52 REPORT OF THE 



No. 32 



any net fishing m his territory during the past two years, therefore there 

 appears to be quite an increase of fish, judging from the great number of 

 small fish that are there now compared with two years ago. 



Overseer B. H. Sweet, Bancroft, reports that the fishery and game laws 

 were fairly well observed in his district in 1907. The angling was very good 

 in that locality last year. He seized one net illegally set for trout in Clear 

 Lake in the Township of Dungannon, but he could not find the owner of 

 the net. 



As for the game laws, they have been fairly observed. He has not heard 

 of any complaints. 



Overseer Thomas Swift, Port Perry, reports that in the early part of 

 the season the law was well observed, as he did not see nor hear of anyone 

 spearing fish. The season was so cold and rough that the fish had to spawn 

 in the deep water. There is any amount of small bass and maskinonge in 

 Lake Scugog this season. Owing to the water being so low, and the rice so 

 high, not many fish were caught— some bass, but no maskinonge. The 

 water has not been so high for the last ten years. 



Overseer W . H. Switzer, Gooderham, reports that there is only one small 

 lake in his district (known as Horseshoe Lake), containing bass. They were 

 placed in the lake by a settler in 1901, and now there is plenty for the settlers 

 near by. There are also German carp in the same lake, placed there by a 

 settler some years ago, but it seems they cannot be caught, although they 

 may be seen. There are a number of fine lakes in that locality which he 

 thinks ought to be stocked with black bass and salmon trout, as they contain 

 only coarse fish, such as shiners, catfish, chubs and perch. The settlers have 

 caught quite a number of bass in Horseshoe Lake and placed them in other 

 lakes to stock them. 



The close season for fish and game was well observed. He heard of 

 one instance of illegal fishing, and that was with night lines. There was an 

 increase in the catch of bass and trout, some weighing 13 lbs. All were used 

 for home consumption, none exported or sold, so far as he knows. 



There are no fishways in his district. There are nine saw mills, but 

 none of the refuse is thrown into the water. 



He heard of no illegal hunting going on. The deer killed this season 

 were not up to the average in number, but there was quite a number shipped 

 out of his district. 



Overseer Fred. Taylor, Huntsville, reports that he had many complaints 

 during the months of September and October about netting, and spent con- 

 siderable time trying to bring the parties to justice. But it would require 

 all his time at this season of the year to anywhere near cope with the netting 

 that is going on. He does not think the fish are increasing in Vernon, Fairy 

 and Peninsula lakes, and he believes the lowering of the water by taking 

 out stop logs at locks at close of navigation has considerable to do with it. 

 He would recommend close season from Sept. 1st instead of Sept. 15th, as 

 female trout are full of spawn after that date. These are the fish the people 

 are after', and if not protected more than at the present they will soon be 

 a scarce article. 



There are no fishways in his district to his knowledge. 

 Overseer Ira Toole, Omemee, reports that the fishing during the summer 

 was fairly good for maskinonge and bass, but the former were chiefly small 

 in size, owing he believes to the large ones having been caught for some 

 years past by snaring through the ice in winter, but with proper protection 

 he thinks they will become plentiful again in a couple of years. There 



