40 THE FISHERIES OF ALASKA IIST 1906. 



The Alaska Packers' Association superintendent on the Naknek 

 River sent 45,000 red sahnon to the association's cannery on the 

 Ugashik River in order to help out the latter' s pack. The Naknek 

 Packing Company sent 45,000 red salmon to the Red Salmon Can- 

 ning Compan}^ on the Ugashik. 



Owing to the very poor run on the Ugashik River, 50 of the fisher- 

 men from the Alaska Packers' Association cannery on that river 

 were sent up to fish off the mouth of the Naknek River and in Kvichak 

 Bay. They operated from a large house barge and the catch was 

 towed in lighters and scows to the canner}^ 



Vgaguk Biver. — According to the natives, this river is about 80 

 miles long from the mouth to Lake Becharof, at the head. The lake 

 itself is about 45 miles long and 15 miles wide; and the river is navi- 

 gable for small boats to within 10 miles of the lake, whence there is 

 a succession of rapids, around which it is necessary to portage. King 

 Salmon River, the principal tributary, enters about Ih miles from 

 the mouth, is about 60 miles in length, and has its rise in a lake. 



There are tw^o canneries located on this river, owned, respectively, 

 by the North Alaska Salmon Company and the Alaska Packers' Asso- 

 ciation, but only the former was operated this year. Both plants 

 are about 6 miles from the mouth of the river. Fishing is carried 

 on from about 3 miles above the caimery to the vSouth Spit, near the 

 mouth. Gill nets only are employed. According to the fishermen, 

 the first of the flood is the best fishing time. Fisliing began on June 

 18 and ended about July 28. The first red salmon was seen in the 

 native set nets on June 10. The run of red salmon this season was 

 the best in the last four years. The first king salmon was caught on 

 June 18, but king salmon w^ere in the river before this date. This 

 species is found in scattering lots all through the season, especially 

 in King Salmon River, which it frequents. Dog salmon are received 

 at the cannery only during the first couple of wrecks, as after that 

 time they are so few^ in number that it does not pay the canneries to 

 bother with them. Here, as well as everywhere else in the Bristol 

 Bay region, the dog salmon are canned under a pink salmon label. 

 A few coho salmon run up the river, but so late that it is not possible 

 to can any. 



Ugasliik River. — This river has its rise in a chain of two lakes, but, 

 Avith the exception of that portion below the upper canner}^, about 25 

 miles, it is very little known to the wliites. It has two known tribu- 

 taries — King Salmon River, wliich enters through the left bank about 

 17 miles from the bar at the mouth, and Dog Salmon River, wliich 

 enters through the left bank about 37 miles from the bar. From 

 Smoky Point to the capes at the mouth the river widens very greatly, 

 being about 20 miles across at the mouth. 



