PROGRESS IN BIOLOGICAL INQUIRIES, 1934 385- 



ages, condition factors, and food of lepal size rainl)ow trout re- 

 moved from the stream, quantitative studies were made of the natu- 

 ral food present. For this purpose bottom samples were taken in 

 the gravel riffles at 10 to IG stations along the stream at montlily 

 intervals. 



During the season of 1934, a total of 94 legal-size fish were taken 

 from the stream with hook and line. This is a production of 27.66 

 pounds of trout per acre. These results agree very closely with those 

 obtained in 1933, when a production of approximately 30 pounds per 

 acre was recorded. Measurements of the fish showed that they had 

 made a very good growth and were in excellent condition. 



Food studies again demonstrated the great dependence of rainbow 

 trout on terrestrial insects during the summer periods, but these 

 studies also showed greater dependence on aquatic forms than in 

 the previous season. A total of 196 bottom samples on gravel riffles 

 showed an average wet weight of 5.047 grams per square foot and 

 0.982 gram drj'^ weight per square foot for the year. This amounted 

 to an average standing crop of 485.8 pounds (wet weight) per acre 

 in the gravel riffles of the stream. A study of the variability of 

 sampling showed that the samples varied less than one-third from 

 place to place in the numbers of gammarus and fasciatus (the pre- 

 dominant organisms) in individual samples during May, June, and 

 July. 



An attempt to obtain statistics on the number of trout caught dur- 

 ing the season of 1934 in several streams in Vermont through coop- 

 eration with the anglers was far from successful. Mail boxes painted 

 a brilliant red to attract attention were placed along the streams at 

 locations where anglers usually left their cars. A conspicuous sign 

 attached to each mail box called attention to the fact that the 

 Bureau of Fisheries was attempting to secure figures on the number 

 of fish taken annually from the stream in question as a guide to 

 future stocking. The anglers were urged to cooperate by giving 

 the desired information on cards provided for the purpose, which 

 were to be deposited in the mail boxes. The boxes were all in posi- 

 tion when the fishing season opened on May 1, 1934. 



In spite of efforts to secure the cooperation of anglers with the 

 least possible trouble on their part, the results were very disappoint- 

 ing. Only a small percentage of those fishing in the streams filled 

 out reports during the first day or two of the season, and as the sea- 

 son progressed the number of cards deposited in the boxes steadily 

 decreased until toward the end of the season almost no reports 

 were received. 



The best returns were received from the anglers on Furnace Brook, 

 although it was evident that only a small percentage of those fishing- 

 the stream filed the reports. The data revealed that during the 

 months of May and June fishing conditions were quite uniform, with 

 an average catch of 7.4 trout per fishing attempt. In July fewer 

 anglers reported that the average catch was 13 trout. This is not 

 taken to mean that fishing conditions had improved but that only 

 the more successful anglers reported. 



Similar returns were obtained on the South Branch of Cold River,, 

 a small mountain stream with an average volume of about 12 to 15 

 cubic feet per second. This stream was stocked with 700 marked' 



