24 ALASKA FISHERIES AND FUR INDUSTRIES IN 1918. 
WOOD RIVER CENSUS. 
The usual count of red salmon entering Lake Aleknagik on Wood 
River, Alaska, was made in 1918. The work was under the direction 
of Warden Shirley A. Baker, assisted by Fred R. Lucas, who was 
temporarily detached from the Afognak fish-cultural station. 
Continuing the custom of past seasons, a rack consisting of cotton 
trap webbing hung on piling and weighted with chains was placed 
across the lower end of the lake in the latter part of June. Counting 
of salmon began June 28 and was carried on daily until August 5, 
a period of 39 days. 
The run of salmon began somewhat later than usual. This was 
attributed to the late breaking of winter, there being an ice gorge in 
the Bristol Bay region which could not be penetrated until almost the 
end of May. Durmg the season, however, the weather was extraor- 
dinarily fine with little or no rain or wind. It is said that these 
conditions caused the salmon to linger in the waters of the bays until 
nearly ready to spawn, when heavy rushes were made up the rivers. 
The run of red salmon appears to have been the largest of record 
although the count into Lake Aleknagik was less by 138,306 than in 
1917. 
The first considerable count of salmon passing through the rack 
was made on July 10, when 28,302 were admitted to the lake. On 
the following day, July 11, the count increased to 131,156, which 
number was exceeded but once during the season, on July 18, when 
235,700 passed into the lake. There were only six days which show 
a count of more than 50,000 salmon each, on four of which the count 
was in excess of 100,000. The tally for the season was 943,202, the 
details of which are given in the following table: 
Woop River SatmMon CENSUS IN 1918. 
Date. Number. Date. Number. Date. Number, 
JUNE Wer sscee ea TE W|I Rb ae? AS eas SRR 102! 042 nl hoe ee ee 1,258 
pS Be a8 Se oP ee 9 1 55, 478 See eae 646 
30! <scnasetboaeceee 33 Eee Sema: cess e 35, 159 7s ee es ee 868 
July thls se 258 i 20) BOR. leis 208 i ake pra en 324 
oars ikter | ee eee 2s 462 INVES, os 2. SEE Be 43,155 SiO gee 5 Sao SSeS 388 
Ot pes eo cee 568 VA Sea oe 124, 038 SUS. 6. 2 ees 596 
Cee 2 ide aed Pies 1,440 Teese) SI 935 °7009|| Avge ie. fesgee. Oe 515 
Sea eee ee , 223 LO RRR es 79, 902:)|( ~ \ eaee eee See 773 
eee See ey 1,511 De ees ete ote ae 36, 507 5 eee 308 
eae, tee pa ae 1,821 IPeENIe NF: Oe 7,321 ae Shae a ol 417 
Ce ee aha 3,370 Tt aie XS 2,416 Pe Saar a 8 
PO Lek eee 7,451 DOW RA. suesc ths 4,646 
Os scse-cscscseenes 28, 302 7, eee pee alot 3, 236 Totalo esse 943, 202 
11: Sith tee. Sete 131, 156 Dae b AER ey 1,355 
It was reported that less than 20 king salmon entered Lake 
Aleknagik. Humpback salmon were also scarce, but there was an 
appreciable run of chum salmon. 
' Valuable assistance in the installation of the rack and in making 
the count of salmon was generously given by the Alaska Packers 
Association and the Alaska-Portland Packers’ Association. 
