 

 proved to be the gray chub-minnow {Couesius plumbeus) and the 

 redfin [Notropis coiviutus). These fish acted and maneuvered like 

 schools of smelts that we had observed in other jilaces when the 

 identity of the fish was proved. So at these times it seemed possible 

 that smelts had not bitten although present, while the other small 

 fish accidently present ha.d taken the fly. But one day in Third Con- 

 necticut Lake schools of fish were seen moving about almost every- 

 where at the surface of the water, acting identically as those of First 

 Lake did and like the smelts first mentioned. Some of these were 

 taken on tiny flies and were found to be Couesius plwmbeus. There 

 are no smelts in Third Lake. We have always found dead smelts at 

 the surface and washed up on the shore occasionally in other waters 

 under our observation where smelts existed, but no smelt was seen 

 by us in these lakes. One well-informed resident and a well-known 

 guide of this region at one time pointed out some attenuated chub- 

 minnows and said that they were what were called smelts about here. 

 They did look very much like smelts at first glance, but of course 

 were easily distinguished. The guide's opinion may have been 

 formed from having seen smelts and noting the resemblance in these 

 fishes, so that he thought these were smelts, or it may be that these 

 minnows are believed to be smelts. Under these circumstances we 

 have some doubt about there being any smelts in First Connecticut 

 Lake. The foregoing description will enable anyone to recognize the 

 smelt should it be met with. 



The smelt feeds upon small fishes and other small animals, and is 

 a most ravenous little fish. It spawns in the spring, usually in 



