48 FISHES AND FISHING IN SUNAPEE LAKE. 



interior of Labrador call it namaycush with the accent on the second 

 syllable, according to Donald B. McMUlan. 



Its recorded geographical distribution is in deep lakes throughout 

 the eastern Canadian Provinces, northern New England States, 

 New York, Great Lakes, headwaters of the Columbia and Frazer 

 Rivers, streams of Vancouver Island, northward into Alaska, Labra- 

 dor, and the Arctic Circle. In some waters it reaches a weight of at 

 least 100 pounds and varies much in size and color in different 

 waters. It is a voracious fish, subsistiag mainly upon other fishes, 

 and is better entitled to the cognomen of "freshwater shark" than 

 the pickerel or pike. 



It spawns in the faU like other New England Salmonidse, and 

 usually upon shoals in the lakes. 



In some sections it is highly esteemed as a food fish; in others it 

 is regarded as inferior. As a game fish it is also variously regarded. 

 It is usually caught by trolhng or still-fisiiing, but has been taken 

 on artificial flies. It often puts up a strong fight by powerful, short 

 runs, dragging down, and sulking. It never leaps from the water, 

 and its principal virtue as a game fish consists of its power and the 

 size attained. 



As previously stated, it is indigenous to New England waters, but 

 it has also been introduced from the Great Lakes under the name 

 Mackinaw trout. There are no records of its ever havmg been 

 planted in Sunapee Lake. It occurs there, m limited numbers for- 

 tunately, probably gaining access by accidentally getting mixed 

 with other salmonids from some station furnishing the young fish 

 to be planted there. 



The following are all of the known records of lake trout taken in 

 Sunapee Lake. 



1909.— Two, both males. 



1910. — October 18, in nets in front of fishery cottage, Mr. De 

 Rocher got a female 26 mches long. Eggs ran freely, yet judged not 

 fully ripe. It is probable that lake trout do not deposit eggs all at 

 once. 



A young man from Sunapee Harbor said that two or three ''lakers" 

 had been caught with hook and line this season. 



October 20, in the afternoon, near mouth of Blodgetts Brook, a 

 fish with large head and emaciated body, about 16 or 18 inches long, 

 was seen, which from the color of the sides and general appearance 

 was thought to be a lake trout (male). It would not allow a close 

 approach. 



Common Trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) . 



This fish is the ''native trout" of Sunapee Lake, the name probably 

 of comparatively recent adoption to distinguish it from introduced 



