1902 DEPARTMENT OF FISHERIES. 51 



Overseer Bilton, Leeds, reports that the catch of pike was about the same 

 as last year; of catfish and herring, about double the quantity were taken. The 

 herring caught were the largest he had ever seen, especially those taken in the 

 Little Rideau Lake. The number of tourists is increasing every year, and there 

 is plenty of bass to give them first-class angling. The local residents would 

 like to see the close season for salmon trout in Lower Rideau Lake include the 

 month of October, as that is the month in which they spawn in the lake. They 

 would also like to 1 e allowed • to take whitefish under license with a gill net 

 during the month of November for domestic purposes only. He complains that 

 he has great difficulty in getting the fishermen to make returns of the fish 

 caught. He has repeatedly warned them not to neglect this, but they do not 

 seem to take notice of his warning. He is of the opinion that the returns will 

 never be fully made unless some penalty is attached, and an example made of 

 the offenders. The close seasons and other regulations were well observed. 



Overseer Bowerman, Ontario, reports that the law has been well observed 

 during the season of 1902 ; that maskinonge fishing was very good, but that 

 there was a falling off in the bass, owing, he thinks, to so many feeing taken out 

 in the winter. He would advise stopping the winter fishing altogether. Stop- 

 ping the sale of fish has been a great improvement to the fishing. He would 

 recommend that prohibiting fish houses wouid do away with any illegal fishing. 

 The water has been very high this last season, which is also a good thing for 

 the lake as it has drowned a lot of wild rice that grows so plentiful in shallow 

 water. v/ 



Overseer Brady, Victoria, reports that maskinonge were never more plenti- 

 ful in Lake Scugog than this year. Green bass fishing was good, but the gamey 

 black bass is a thing of the ^>ast in those waters, owing, he says, to the large 

 number taken out through the ice in the winter. Maskinonge were very plenti- 

 ful on Pigeon Creek during the summer, but were very scarce in Sturgeon Lake 

 later on the fall. Some very good catches were made, and as a whole the fish- 

 ing was good up to the middle of November. The close season was fairly well 

 observed. Ninety per cent, of those Tie bad been speaking to during the sum- 

 mer were in favor of a six months' close season from the 1st December to the 

 1st June for all kinds of fish which inhabit these waters. He says if any kinds 

 of fish are allowed to be taken, and a person is found breaking the law, he will 

 make the excuse that he was fishing for fish not protected by close season. He 

 would also recommend that a close season for frogs be enacted from 1st April to 

 the 1st or 15th Juty, and any frogs that will measure less than seven inches 

 from nose to tip of hind toe, should not be retained out of the water. He says 

 this law would not only protect the frogs, but also the fish, for during the close 

 season for maskinonge and bass, if any person is caught with a frog lamp in his 

 canoe (which answers instead of a jacklight), he will make the excuse that he is 

 catching frogs. He would recommend that the finding of firearms, or any other 

 article which is used for killing fish, in the possession of a person- in a canoe or 

 a place where maskinonge or bass are found during the close season, or where 

 fishing is being prosecuted, should be ample evidence to secure a conviction. 

 During the year he confiscated four snares, five spears and one gill net 130 feet 

 long, which he destroyed. There is only one fishway in his district, and it is in 

 good repair. 



Overseer Cattenach, Wolfe Island, reports that he received but very few 

 complaints from any source regarding the violations of the regulations. The 

 tourists who visited that locality were well satisfied with the fishery laws and 

 the enforcement thereof. He would recommend an earlier opening of the bass 

 season. He says that such privileges send the guests away fully satisfied, and 



