FISHES OF THE YELLOWSTOKK .NATIONAL PARK. 13 



and their larvae, it occasionally extends its range to streams strewn 

 with bowlders and broken rocks. 



Unlike the native trout, the grayling will go long distances, if 

 necessary, to find suitable spawning grounds. They spawn in April 

 and May on gravelly shallows. In the north fork of the Madison 

 River, where the water is comparatively warm, coming from the 

 Firehole River in the Yellowstone Park, the grayling spawns a month 

 earlier than in any other waters in Montana. 



In point of activity it even excels the native trout, when hooked 

 breaking the water repeatedly in its effort to escape, which the trout 

 seldom does. It takes the artificial fly eagerly, and if missed at the 

 first cast will rise again and again from the depths of the pool, whereas 

 the trout will seldom rise a second time without a rest. It will also 

 take various baits, such as caddis-fly larvae, grasshoppers, and worms. 

 Among the recommended flies are professor, Lord Baltimore, queen 



FIG. 1. Montana grayling. 



of the water, grizzly king, Henshall, coachman, and various gauze- 

 winged flies, with no. 10 and 12 hooks. 



As a food fish it is even better than the trout. Its flesh is firm and 

 flaky, very white, and of delicate flavor. 



2. NATIVE WHITEFISH; ROCKY MOUNTAIN WHITEFISH (Coregonus 



williamsoni) . 



The Rocky Mountain whitefish occurs in all suitable waters on the 

 west slope of the Rockies from Utah to British Columbia. A scarcely, 

 if at all, distinguishable variety or subspecies bearing the name of 

 Coregonus williamsoni cismontanus is found in certain waters of the 

 upper Missouri Basin. 



In some localities this fish is miscalled grayling," with which it 

 should not be confused, as it is a very different species; and there 

 seems to be a local Yellowstone River name, the phonetic spelling of 

 which is ^sterlet" or "steret." 



a Referring to the fishing in the canyon of Sunlight Creek, Clark Fork, Mr. Clark probably made this 

 mistake in writing the following: "You will probably first catch a scaly fish which looks like a long sucker. 

 It is the Montana grayling and there are many down there." 



