4. PUBLIC FISHING AREAS 



(a) Mount Pleasant Ponds 



This site was again operated as a public fising area during 1963. 

 Some difficulty was experienced in obtaining fish for the ponds and in 

 the transfer of the stock during the heat of mid-summer. However, a 

 total of 7,971 anglers utilized the area and participated in the harvest of 

 perch, bullheads, catfish, sunfish, rock bass, largemouth bass and small- 

 mouth bass which were provided throughout most of the fishing season. 



Renovation of the pond facilities was initiated this fall. The pro- 

 posed improvements will include deepening and regrouping the existing 

 seven ponds into three larger units. The project is not expected to be 

 completed until the summer of 1964, but it is hoped that the improve- 

 ments will increase the carrying capacity of the station and, possibly, 

 provide a suitable habitat for holding rainbow trout. 



(b) St. Williams Pond 



This five acre pond, which is located on the St. Williams Forestry 

 Station property, was enlarged and improved in 1962 for the development 

 of a public fishing area. This year the pond was stocked with catchable 

 size brook trout and rainbow trout, and the area was opened to the public 

 for angling. 



Results from the first year of operation were most encouraging. Some 

 22,000 anglers used the area and most experienced reasonably good 

 fishing success. An estimated 75 per cent of the stocked trout were har- 

 vested by the anglers. 



(c) Normandale (Schoolhouse) Pond 



This is a small, half-acre pond located outside the village of Nor- 

 mandale. In 1962, the pond was improved by removing some of the 

 extensive growth of aquatic vegetation and deepening, before being stocked 

 with brook trout yearlings. 



This year, the pond was opened to public fishing. Despite its small 

 size and limited carrying capacity, the pond produced good fishing, with 

 periodic stocking during the summer, for an estimated 2,350 anglers. 



5. LAKE OF THE WOODS FISH MANAGEMENT UNIT 



This unit was established in 1962 to work specifically on the investi- 

 gation and development of a suitable fisheries management program for Lake 

 of the Woods. For study purposes, the lake was divided geographically into 

 five parts with the plan to spend a full year initially on each segment. The 

 investigations include extensive limnological and environmental studies of 

 the lake and a thorough examination of the various fish populations. 



The Shoal Lake area of Lake of the Woods was examined in 1962. 

 Studies were conducted on the north-central segment of the main lake during 

 1963. 



6. KAWARTHA LAKES FISH MANAGEMENT UNIT 



Although this unit was established in the fall of 1962, field work was 

 not initiated until the spring of 1963. Limnological stations were chosen on 



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