4(i THE REPORT OF THE No. 31 



Overseer Walker, Fort Credit, reports that the laws and regulations have been 

 well observed. There has been a falling off in the catch by anglers, owing, he thinks, to 

 the Carp becoming so numerous in the waters heretofore frequented by game fish. 



Overseer Walsh, Carleton Place, reports that the year just ended has been a suc- 

 cessful one for good fishing in his locality. The Pike, which are the most numerous, 

 have been caught in large quantities, one man alone having caught 25 good-sized fish 

 in one day. The Bass do not seem to propagate as fast in the Mississippi Lake as he 

 th nks desirable. The only reason given for this is that a few years ago a dam at 

 1; -ni-ville, about one mile from the head of the lake, broke away in the spring at the 

 time the Bass would be looking up stream, and it is supposed that hundreds of them 

 took ;.u\nntage of the opening and went farther up and out of the lake. The fact that 

 Bass became more numerous up above about that time strengthens this supposition. 

 Another reason is that the Catfish have increased right near the mouth of the river not 

 far from where some of the best catches of Bass occur. He is also of the opinion that 

 they destroy the spawn and small fry. For this reason he granted a license to four 

 hoop nets, and intended the fisherman to push his trade vigorously this winter against 

 the Cntfish, which he is doing, in the hope that it will lessen the destruction. He has 

 lifted quite a few Suckers, but he does not know if they affect the Bass. 



The close season is very well observed. As he is on the lake more or less nearly 

 every day canoeing, he is in a position to know. The fisherman states that he has 

 se?n very few Pike, and only two small Bass, so it is evident that Catfish abound where 

 the others spawn. About nine miles down the river from the lake there are falls, and 

 he does not think it possible for fish to mount them. Pickerel come up from the 

 Ottnwa, and have been caught right up to the falls, hut he has never heard of one 

 being caught above the falls. 



An inspection of the place will be made in the spring to see if it is possible to 

 build slides to assist the fish, as it would be quite an addition to the lakes here if the 

 Pickerel could get into them, as he is certain they would do well. 



This lake is quite a resort, a large four-storied hotel being built within three miles 

 of the town; there are also about a dozen cottages in the same vicinity. The hotel has been 

 fully occupied every season since it was built, and hundreds visit the park, which 

 is one of the finest natural resorts he has ever seen. A perfect half-mile race track 

 is built around the hotel, where the speedy ones from the town try themselves. The 

 Northern Division meet of the American Canoe Association was held in front of the 

 park in 1002. You can catch a Pike any time you wish within 100 yards of the hotel. 

 On one side of the lake for six or seven miles the wild rice grows very thick, and 

 h'-ndieds of duck of different species fly here to breed and feed. Owing to the fact 

 that there is no one here to look after them, they are shot at as soon as they arrive. 

 In this way the shooting is spoiled for the opening of the season. Still, hundreds of 

 them are shot. A more vigorous enforcement of the game law would make this one 

 of the finest duck resorts in the country. Whitefish and Trout have been planted in the 

 'ake at different times, but were never heard of afterwards. There were some fish 

 placed in the river near Almonte last year, but as it was done without the knowledge 

 of the overseer he is not in a position to say anything about them. ' One net was 

 seized in the lake last fall, and as it is not a safe place to set them, there is not much 

 of it rone. 



Overseer Waddell, Leith, reports that there has been a decrease in the catch, 

 owjpsr to the very rough weather that prevailed during a great part of the season. 

 The fish were as plentiful as in former years, but the fishermen in many cases were 

 not aMe to get out to lift their nets. There were a great many nets lost on that ac- 

 count. The close seasons and other regulations were well observed. He 

 renorts that the trolling at Point William was all that could be desired. 

 One party from Owen Sound caught seventy-one Trout in one day, and there were 



