FISHES AND FISHING IN SUNAPEE LAKE. 91 



cdiitiiiued in the lake at even its present number, the disappearance of 

 the fishes upon which it feeds will have been hastened. Wlien the 

 olimook stock has also gone the lake will be worse off than ever 

 before and there will be some who will call for recommendations as to 

 how to unprove and maintain the fishing.'^ 



Black hass. — The black bass seems not to reach as large a size as it 

 did in former years or to be so abundant. It has been suggested that 

 the small size is due to a scarcity of the formerly more abundant 

 cyprinid food, and to its habits being such that it seldom, if ever, gets 

 into the deeper waters where the smelt abides. The smelt is occa- 

 sionally found in the stomach of a black bass, but in such instances 

 probably the smelt was not taken at the bottom. The principal food 

 of the black bass at Sunapee, as has been stated, consists of insects 

 and their aquatic larvte. It is believed, and so stated by some, that 

 the almost complete disappearance of the perch and scarcity of the 

 pickerel are due to the black bass. This is possibly true, and the 

 small size of the pickerel still remaining may be due indirectly to the 

 same fish. It is doubtless of little or no harm to the salmonids. 



a Since this report went to press the Bureau has received a letter from Mr. Ralph S. Davis regarding the 

 status of the Chinook in Sunapee Lake in 1913. 



Mr. Davis estimates that during the fishing season from 4,000 to 5,000 chinooks, averaging about 3 Bounds 

 each, and aggregating at least 6 tons, have been caught. He also cites evidence that some chinooks are 

 spawning naturally in the lake. 



By applying the figures given by Mr. Davis to what has been stated in this report it is easUy seen that 

 they support the present writer's conclusions, and he would have it luiderstood that the recommendations 

 based upon those conclusions are offered solely because he believes that they indicate the best means of 

 improving and maintaining the fishing in Sunapee Lake. 



Mr. Davis's statements, therefore, do not necessitate either a revision or repetition of the arguments 

 presented in this report. A brief summary, however, may be desirable here. 



Chinooks have gradually increased in numbers each year and in some instances have reached a fairly 

 large size. The increase has been directly proportional to the number planted in preceding years, and has 

 been manife.st only m mcreased catches by anglers. A few fish approaching maturity and a few in breeding 

 condition have been taken. The scarcity of fish in breeding condition indicates a scarcity of fish to reach 

 that condition, for the fact that some have been caught during the breeding period suggests that inasmuch 

 as special efforts were made to find them, had they been plentiful more would have been taken. 



There is no perceptible increase in number of breeding fish, and the average size of fish taken by anglers 

 has decreased. 



A few fish reaching breeding condition and reproducing naturally would hardly have an appreciable 

 effect on the mamtenance of the stock. 



A few only taken and yielding eggs to be hatched artificially and raised to fmgerling or older stages would 

 not be sufficient to maintain the stock. 



The greater the uierease in numbers of fish, the larger the number that will be caught. 



If the catches of past years have not left a sufficient number of breeders to replace, by reproduction, 

 those caught, continued plants will probably not do so, without stringent limitations of the catches. But 

 even now 5,000 fish permit of an average of only 1 fish every 4 days to each of 200 anglers in the fishing 

 season of 100 days. 



It is doubtful whether a supply from outside somces could be maintained indefinitely. 



An increase in number and size of a voracious species signifies an increased amoimt of food devoured. 



To a lake of the size of Sunapee there must be a limit to the number of fish and the food supply, direct 

 and ultimate, that it can support. 



The main subsistence of the Chinook, as of other saknonids, appears to be the smelt, but it has been 

 shown that the other salmonids may suffer both directly and indirectly from the presence of the Chinook. 

 If this is not a certainty, there is still the possibility, amounting almost, if not quite, to a probability. 



It would seem, then, that if the foregoing conclusions are correct the longer the plants of chinooks are 

 continued the more certain it is that the future of Sunapee Lake is one of inevitable disaster so far as the 

 Salmonidie are concerned. 



