24 THE REPORT OF THE No. 31 



Overseer Bailey, Callander, reports that there has been no net fishing in his district. 



The close seasons and other regulations were well observed. No complaints of 

 illegal fishing have come to his notice. The angling for Bass and other game fish has 

 not been as good the past three seasons as formerly ; he cannot account for it. 



There has been some good Brook Trout fishing in some of the streams in the near 

 neighborhood. 



The lake is 'becoming more popular every year as a summer resort, and the many 

 touiists who visit its shore are rapidly taking up the desirable islands. 



Overseer Baechler, Nipissing, reports that there does not appear to be any notice- 

 able increase in the number of Black Bass, Maskinonge or Speckled Trout. At the 

 opening of the season in June and! for a couple of months afterwards, there is good 

 fishing for Bass with rod and troll, but during the latter part of the tourist season they 

 appear to vacate the main -shores and are only found in quantities among the islands 

 some miles out. There are no Speckled Trout in the large lakes, some are found in the 

 South River, above the shutes, but in ever decreasing numbers. He would advise the 

 placing of Trout fry in the river, as the large number of logs that used to pass down 

 the river is a thing of the past. The Trout would not have to contend against the 

 pollution of the waters such as then existed. There are not very many Maskinonge ; oc- 

 casionally a very large one is caught. They seem to be more plentiful towards and in 

 the French River. He mentions that inhabiting the small inland lakes some few miles 

 from the large lake, are innumerable Black Bass of a small size, weighing up to a 

 pound, and in equally large numbers are the Silver or Widemouth Bass, but they do not 

 seem to grow to the large size obtained in the large lake. 



As there were no licenses issued in his division he cannot furnish any data as to 

 the \alue and quantity of fish caught during the year. There are myriads of Pike and 

 Pickerel in the spring, and some Whitefish and Herring are caught in the fall. During 

 this pa?t summer the number of tourists increased considerably. Some 34 members of 

 the Keystone Camping Club, Pittsburg, made their first visit to the mouth of South 

 River, and were so pleased with their location that they 'intend bringing some hundred 

 more members of their club next year. In concluding, he says that there are no fish- 

 ways on the shutes on South River. In the first falls encountered in their passage up- 

 river the fish are stopped. If they could master this shute they could easily ascend a 

 long way up stream. 



Overseer Geo. Bilton, Rideau Waters, reports a slight decrease in the catch, owing 

 to the fact that there were about one-third fewer licenses issued this year than in former 

 yea s. There has been an increase in the catch of Pike, also of Catfish, which he 

 thinks goes to show that the waters are not being over-fished with 'hoop nets. In Upper 

 Rideau Lake. Wolf Lake and Otter Lake, the Ling are becoming more numerous every 

 year, and he would suggest that some means be devised to exterminate them, as they are 

 very destructive to all other fish. Th Bass fishing has been first-class. The tourists who 

 frequent the waters are well pleased with the sport afforded; and say that the Rideau 

 waters furnish the best Bass fishing they have found in their travels. A large club 

 house is being erected on Mud Lake for the accommodation of the ever-increasing tourist 

 tradf. He would recommend that the close season for Salmons-Trout on the Lower 

 Rideau River be changed to the month of October, that being the month in which they 

 spawn. If the season were changed to that month he is of the opinion that it would be 

 a great protection, as at present there are a great number of people who troll during 

 that time, and most of the fish taken are filled With ripe spawn. The close season for Bass 

 he says was well observed, but there were some flagrant violations of the law in fishing 

 for trout and whitefish during the fall close season. He had thirteen parties summoned 

 and convicted, a fine being imposed of ten dollars in each case. 



Overseer Blondan, Cornwall, reports that there has been no net fishing; only angling. 

 The angling has, however, been unusually good. Fish have been plentiful, especially 



