100 Thirt //-First Aitnual Meeting 



have tiin(> to give him anything and did not know that I had 

 anything nt'W. Tliat was the hist I heard of it until the notices 

 came out, and I saw he had me down for a paper. So I give you 

 these few notes. It is not a paper, hut a few ]iotes on our work 

 in connection more particularly with the whitefish. I do not 

 want you to think you are going to get a paper. 



Secretary Peal)ody : It seemed perfectly safe to put you 

 down on the subject of whitefish, as l)eing the greatest ex])('rt on 

 tluit subject in the country. 



Mr. Clark : I do not think so. There are many other wliite- 

 fish experts in the country besides F. N. Clark. 



The President : Was not the season an especially propitious 

 one? 



Mr. Clark : The water was very good, but the experience of 

 the United States Fish Commission on the Detroit river for the 

 three seasons we have been operating since the Michigan Fish 

 Commission turned it over to us, is that there has not l^een so 

 very much difference in that respect. I think that when the 

 Michigan Fish Commission operated they did have three or four 

 exceptionally severe seasons, when ice made in the river, so they 

 could not fish. We had no ti'ouble of that kind, and I think we 

 are safe in anticipating a take of 300,000.000 or 400,000,000 

 eggs this coming season. It all depends on tlie temperature of 

 the water both with the fish and eggs. I do not think it Wi^is an 

 exceptional season. I tliink it was simply because Lake Erie has 

 more fish today than it ever had before. I think Mr. Downing or 

 Mr. Fox will bear me out in this statement judging by their 

 Avork at j\Ionroe. 



The President: It is borne out l)y the commercial reports 

 also, I think. 



Mr. Clark : Yes, sir. 



Mr. Gunckel : I never saw line fishing so good as it is out 

 off Monroe tliis season. I cauglit witli a fly one whitefish weigh- 

 ing eighteen and one-half pounds. 



]\Ir. Slranahan: I would like to ask ^Ir. Clark, do you think 

 there are nioi'c wbilcllsh in the lake than there ever was. away 

 back in the early days of lishing? 



Mr. Clai'k : 1 do not mean to he understood as saving that. 

 I mean that the increased caleh of whitellsh in Lake Erie is 



