260 



HULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF FISHERIES. 



Mr. Alexander got a fine 0.5-ineh example at the surfaee. A little later another fine example was 

 hooked at a depth c:>f about fi feet. It fought very vigoroiisly. usually bearing down very hard, then 

 circling about rapidly, leaping slightly, then bearing down again and circling again, and coming along- 

 side, and finally breaking away — the penalty we paid for being without a landing net. This fish was 

 <>slimated to be 19 inches long. A few minutes later another was hooked in 4 feet of water, and, though 

 given no opportunity to play, showed itself able to make a good fight. Later each of us got one good 

 strike, l>ut failed to land the fish. Local anglers call these '"black-speckled trout."' 



The examples taken at Pablof Falls had little opportunity to show theh fighting power on account 

 of ihc \'ery furbident water and the ^•ast number of salmon and Dolly Varden trout which crowded 

 upon lliem. 



Mr. ( 'rater reporlc-d that the three which he took in Naha Stream were very satisfactory as game fish. 



As a foofl-fish the Alaska cutthroat is delicious — far superior to the Dolly Varden and not inferior 

 to the Alaska rainbow. The flesh is fii'm, flaky, and rich in oil, with a most agreealile flavor. 



This trout inhabits l)oth streams and lakes. At Loring it occurs in both. At Yes Bay the flne.st 

 examples were oljtained from the stream l>etween Lake McDonald and the liay. Those from KJawak 

 came from the stream below the lake. 



In Alaska this species is usually known as the lilack-speckled trout, blackspotted trout, or cutthroat. 



33. Salmo gairdneri (Richardson). Strelhrad Troiit. (PI. xxxvm.) 



The fii'st records of steelhead trout in Alaska are those by Dr. Bean from Sitka and from St. Paul. 

 Kodiak Island (1881), and Mountain Lake near Mount Tongass (1883). 



The species seems to be widely dLstributed in Alaska, although definite records are not numerous. 

 Captain Moser states that it occurs at all seasons at Afognak Lsland, but in greatest numbers during 

 the coho run. It is believed to winter in the lakes and to descend to the sea soon after the 



Fig. 10.— Salnio gairdneri (Richardson). 



Streams open in the spring. He further says that steelheads were first noticed in the vicinity of Pyramid 

 Harbor in 1900 and that they have not been noted at Chekats. Several specimens were secured at 

 Chilkoot Inlet, August 20 to September 8. and an occasional example is seen at Point Highfield. 



On March 26, 1903, two steelheads — the first of the spring run — were caught in a gill net at the 

 Fortmann Hatchery. On April 20 two others with shrunken stomachs and well-developed eggs and 

 milt were taken at the same place. On May 8 steelheads were spawning in Naha Stream below Dorr 

 Falls. On May 10 alxiut one dozen were observed to be spawning in Steelhead Creek near Loring. 

 The temperature of the stream was between 38° and 39°; the surface temperature of Naha Bay was 

 40° to 43°. About all these fish had disappeared by May 17. On May 23 about 30 steelheads (mostly 

 spent females) were taken in a seine in Naha Stream above Dorr Falls. At one haul of the seine in a 

 hole below the falls about the same number were taken, among them several ripe males and females. 

 On July 8 several fish believed to be steelheads were seen in the river above the lake. July 26 many 

 steelhead fry were seen dying on the sandbars in Karta River, where they were entrapped by the receding 

 waters. The same occurrence was observed in Flume Creek near Loring, where, on August 12, 1904, 

 Mr. H. C. Fassett picked up 73 steelhead fry from the margin of the pool under the dam built below 

 the falls to supply water to the flume. Others were observed at various places in the dry bed of the 

 stream where they had lieen left liy receding waters. The next day 87 steelhead fry were collected 

 under similar conditions. These fry measured 29 to 36 mm. 



