256 Rooscirlt Wild Life Annals 



" 'Approved Methods for Angling on Oneida Lake are : 



1. I'ike Perch. Trolling spoon; bait, minnows; still fishing in shallow IkiuI- 

 dery bars early in the season, later, in July and August, in deep water, with wcirms. 



2. Small-mouthed Black Bass. A fish of uncertain habits in taking bait ; 

 crawfish or 'crabs,' minnows, worms, grasshoppers, and crickets are recommended. 

 A trolling spoon, hauled very rapidly over bars in shallow waters without a sinker 

 and with cotton line gives good results. .\t times fly fishing is successful. 



3. Pickerel. Trolling: bait casting with frog, minnow or wooden bait, at 

 the surface or below it, is approved. 



4. Large-mouthed Black Bass. Same methods as for Pickerel. 



5. Yellow Perch. Still fishing, with liait of worms, small minnows, pieces of 

 ])erch with skin removed, perch eyes, reddish ventral fin of jterch, and by fly fishing. 



6. Pumpkinseed. Still fishing with worms, or fly fishing, 



7. Rock Bass b}' trdlling spnon, or line baited with small minnows or 'crabs.' 

 iS. Bullheads. Line lishing with worms, crab 'tails,' minnciws (dead or alive). 



June the best month for fishing.' " 



In the accompanying Annotated List angling methods are discussed for each 

 species. 



It should be emphasized that if angling is to be preserved as a successful sport 

 in this lake, the best breeding grounds must be carefully protected from pollution ; 

 likewise the fish on them during the breeding season must be protected from 

 anglers and others. Special attention is directed, beyond, to the importance of the 

 Pike Perch breeding grounds in the lower part of Chittenango Creek, beginning 

 about three miles above Bridgeport (W. H. Weston), 



A group of far-sighted Syracuse anglers led by Mr. George Friend have advo- 

 cated the establishment of a State fish and game sanctuary or preserve to include 

 this lower part of Chittenango Creek, in order to protect the Pike Perch and to 

 have a field base for the protective and fish cultural work on the lake. Both pur- 

 poses are important. Constant watchfulness is necessary also to prevent pollution 

 of the stream, as are sufficient protectors to patrol the preserve, and to enforce 

 the laws fearlessly. Fish Creek, as well as other important inflowing streams, 

 needs similar consideration if the fisheries of the lake are to be maintained to 

 capacity. There is already some protection on the hatchery grounds at Constantia, 

 but a larger area is needed. It would indeed be folly to attempt to jnit into i)rac- 

 tice any sane comprehensive pnlicy f(ir these waters if such important considera- 

 tions are neglected. 



Cobb in 1904 remarked ('05, p. 227) concerning the current State policy for 

 the inland waters, including Oneida Lake, that "tlic ])rincipal aim of the authorities 

 has been, as far as possible, to confine the fishing in the interior lakes and streams 

 to sportsmen, who are attracted, not only from all jiarts of New York, but from 

 other States and even from foreign lands by the excellent fishing afforded in these 

 waters. Such ]5leasure seekers are usually liberal and the sums expended by them 

 net a larger profit to the community than would be obtained by the unrestricted 

 use of fishing apparatus on the part of loc;d lisluTmcn. It has been estini;itrd that 

 the sportsmen leave behind them, in the li;inrls of the raibd;id>, hoteU, gni<Ie^, boat- 

 men, etc, severrd million dollar> e;icb \ear." 



