54 THE KEPORT UPON No. VS 



about 10 o'clock at night ; there being two men he thought the jig was up, but he 

 put on a bold front and they simply gave up. August 16th he broke his wheel, and 

 had to paddle round the river until the 29th, with a couple of old bent buckets which 

 he had. About this time his new hull was launched, when they transferred the en- 

 gine and once more got in shape and can make from 2 to 3 miles an hour better. 

 Nothing more of note happened until October 9th. He was called up from Sif- 

 ton's place by a well known gentleman to decide a question for him. In the con- 

 versation he told me there had been some shooting duck from a gasoline launch 

 up there. Next morning he went up, but it was too fine a day. Boats were out 

 in hundreds and there was no chance for any shooting; nevertheless he inspected 

 several boats', and saw two as nice maskinonge as any man could wish to catch. He 

 finds that there is more inclination to break the law in shooting than in fishing, and 

 he would recommend there be a license for every man who wishes to carry a gun 

 to hunt, same. as in New York State. The fee there is $2. 



Overseer James McNairn, of Iroquois, reports an increase in pike and pickerel 

 this year compared with last year, the cause of which being the absence of parties 

 who did dynamiting. There are no fish exported and about three tons sold for 

 home consumption. The close season has been well kept. He has been on the 

 lookout to see that they are kept; also all the local fishermen. No violations came 

 to his notice. There are no mills dumping refuse, and no fishways in his district. 



Overseer George Slate, of Rochport, reports that this season has been a very sat- 

 isfactory one in a good many respects. The amount of illegal fishing in his juris- 

 diction has practically been nil, the extent of his confiscations being a couple jof nets. 

 There has been a fairly good catch of ])lack bass and pickerel has been most plenti- 

 ful, with a liberal catch of maskinonge. The discontinuance of netting indiscrim- 

 inately is doubtless responsible for this. In his opinion it would be advantageous 

 if it were possible for the Department to re-issue licenses for the use of set lines for 

 catching sturgeon. This is being done by the American Government (which is 

 considered by some to the detriment of our own citizens) which enables those inter- 

 ested to secure a fairly good competency and does good, depleting the river of a 

 species of fish that is proving destructive to what game fish we have and at the 

 same time increasing the revenue of the Department. With regard to duck hunt- 

 ing the season has been somewhat backward, but indications point to a veiy liberal 

 Bupply. 



Overseer George Toner, of Gananoque, reports that fishing in the St. Lawrence 

 during the past season has been much better than for many seasons past. As high 

 as 126 pounds of pike have been caught by one man trolling, in one day. This goes 

 to show that the fish are very plentiful in the river. All the guides also report that 

 the fishing has greatly improved during the past two seasons. They have had no 

 trouble in taking all the bass that the law would allow, besides many very fine perch 

 and pike. 



Muskallonge have been more plentiful than for many years, many having been 

 caught in this vicinity this fall. In the spring of this year ducks were plentiful. 

 In the swift water the river opens up very early in the spring, and many ducks were 

 slaughtered liy poachers. He has been informed that many of these poachers used 

 four guns. This was before he was appointed to the position of overseer for this 

 year. At the present time the ducks seem to be plentiful. 



