FISHES OF THE YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PAEK, 



25 



and in former years the average weight of the fish in the commercial 

 fisheries of those waters was stated at 20 to 30 pounds. At this time, 

 however, 10 to 15 pounds can be considered large. 



Park Ranger Dewing reports that in 1915 he saw a lake trout that 

 weighed 32 pounds caught in Shoshone Lake by a soldier. Mounted 

 specimens of two large lake trout from Shoshone Lake are in the 

 lobby at Old Faithful Inn. One taken July 13, 1912, by Pete Ber- 

 gendorf, hotel fisherman, weighed 12 pounds, the other, 39 inches 

 long, weighed 21 pounds. In the summer of 1911 Howard Eaton 

 with a party fished in Lewis Lake and in one day caught 200 pounds of 

 lake trout. The largest fish was 39^ inches long and weighed 20 

 pounds; another was 34 inches long. 



According to A. H. Dinsmore, as early as 1901 the lake trout had 

 spread from LeA\'is Lake and become abundant in Lewis River below 

 the upper falls. The fish has been reported also below Idaho Falls 

 and has passed up through the tributary coming from Jenny Lake, 

 in which water it occurs in numbers about equal to the native trout, 



Flo. 7. I.akc trout: Mackinaw tronl. 



and specimens are recoided from the Buffalo Fork of the Snake 

 River. 



The large size of the lake trout affords its chief attraction as a 

 game fish, for it is not ordinarily a very active fighter, although a 

 powerful antagonist. It is usually caught by deep trolling, but is 

 sometimes found at the surface and is occasionally taken on an arti- 

 ficial fly. The fish may be caught by trolling or casting with artificial 

 or natural baits. 



Opinions (hffer regarding its table qualities, and, as with most 

 fishes, much depends upon how it is prepared and cooked. It is a 

 very oily fish and often has an unpleasant, strong, oily fiavor. This 

 may be obviated, however, by removing the skin before the fish is 

 cooked. The best method of cooking it is by boiling, serving with 

 mayonnaise dressing or egg sauce. 



Mr. Clark (1. c.) wrote in 1908 that the lake trout were plentiful in 

 Shoshone Lake and Lewis Lake and River, and that they could be 

 caught in the canal between Shoshone and Lewis Lakes as fast as 

 one could throw in a trolling spoon, and he remarked that they wore 

 large and fat. On August 6, 1919, Mr. Dinsmore caught a 4-pound 

 fish on a feathered spinner, in the canal off Point of Rocks. 



