1911 GAME AND FISHERIES. 21 



He seized one rowboat Avith two Americans for illegal fishing, and got a conviction. 

 He destroyed about 1,000 yards of small mesb nets and a quantity of sturgeon 

 hooks on line. Whitefish are getting smaller, but other fish in this lake are holding 

 their own. There have not been many tourists this summer, which he accounts for 

 by the large number of bush fires in those parts. 



Big game and also partridges are on the increase all over the district. 



River Nepigon. 



Overseer P. A. Leitch, of Nepigon, reports that the number of tourists visit- 

 ing the Nepigon Avaters was not quite up to the average this season, yet they all 

 invariably reported a very successful and enjoyable trip. A number of 5, 6 and 7 

 pounders being taken during the season. 



A shortage of guides at times (owing to so much other work in way of trans- 

 porting supplies to construction camps on Transcontinental Railway, and survey 

 parties on Canadian Northern Railway) has greatly interfered with the tourist 

 traffic the past two or three years. 



This transporting of supplies has given steady employment to a large number 

 of Indians, at same wages as they received from tourists, while the tourist traffic 

 for them is irregular and uncertain, they thus have taken to this transportation 

 work in preference to the tourist work, leaving a shortage of good guides for tourists 



The present method of making the trip on the Nepigon River, requiring two 

 guides to each tourist fishing in addition to a cook for the party, makes the trip 

 quite an expensive one, and only those of considerable means make the trip, but 

 with the completion of the Transcontinental Railway, which is building along the 

 north end of Lake Nepigon, and a spur two miles long down from their main 

 line to the lake at Ombobika Bay, will give rail connection with the lake. 



The Canadian Northern Railway main line from Port Arthur to Sudbury also 

 touches Lake Nepigon along the east shore of Orient Bay according to their line as 

 being located by their surveyors. This line will go within four or five miles of 

 Virgin Falls, on the Nepigon River. When these lines are in operation it will 

 simplify matters, so that so many guides will not be necessiary, and thus greatly 

 reduce the cost of the trip, as no doubt proper steamers will be provided on Lake 

 Nepigon. This lake will then become the greatest resort for tourists in the pro- 

 vince, owing to its magnificent scenery, numerous islands, clear sparkling water, 

 and teeming with fi^h of the following varieties, speckled trout, lake trout up to 

 25 and 30 lbs., whitefish, pickerel, pike and sturgeon; while many of the rivers 

 flowing into Lake Nepigon are well stocked with speckled trout. The White 

 Sand River, particularly, is noted for speckled trout up to 2, 3 and 4 pounds. 

 This lake in a few years should be the source of a handsome revenue to the 

 province both directly and indirectly. 



With regards to the present methods of issuing angling permits for these 

 waters he begs to report that at various times they have parties w'ho are passing- 

 over the continent from ocean to ocean, who have a few days to spare before their 

 steamiship sails, and who stop off there to spend these few days fishing, but when 

 they find that a fee of $15.00 is charged for a permit for two weeks, which is the 

 shortest period for Av'hich the regulations permit angling permits to be issued, they 

 object to paying such a high fee for a few days fishing, and abandon the idea of 

 the trip. If it were arranged so that permits might be issued for an,y numiber of 

 days from one to seven days at so much per day these parties vrould then make the 

 trip, and the province receive the fee besides considerable free advertising among 

 the friends of such parties, whereas at present they get neither. 



