ALASKA FISHERY AND FUR-SEAL INDUSTRIES, 1925 105 



for considerable distances and spawn in them and off their months. About 

 50,000 red salmon escaped into the lake, but no other species was observed there 

 or in the tributary creeks. The absence of trout and other enemies of the salmon 

 was especially noticeable. Trout were present in large numbers in the river 

 below the lake, from the point where Mill Creek enters it and the water becomes 

 clear. They appeared to be feeding on the spawn of humpback and chum salmon. 

 Chum salmon were plentiful in the river. 



Starting at the outlet and following the right shore line, we encountered a 

 moderate-sized school of red salmon a short distance from the outlet. The bed 

 on which the salmon were spawning was seeded to not more than one-fifth its 

 capacity, but it appeared that only about 75 per cent of the fish in the school 

 were spawning. 



The first stream of importance was found midway of the lake shore. After 

 walking up this stream and counting and observing fish in various areas, we esti- 

 mated the escapement into the stream to be 3,700 fish. A second stream, that 

 entered the lake a little nearer the head and formed a point that extended into 

 the lake, was examined in like manner, and 4,800 spawning fish were counted. 

 These two streams could easily accommodate 15,000 salmon throughout their 

 length and about their mouths. In the stream that enters the head of the lake — 

 the most important in the Bear Lake area — -there were about 13,000 spawning 

 salmon. It could easily support 30,000, as it flows over a large flat and has 

 numerous channels suitable for spawning. At the present time this stream enters 

 the lake in two main channels, but there are two channels of dead water, as well, 

 which formerly flowed into the lake. 



Returning along the left shore, we observed a few fish in the mouths of the 

 small creeks. They were scattered, and about halfway up this shore they dis- 

 appeared entirely, and we saw no more until the outlet of the lake was reached. 



There was a large school of fish at the outlet of t he lake. After a careful sur- 

 vey the number of fish was estimated to be between 23,000 and 25,000. They 

 were finning and playing for a distance of about 150 yards up the river from its 

 outlet into the lake, the outlet being 50 feet wide, and the school extended out into 

 the lake and along both shores for about 100 yards. The fish in the lake were 

 not spawning, but a few in the stream were. However, most of them seemed to 

 be awaiting ripening before going to the spawning beds in the lake. The spawn- 

 ing areas in the lake that were not in the immediate vicinity of large streams 

 together received an escapement of from 5,000 to 6,000 fish. The total escape- 

 ment into Bear River Lake amounted to a little over 50,000 fish. 



We started for Sandy River Lake on August 20, and 103^ hours were con- 

 sumed in making the trip from lake to lake. Traveling was difficult owing to a 

 downpour of rain, and the streams were running bank full and the flats were 

 covered with sheets of water. 



On the following day (August 21) we surveyed the Sandy River Lake spawning 

 beds. At the outlet, a small school of fish estimated to contain 6,000 fish, was 

 observed to be acting like those at the outlet of Bear Lake. Following the right 

 shore line, we counted 1,200 fish in the first stream of importance, 4,000 in and 

 about the mouth of the second stream, and about 800 in a large stream at the 

 head of the lake on the farther side. Two small streams enter the lake at its head, 

 between the two larger ones, but few salmon were seen in them. The water was 

 very high and full of sediment, because of the torrential rains, and it was difficult 

 to make estimates. We explored the northern shore of the lake without seeing 

 more than 200 salmon. Small schools that were spawning here and there, 

 together with a school of about 2,000 between the creeks mentioned above, 

 numbered in all about 6,000 fish, making the escapement of salmon in Sandy 

 River Lake just over 17,000, or about one-third that of Bear River Lake. 



We returned to Bear River Lake on August 22 in a little less than 10 hours. 

 It was raining still, and traveling was very difficulty For the return down Bear 

 River on the following day, two hours were required, and as the sea was smooth 

 and there was no swell on the beach the party went on to Port Moller. 



The greatest problem confronting a party wishing to make the Bear and Sandy 

 River Lakes trip is how to enter and leave Bear River. The beach is open and 

 exposed to all winds except the east and southeast. Often natives wishing to 

 enter the river must wait for a week in the summer, and after the first of September 

 it is not uncommonly necessary to wait for a month, while at other times the 

 weather may be fine. 



In the future it would be advisable to land equipment and necessary food sup- 

 plies during the summer, when the storms are of short duration and when the 

 swell subsides quickly enough to permit a satisfactory landing. Then, in the fall, 

 if weather conditions are unsatisfactory, one may walk along the beach to the 



