FISHES AND FISHING IN SUNAPEE T.AKE. 85 



poor ill numbers and size of those caught. The fishing in 1912 was 

 much better, but far below that of former years. Others maintained 

 that tlie black bass was just as abundant and as immitigated a nuisance 

 as it ever was. 



It is undoubtedly true that it is only occasionally that good 

 catches of sizable bass are made, and that it is, as a rale, only by 

 persistent fishing that satisfactory strmgs of fish of legal size can 

 be taken. Notwithstanding this fact, young black bass up to a few 

 inches in length seem to be fairly common. During August and 

 October of 1910 and July and August of 1911 young from 2 up to 10 

 inches m length were observed in considerable numbers in ])laces 

 about the shores, especially at the steamboat pier at Blodgetts 

 Landing. 



In 1911 the largest fish observed by the writer was estimated to 

 weigli 4 pounds and was one of a catch of 17 fish that perhaps would 

 run from 2 to 3 pounds each. 



It is also stated tliat while years ago the fly fishing for black bass 

 was unexcelled anywhere, the fish no longer can be caught on a fly, 

 due to its having resorted to the deep waters, where it subsists upon 

 smelts and other fishes occurring tliere. This idea arises from the 

 fact that smelts are occasionally found m the stomaclis of black bass 

 and that the fish is sometimes caught at the deep-water fishing places. 

 Of course, it is obviously unnecessary for black bass to go into deep 

 water for an occasional smelt. In August, 1910, several instances 

 of black bass at The Hedgehog fishing ''grounds" were noted. Some 

 were seen at not a great depth below the surface and others were 

 cauglit there on short lines, but at no time was one known to be 

 taken at the bottom. It was quite evident, at least, that the sup- 

 posed deep-water bass were not at the bottom, and theu" stomach 

 contents consistmg wholly of insects, when there were any contents, 

 supported the evidence. However, the possibility of black bass occa- 

 sionally resorting to the greater depths is not disputed. 



While the capture of a few small black bass (about 10 mches in 

 length) on The Reef in gill nets by the white-trout spawn takers gave 

 rise to suspicion that this fish might include spawn eating in its 

 categoiy of harmful traits, the empty stomachs of these specimens 

 were circumstantial evidence in its favor. 



That black bass will and do eat other fishes is undoubted. Thev 

 have been known to eat young perch, as has been pointed out in the 

 quotations, and the writer's notes show that they also have eaten 

 shiners, chubs, young catfish (horn pouts), sunfish, black bass, 

 pickerel, and smelts. But at Sunapee Lake during August, 1910, 

 and July, 1911, both adult and young were found to subsist mainly 

 upon insects and aquatic larvae of insects. Perch are stated to have 



