24 DEPARTMENT OF GAME AND FISHERIES No. 9 (1944) 



CREEL CENSUS 



It is necessary to obtain some measure of the fish production from the 

 various lakes from year to year in order to evaluate the various conservation 

 measures being applied. The best method of obtaining this measure 

 of the fishing for a large number of lakes and streams from year to year is through 

 the creel census carried out by active cooperation of the anglers. The great im- 

 portance of the Algonquin Park Creel Census lies in its value as being a measure 

 of both the fish available to the anglers and the improvement or decline of fishing 

 in the various lakes and rivers from year to year. For this puropse the Park has 

 been divided into three areas: Algonquin Park South, Algonquin Park North, 

 Opeongo and adjacent lakes. The creel census of Algonquin Park North was carried 

 out in 1943 for the first time. 



STOCKING 



The creel census has already shown us that stockings of some lakes and 

 rivers with fish has improved the fishing while in other lakes the planting has 

 given little or no return so it is now possible to emphasize the stocking of those 

 waters which promise the most satisfactory returns. In 1943, 11,880 speckled trout 

 were planted in twenty-six lakes in Algonquin Park North and 4 9,000 speckled 

 trout were planted in thirty-six lakes in Algonquin Park South. The stocking with 

 fish in 1944 will be carried out with emphasis upon those lakes which give the best 

 promise of returns and upon some additional lakes which were studied during 1943, 

 as well as some of the rivers which are being studied for the purpose of carrying out 

 stream improvements to increase the production of trout. 



LAKE CLOSURE 



It has also been found that alternate annual closure of lakes is having a good 

 effect on increasing both the size and numbers of fish available to anglers in many 

 lakes and this practice is being extended to protect and improve the game fish in 

 the smaller Park Lakes where the creel census indicated a dangerous decrease in the 

 game fish available. 



LAKE TROUT STUDIES 



The work on the food and growth of lake trout has been continued and it 

 has been found by Dr. Fry that lake trout reach a catchable size at an older age 

 than speckled trout and as a result of this it takes a longer period for them to 

 respond to conservation measures. He found also, that the lake trout in different 

 lakes grow at very different rates but from this information it is possible to pre- 

 pare a table giving the approximate average relations of age and size of lake trout. 



Approximate Age-Length-Weight Relations of 

 Lake Trout 



Age Length Weight 



Yrs. Inches Pounds 



1 4 



2 7 



3 9 1.0 



4 12 1.2 



5 14 1.3 



6 16 1.5 



7 18 „ 2.4 



8 20 3.0 



9 22 3:5 



10 23 4.2 



11 24 5.0 



26 ^ 8.0 



28 10.0 



