30 V. S. BUREAU OF FISHEEIES. 



at the sarae place. The return trip was made on the Columbia River Packers' 

 Association ship St. Nicholaft. 



fliamna. — The writer and an assistant left Seattle April 15 by regular 

 passenger vessel for Anchorage and proceeded thence down Cook Inlet by launch 

 to Iliamna Bay, and from that point over the divide to Iliamna Village on 

 snowshoes, arriving May 2. 



Ice still covered the lake, but was not safe for travel. Many of the streams, 

 however, were entirely free of ice. On May 6 a trip was made up Iliamna 

 River about G miles. The water was clear, and not over a dozen trout were 

 noted in the entire stream. At this time the young salmon were emerging 

 from the gravel, and small schools were seen at certain points along the 

 stream descending slowly to the lake. No trout have gathered in any num- 

 bers in this river since 1920. 



A trip was made to Pile Bay on May 8. Five native women were fishing 

 through holes in the ice in about 4 feet of water, us"ng black thread for 

 line and preserved fish eggs for bait. One woman caught 21 fish and the 

 others from 8 to IG each, all Dolly Vardens, weighing a pound apiece. It is 

 the practice of natives to fish in this manner through the late winter and 

 spring, when weather and ice conditions permit, and the women's catch on 

 this date was a fair average of their usual take. 



On the occasion of this visit of the crew the ice on the lake was so dangerous 

 that no work could be attempted. Another trip was made up the Iliamna 

 River and several nets set at advantageous points to determine whether trout 

 were moving. The nets were fisbed with negligible results for a few days, 

 when the ice broke sufficiently to permit passage across the lake. 



On May IS the crew proceeded down river with a load of equipment and met 

 O. B. Millett with his launch at Fish Village, where they were forced to seek 

 shelter with the smaller boat. They were taken in tow and arrived at Goose 

 Bay in the evening. The bureau's launch had been on the ways here through 

 the winter in care of Mr. Millett and was overhauled, painted, and ready to 

 be placed in the water before the crew's arrival. 



After the launch was sufficiently long in the water to stop leakage equipment 

 was taken aboard and the season's work was begun. Nets were placed across 

 the mouth of Goose Bay, and although some miscellaneous species of fish 

 were taken, among which were Dolly Vardens, rainbow trout, whitefish, and 

 grayling, the catches were very small. Trips were made to the surrounding 

 creeks. At each point, the spawning grounds, where young salmon were 

 emerging from the gravel, were visited. Large schools of fry were Tioted in all 

 the tributary creeks and spring ponds, but few had as yet reached the main 

 creek in their descent to the lake. When inspecting this section last fall 

 during the spawning period a fair run was noted in the spring ponds, and 

 the crew were advised that the run continued very late and that live spawning 

 fish were seen January 6. 



Fishbones piled at different points along the shore — the work of bears — 

 testified to a good run. The natives' popular method of hunting bears is to 

 have roosts in the tree tops along the shore line, where they lie in wait for 

 the bears, the fish being the bait to attract them. Several were killed from 

 these roosts last year. 



The entire section was prospected for trout, but very few were caught. It 

 became evident that they were not in the streams or in that vicinity, so 

 equipment was transferred to Woody Island, at the upper end of Iliamna Lake, 

 the object being to locate trout in connection with the salmon spawning 

 grounds and the presence of salmon fry. Very little is known of this island, 

 but upon investigation it was found to contain several series of connecting 

 lakes, with the entrance to each series from the main lake and deep enough 

 to accommodate patrol boat No. 1. Young salmon were noticed in considerable 

 schools feeding along the shores. Nets were set around some of the schools, 

 and an excellent catch of trout during the night was the result. 



Most of the catch during the season was made in this district. When fish- 

 ing became unprofitable in one series of lakes, camp was changed to another. 

 The employees lived aboard the launch, which facilitated their movements. 

 The first salmon made their appearance on July 3, and at this time trout were 

 becoming scarce, so operations were transferred to the southeastern part of 

 the lake in the vicinity of Intricate Bay. This was an excellent place for 

 the work, but the salmon appeared in such numbers as to make extensive 

 fishing impossible. Enough information was gathered, however, to show the 

 necessity of a season's aggressive operations in that locality. Another year 



