48 THE REPORT OF THE No. 81 



to Shawanga Bay, finding no ice. It will also be remembered as a season of 

 very high winds and severe gales, and fishermen will always associate it with 

 the remembrance of great loss of nets and fishing gear. It was also a very cold 

 year, and tourists, although in greater numbers than ever, remained for snorter 

 periods than usual. The catch of fish, however, was about normal, although 

 fishermen report less profit, by reason of losses mentioned above. 



His operations were conducted in the sailing cruiser " Gladys." In his last 

 year's report, he stated that she (the " Gladys ) was a " done " boat. After- 

 ward, when consenting to try her another year, he advised the Department not 

 to expect good work out of her as she was unseaworthy. His opinion has been 

 fully verified, as, early in the season, first one sail, then another, was blown out 

 of her. However, he worked along with one assistant the best he could until 

 December 1st, when navigation closed. During the season he was obliged to 

 haul her out of the water twice, patching here and caulking there, and finally 

 hauled her out for good ; and he states most emphatically that she is of no more 

 use as a cruiser. A steam launch, he thinks, is the only way in which effective 

 patrolling can be done, as it can travel in any water that a fish-boat can. It 

 would not be readily seen, could work in any weather that a fish-boat could, and 

 the very name of a steam launch cruiser would place the would-be offender on 

 the apprehensive. 



The tourist fraternity, as expected, are ever increasing in numbers, and it is 

 becoming painfully apparent that in this class are to be found some of the most 

 flagrant law-breakers, and unless a stronger check is placed on the unsports- 

 manlike slaughter of black bass, that fish must speedily become rare. He has 

 during the past season seen heaps of rotting bass in the rear of camp-grounds ; 

 but as there was no conclusive evidence that the then campers were the offenders, 

 nothing could be done. For the past few years bass have been multiplying 

 very rapidly; in fact he believes that 1902 saw bass in greater plenty than for 

 twenty years past. Some tourists seem to think that hauling out one hundred 

 per day is correct sport. Trap nets, seines, and other illegal contrivances are not 

 on the increase, but still too many are in evidence. It is true that there is a 

 great temptation for the regular fisherman to adopt speedier and more effective 

 methods than the gill net affords, but he can truthfully say there seems to be 

 less disposition on their part than formerly to break the law. But there is a 

 growing class of watermen that must be reckoned with, namely, the guides. 

 These men get good pay for two months or so. A great many of them have taken 

 it up quite recently; they become enamoured of water life. They are for the most 

 part without much means, and trap fishing offers a comparatively easy opening 

 for continuing the water life until the close of navigation with profit. 



He reiterates his recommendation of last year that placards containing a 

 synopsis of the fishery laws be placed at all summer resorts, on all house boats 

 and passenger steamers, as well as a general distribution over the entire district. 



The use of gasoline as a motive powei for fish boats has proved satisfactory 

 to the few who tried it last season, and it is certain that the coming season will 

 see a good many fish boats similarly equipped. He would recommend that they 

 be classified, as some dissatisfaction exists among sailboat men, who claim the 

 license fee is disproportionate. 



He would recommend that a more liberal regulation be issued for the 

 catching of herring. Herring begin to appear on the inshore shoals about Oct. 

 1st. They are then in schools for a few days, evidently in search of spawning 

 grounds. Immediately afterward they separate, but for the most part remain in 

 the vicinity until the ice leaves in the spring. From the time they begin to 

 appear in the fall they are in countless millions, and the total catch is an infin- 

 itesimal fraction of their numbers, the great bulk of those destroyed falling a 



