1904 DEPARTMENT OF FISHERIES. 39 



and systematically fished so as to exterminate these Pariahs of fishdom. A new 

 'ield has been discovered at South Bay, for Bass, where they cluster in thousands among 

 the :ushes at the head of that bay, three miles from Manitowaning, and an overseer 

 should be appointed at Manitowaning to watch this ground. 



Oveiaeer O'Connor, Long Point, County Leeds, reports that the waters over which 

 he has supervision abound in a beauty of scenery and plentitude of game fish that 

 should at once recommend them to be of special interest to the angler ana tourist. 



Bass. Pike, Whitefish, Salmon and other smaller fish are all to be found and the 

 : rh ol last season showed somewhat of an increase. The proximity of the waters 

 to such 'summer resorts as those among the Thousand Islands renders them sure if 

 s >me attention from tourists. 



Herein lies a difficulty. A few genuine sports visit the waters and would scorn to 

 infringe upon the laws, while many others drive back from the St. Lawrence only to 

 stay a couple of days, and while there catch all they can, quite regardless of the law. 

 Thjn they leave, taking the more choice fish with them and leave the rest to rot on 

 the camp grounds. These fellows, he says, need careful watching. They come and 

 are gone again before he is aware of their presence, and it is only when it is too 

 late tli • 1 1 he knows of their work. 



On the famous Red Horse Salmon grounds there was hardly a day during all last 

 summer that boats might not be seen on this stretch of water and a good catch of 

 Salmon was reported and most of it was done legally. A few fishermen in camp 

 there Mere thought to be doing a little illegal fishing at night. Since his appointment 

 as overseer, he has seized two gill nets at that point 



Heretofore there has been much illegal fishing for Whitefish during the run in 

 the fall. There are three good rapids in those waters, and the Whitefish playing in 

 large numbers in the shallow waters are rather tempting, but by frequent visits he 

 has greatly "-edtrced this evil. He also captured one net at this place. 



A source of grievance to the people of the vicinity is the fact that there are 

 paities doing nothing else all summer but trolling for Pike for market, and if this thing 

 be allowed to continue, in a very few years the lakes will be depleted of one of the 

 finest fish they have. He says the Pike in those waters are different from any others 

 in the lakes about there. Thev are more like the Maskinonge in shape and color and 

 ?r> game right to the finish. Fish caught and marketed in this way cannot be 

 re'icrterl in any way. He knows of one man who marketed a ton of Pike last summer. 

 He thirks some steps should be taken to stop this commercial fishing at once. 



There has been no hoopnet fishing in his division for some time, except in South 

 Lake, - nd he recommends that these licenses be discontinued. 



Overseer Ogg, Hamilton, reports that the catch of Whitefish for the year has 

 exc eded that of last year by 4,875 lbs., with two returns not received. The fish have 

 been of an excellent quality, and the prices have been high. Full returns, he thinks, 

 will show a very slight difference, if any, in the catch. All the fisn caught are used 

 for heme consumption. The season's operations have been satisfactory to the fisher- 

 men, the p-ices of all kinds of fish being very high. Three cases of illegal fishing 

 cpme to his notice, and in each case a fine of $10 and costs was imposed. 



Overseer Oliver, Little Current, reports that there has been a general falling off 

 of the catch in his division compared with the catch of last year. Although the fish- 

 insr has been lighter the fishermen have done fairly well, owing to the high prices 

 received. 



The catch during the ten days' extension of the open season that was granted was 

 very heavy. He strongly deprecates the granting of any extension of the season in 

 November, especially in the west *-nd of Georgian Bay, as by the 10th of November the 

 ip wnng serson for the Trout in that locality is about over, and the first run of 

 the Whitefish has commenced before the expiration of the ten days granted. It simply 



