58 FISHES OF THE CONNECTICUT LAKES. 
other fresh waters, where it has multiplied exceedingly. In fresh 
waters the smelt varies from a few inches in length to a much larger 
size than is usual in salt water. In some Maine lakes it has been 
caught weighing over three-fourths of a pound, and there are unau- 
thentic reports of even larger ones. 
In 1898, 100,000 smelt eggs were placed in First Connecticut Lake 
waters, but the results of the plant are uncertain. It is maintained 
by some that smelts are now so abundant as to furnish so great a food 
supply for salmon and lunge that they will not often take a hook, 
and that the few caught are gorged with smelts. Others state that 
in the spring large numbers of small fish have been seen in Main 
Inlet and still others have observed schools of smelts moving about 
the lake, sometimes undisturbed, at other times harassed by larger 
fish. We, ourselves, on a number of occasions saw the schools of 
supposed smelts, but were always unable to gat near enough to 
identify them and could catch none by any means, until, by a device 
in the form of a small cork float and tiny gauze-winged artificial 
flies, which was cast among the supposed smelts in early evening, 
many bites were received. Only a few fish were hooked and these 
proved to be the gray chub-minnow (Couwesius plumbeus) and the 
redfin (Votropis cornutus). These fish acted and maneuvered like 
schools of smelts that we had observed in other places when the 
identity of the fish was proved. So at these times it seemed possible 
that smelts had not bitten although present, while the other small 
fish accidently present had taken the fly. But one day in Third Con- 
necticut Lake schools of fish were seen moving about almost every- 
where at the surface of the water, acting identically as those of First 
Lake did and like the smelts first mentioned. Some of these were 
taken on tiny flies and were found to be Couesius plumbeus. ‘There 
are no smelts in Third Lake. We have always found dead smelts at 
the surface and washed up on the shore occasionally in other waters 
under our observation where smelts existed, but no smelt was seen 
by us in these lakes. One well-informed resident and a well-known 
guide of this region at one time pointed out some attenuated chub- 
minnows and said that they were what were called smelts about here. 
They did look very much like smelts at first glance, but of course 
were easily distinguished. The guide’s opinion may have been 
formed from having seen smelts and noting the resemblance in these 
fishes, so that he thought these were smelts, or it may be that these 
minnows are believed to be smelts. Under these circumstances we 
have some doubt about there being any smelts in First Connecticut 
Lake. The foregoing description will enable anyone to recognize the 
smelt should it be met with. 
The smelt feeds upon small fishes and other small animals, and is 
a most ravenous little fish. It spawns in the spring, usually in 
