FISHES OF THE YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK. 25 
and in former years the average weight of the fish in the commercial 
fisheries of those waters was stated at 20 to 30 pounds. At this time, 
however, 10 to 15 pounds can be considered large. 
Park Ranger Dewing reports that in 1915 he saw a lake trout that 
weighed 32 pounds caught in Shoshone Lake by a soldier. Mounted 
specimens of two large lake trout from Shoshone Lake are in the 
lobby at Old Faithful Inn. One taken July 13, 1912, by Pete Ber- 
gendorf, hotel fisherman, weighed 12 pounds, the other, 39 inches 
jong, weighed 21 pounds, In the summer of 1911 Howard Eaton 
with a party fished in Lewis Lake and in one day caught 200 pounds of 
lake trout. The largest fish was 394 inches long and weighed 20 
pounds; another was 34 inches long. 
According to A. H. Dinsmore, as early as 1901 the lake trout had 
apes from Lewis Lake and become abundant in Lewis River below 
e upper falls. The fish has been reported also below Idaho Falls 
and has passed up through the tributary coming from Jenny Lake, 
in which water it occurs in numbers about equal 1 to the native trout, 
Fig. 7.—Lake trout; Mackinaw trout. 
and specimens are recorded from the Buffalo Fork of the Snake 
River. 
The large size of the lake trout affords its chief attraction as a 
game fish, for it is not ordinarily a very active fighter, although a 
pow erful antagonist. It is usually caught by deep trolling, but is 
sometimes found at the surface and is occasionally t taken on an arti- 
ficial fly. The fish may be caught by trolling or casting with artificial 
or natural baits. 
Opinions differ regarding its table qualities, and, as with most 
fishes, much depends upon how it is prepared and cooked. It is a 
very oily fish and often has an unpleasant, strong, oily flavor. This 
may be obviated, however, by removing the skin before the fish is 
cooked. The best method of cooking it is by boiling, serving with 
mayonnaise dressing or egg sauce. 
Mr. Clark (I. c.) wrote in 1908 that the lake trout were plentiful in 
Shoshone Lake and Lewis Lake and River, and that they could be 
caught in the canal between Shoshone and Lewis Lakes as fast as 
one could throw in a trolling spoon, and he remarked that they were 
large and fat. On August 6, 1919, Mr. Dinsmore caught a 4-pound 
fish on a feathered spinner, in the canal off Point of Rocks. 
