;54 U. S. BUREAU OF FISHERIES 



There is, as yet, no information on the fate of the remaining 86 

 j)ercent. 



On an acreage basis it is estimated that the total production of 

 trout in Furnace Brook was 45.55 pounds per acre in 1935, 37.45 

 pounds per acre in 1936, and 37.17 pounds per acre in 1937. 



It is interesting and most encouraging from a fish management 

 standpoint to find that, although the number of anglers was much 

 greater early in the season than later, there was very close agree- 

 ment throughout the season between the percentage of angling effort 

 and the percentage of fish taken. In other words, the average catch 

 per fishing effort was remarkably constant throughtout the season. 

 This provides strong support for the view that where conditions are 

 favorable for trout it should be possible to maintain good fishing up 

 to the end of the season, even in heavily fished waters. 



Growth and food studies on St. Mary's River. — St. Mary's River, 

 a trout stream near Vesuvius, Va., in the George Washington Na- 

 tional Forest, was stocked with marked brook trout above the falls 

 (impassable) and with marked rainbow trout below the falls in 1935 

 and 1936. Owing to the poor growth of the fish, the stream was not 

 opened to fishing in 1937 and thus afforded an opportunity for a 

 study of the trout population by E. W. Surber and Dr. J. S. Outsell. 

 The fish were caught almost exclusively by angling and most of tliem 

 were returned to the stream after examination. 



It was found that brook trout planted in 1935 had grown to an 

 average length of 5.6 inches in April, 6.2 inches in July, and 6.6 

 inches in November. Only a few rainbows planted in 1935 were 

 caught but the 1936 planting was well represented. These fish aver- 

 tiged 6 inches long in April, 6.8 inches in July, and 7 inches in 

 November. 



An examination of the stomach contents of brook and rainbow 

 trout caught in May 1936 showed that the number of terrestrial in- 

 sects greatly exceeded that of aquatic forms. Of special interest 

 •was the evident importance of crayfish as a trout food and the 

 presence of considerable quantities of algae in the stomachs of rain- 

 bow trout. Parasitic nematodes were found in nearly all stomachs 

 of both species of trout. These worms were present in considerable 

 numbers and may be responsible, in part at least, for the slow growth 

 of trout in this stream. 



Pisgah Forest project. — The experimental fish management project 

 in the Pisgah National Forest (N. C.) has now been in operation for 

 over a year in cooperation with the U. S. Forest Service. The project 

 is under the supervision of Wm. M. Keil, of the Forest Service, while 

 the biological work is being conducted by Thomas K. Chamberlain, of 

 the Bureau of Fisheries staff, 



A detailed survey of the streams under management has been com- 

 pleted and maps prepared showing the physical characteristics of 

 stream channels and banks. 



Collections of bottom samples at 51 stations have been regularly 

 and systematically carried out. Five of the major watersheds of the 

 forest are included in these studies, although most attention has been 

 given to the Davidson River drainage, where monthly collections are 

 made from 51 square feet of bottom. Although still far from complete 

 for the purpose of calculating the maximum carrying capacities of 



