Titcomb. — A Permanent Stocking Policy 13 



its importance. Soon after they begin to be thoroughly interested 

 and to learn about the needs of the various waters under their 

 jurisdiction, out they go and a new commission is appointed. 



In the early days, those who were interested in fish culture 

 or in restocking waters, knew less about the subjects than they 

 do today. Very few people realized the seriousness of introducing 

 to certain waters fishes which were not only indigenous, but 

 on the other hand were antagonistic to the native inhabitants of 

 such waters. Consequently many more mistakes were made 

 then than are made today. In the Northern States, especially 

 in New England and New York State, when the trout became 

 depleted, it was discovered that the basses, both large and small 

 mouth, are very prolific and that the introduction of a few pairs 

 into a depleted trout pond showed quick results. As a sequence 

 the commissioners introduced the bass into many trout waters. 



The bass increased rapidly and thrived until the few remaining 

 trout were exterminated. When this food was exhausted, the 

 bass, in several instances, became a stunted race because of the 

 lack of food; in other instances they furnished indifferent fishing. 

 Some of these waters are of too small area and of too low a tem- 

 perature to expect satisfactory results with the bass, which require 

 large range and more food than the trout which they replaced, 

 but the bass are there and what are we going to do about it? 

 They do not easily respond to poison as do many other species. 

 If the pond or lake can be drawn to a small area, either by excava- 

 tion at the outlet or by siphoning, it may be possible to clean them 

 out and start over again. This plan is feasible only in com- 

 paratively few waters. For other waters we must accept the 

 bass permanently and in order to make the waters most pro- 

 ductive it is important to introduce some other species which will 

 not only furnish food for the bass, but will also produce food 

 for the people who are not expert anglers. One of the commonest 

 fishes to be introduced has been the yellow perch. It is a very 

 prolific and good food fish and has the advantage of being easily 

 caught by women and children. 



In many waters, such as I have described, pickerel have been 

 introduced, not usually by the commissioners, but by individuals. 

 Trout waters which contain pickerel, but which do not contain 

 black bass, may be restored to their former conditions by destroy- 



