34 THE REPORT OF THE No. 31 



into Lake Superior. At present this fish cannot be found in that district, 

 except in the smaller lakes and rivers. It would be a decided advantage 

 to the fishermen if it could be introduced into Lake Superior. He has 

 always considered that the close season, at least in that district, should 

 commence at an earlier date. At present it commences on the 1st Novem- 

 ber, but he thinks it should commence at least on the 15th October. The 

 Booth Co. collects the spawn before the close season as it exists at present, 

 indicating that the fish from which the spawn is so collected should be pro- 

 tected at that particular time. 



Overseer McKirdy, Nepigon, reports that the number of tourists visit- 

 ing the Nepigon in 1904 was up to the average, there being fl,075 returns 

 from tourists' permits. 



The fishing, while good, was not up to the average of other years ; the 

 fish were there, but for some unaccountable reason did not rise to the fly 

 as freely as usual. 



The river has been well protected, and perfect sanitary conditions of 

 the camping grounds maintained. 



A permanent dock has been built on Lake Helen, adding materially 

 to the comfort of the tourists. 



The work of destroying the coarse fish in the river has been continued. 

 The result of the destruction of these fish is quite noticeable, large quan- 

 tities of small brook trout being seen in the shallow water. He thinks, 

 with this encouragement, more radical measures should be pursued to ex- 

 terminate these coarse fish from the river. 



A shipment of some 500 trout, of sizes varying from three inches up to 

 those weighing four pounds, was made in the C. P. R. fish car (specially 

 constructed) to the waters of the Bow River at Banff. This shipment was 

 very successful, only some four fish being lost during the trip, notwith- 

 standing long distance travelled without change of water. 



The retention of the .overseer on the river until the 20th October should 

 in his opinion be a permanent thing, as from the 20th September until the 

 20th October the fish are spawning in all the shallow rapid waters, and 

 during that season people are constantly traversing the river, many of whom 

 would not hesitate to catch these fish ; too much care cannot be taken to pro- 

 tect them. Overseer de Laronde says he never saw so many fish, nor such 

 large ones, spawning before. 



A new feature may probably develop in the Nepigon fishing. He refers 

 to the steel head salmon, fry of which were a few years ago deposited in 

 Lake Superior and Thunder Bay. . One of these fish, 25 lbs. in weight, was 

 caught in Lake Nepigon. The conditions of the Nepigon would be parti- 

 cularly suitable for these fish, and if salmon fishing should be added to the 

 already famous trout stream it would be very desirable. 



Overseer McNabb, Orillia, reports that the close season was well ob- 

 served in his district. Whitefish and salmon trout, herring and bass were 

 plentiful in Lake Simcoe. The law regarding the depositing of sawdust 

 and mill refuse in the waters was well observed. During the year he got 

 a net at Four Mile Point, and had the party fined. No other illegal fish- 

 ing came to his notice. The car of bass that the Department sent out was 

 distributed between Lake Couchiching and Bass Lake; they were all put 

 in in first-class order, none of them having died. The anglers and tour- 

 ists of Sparrow Lake said the fish were very plentiful, but they did not seem 

 to bite so well. The maskinonge are on the increase, both, in Lake Couch- 

 iching and Sparrow Lake. The carp seem to be very plentiful in Lakes Sim- 



