92 FISHES AND PISHING IN SUNAPEE LAKE. 



SUGGESTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS. 



The present conditions of the fish fauna of the Lake appear to be a 

 scarcity of everytliing but smelt, sunfish, black bass, white trout, and 

 perhaps chinook salmon, the latter not very abundant and of only 

 temporaiy importance. Of the indigenous fishes only the sunfish and 

 white trout are at all common. The sunfish is of little importance 

 and the white trout not abundant. If the smelt alone had been intro- 

 duced into Sunapee Lake and the propagation of the trout and white 

 trout mamtained, the writer is firmly convinced that the lake to-day 

 would abound with those two species. If it were possible to bruig 

 the lake back to its pristine condition, the writer would advise that it 

 be done and that the stocking of the lake be begun anew and that no 

 other nonmdigenous species than the smelt be admitted to Sunapee 

 waters. If any exception were made it would be in favor of the 

 black bass. As such a reversion can not be accompUshed, it only 

 remams to meet the conditions as they are and attempt to solve the 

 problem of stocking and of maintaining the stock in the best way pos- 

 sible m accordance with those conditions. 



It has been previously suggested that the original fish f aima, with 

 the addition of the smelt, was the one to which the lake was best 

 adapted. Those conditions have been upset and the question arises, 

 Can they be righted ? In order to do that, certain fishes must be got 

 rid of. Can this be done? 



The black bass appears to be comparatively harmless so far as the 

 salmonids are concerned, so it may be disregarded. 



The landlocked salmon is rapidly vanishing and if allowed to do so 

 will no doubt totally disappear in a few years at the most. 



The chinook can not possibly stay if it can not breed naturally 

 there, and if no more are planted the lake will soon be free from it. 



Other mtroduced fish have not appeared at aU or m such small 

 numbers as to cause no apprehension and therefore may be dis- 

 regarded. 



The native trout is scarce m the lake, but by persistent and plente- 

 ous plantmg it may increase m numbers and size again as the land- 

 locked salmon and chinook disappear. 



The white trout will also increase in numbers and perhaps m size 

 for the same reasons. 



Provided they are properly protected, there wiU thus be saved two 

 of the most attractive native food and game fishes of New England 

 waters. 



"Native" and white trout. — -It is recommended, then, that land- 

 locked salmon and the chmook be allowed to go and their depar- 

 ture hastened; that attention be given to the propagation and pro- 

 tection of the trout; that each year as large a number as possible be 



