FISHES OF THE YELLOWSTONE ISTATIOXAL PARK. 



27 



In streams where overgrowth prevents fly castmg, angleworms, 

 grasshoppers, or almost any bait will be taken when the trout is 

 leeding. Everything; will be disregarded when it is not feeding. 

 The best flies to use m any body of water must be learned by experi- 

 ence, but the bro%vn hackle is seldom a failure anywhere. Professor, 

 queen of the water, Montreal, coaclmaan, and many others are usu- 

 ally quite successful. Gauze-winged flies will sometimes succeed 

 when others fail. The best time to fish for this trout is in the morning 

 and earh' evening. It lurks in eddies and pools and at the foot of 

 rapids or under overhanging banks, old stumps, or rocks. 



9. Yellow Perch {Perca fiavescens) . 



The vellow perch has a wide eastern distribution. It is common 

 in the Creat Lakes and tlie tributaries of tlie upper Mississippi River 



Fir.. 9. — Yellow |>eirh. 



and in coastwise streams ami lakes from Nov^a Scotia to North 

 CaroHna. 



In 1919 this fish was found by the senior author to abound in 

 Goose and Feather Lakes in the park. Its presence there is appar- 

 ently traceable to an unoflicial, unauthorized plant made many years 

 ago by a Montana citizi n, who is said to have obtained a consignment 

 of yellow perch from the State of Washington, into which State the 

 species had been introduced some years before. 



In the park lakes the yellow perch attains a lengtli of a foot and is 

 most readily caught by the use of small spinners cast from shore and 

 rapidly drawn in. Only a few of the park authorities have been 

 aware of the occurrence of this fish in local waters. It can not be 

 regarded as a desirable addition to the fish life of the park, an<l its 

 spread to other waters than those now inhabited should he prevented. 

 It is not usually reputed to be a game fish, and its voracious habits 

 make it a menace to young trout. When fresh from cold water, it is 

 one of the best of pan fishes, being tirm-meated and of delicious 

 flfivor. 



