Otiiiilii Lake Fishes -!57 



The Fisheries of Oneida Lake. "The large anunint uf animal IimmI ])ro- 

 diiced liy the lake aiul taken in that \icinity is a subject not tjcnerally appreciated 

 even Imally. Tht- iil> and fr<i),'s easily lead in ini]Kirtance. At our request the 

 food fish of the lake itself has lieen rated by Mr. Hiram X. Coville. a former fish 

 dealer livinj; at Hrewertim. situated at the outlet of the lake, in the following order 

 (jf imjKjrtance : 



1. Eels. 



2. I'ike I'erch, Yellow IVrch, Hullheails and Pickerel. 



3. I'umi)kinseed, Hlack and Re<l-fin .Suckers. 



4. Kfjck Bass. 



5. Catfish (Iclalurus). 



6. Oneida I-ake Whitetish or Tullil>ee. 



'The Tullil)ee or Oneida 1-ake Whitefish is sold fresh or salted. For salting 

 they are opened along the back, salted to draw the bloo<l. then packed in dry salt. 

 In this manner 400 to 500 pounds are salted each year of the four to five tons of 

 whitefish handled. Pike Perch and Yellow Perch are taken by "tipups" through 

 the ice. Small minnows are used for bait for Perch in this ice fishing. 



".\t the .State hatchery at Constantia special attention is given to Pike Perch. 

 Small-tnoutheil lilack Mass, bellow Perch and < )neida 1-ike Whitefish or Tullil)ee." 

 (Since this was written. TulliU-e hatching has l)een tliscontinued by the Con- 

 stantia hatchery. ) 



/;.•/ Industry. "We are indebted to Mr. C. F. Davison and Mr. H. N". Coville 

 for the following items concerning their fish business. Hels are taken in various 

 jxarts of the lake, but the main catch is made at Caughdenoy. four miles down the 

 Oneida River, just IkjIow the large dam. which controls the level of ( )neida I^ike. 

 Here there are two rows of weirs, each consisting of three traps or pots." ( .\dams 

 and Hankinson. "16.) Further discussion of the Kel industry will lie found 

 elsewhere in the l)ody of the reiMirt. 



Economic Value of the Fish. < >n .iccount of the favorable conditions for 

 the ]>riHluction of fixKl. this shallow lake is. as has l>een shown, cajwble of jjro- 

 ducing a vast amount of fish. Inith for s|M>rt and for f<MMl. The most im]>ortant 

 fiKKl fishes are TullilK-e. Perch. Car]>. Sunfish. Itullheads. l.ing. I'.els. ."suckers, 

 and Chain Pickerel and lonimon I'ike. Pike Perch and the Lnrge-mouthol and 

 the Small -mouthed Hlack Mass are usually classed as game lish. That all of the-se 

 fishes are not eipially appn-ciated as fiMMl does not justify us in neglecting their 

 consideration in a fish cultural |>olicy. 



The economic im|>ortance of the fisheries of the lake has never rcceivcti much 

 attention. .Some jireliminary statistical stu«lies of \cw York waters, including 

 r>neida l-nke. were made in i8«Xi an«l in I'jo.V by Cobb (05). f«)r the l'. S. Fish 

 Commission. .\t this time Cobb stale<l ( i>p. j.'^-jjS) that. "Whenever p«>ssible 

 without injury to the sjMirt fishing, the ."state has |Knnitled the use of nets to some 

 extent. priiicii>ally for the pur])o^e of rolucing the abumlance of the ci>mmoner 

 s|H-cies of fishes, which, when in excessive lumilKTs. do serious damage to the game 

 fish by devouring spawn and fry. It has l>ecn an excce<lingly difTintlt matter to 

 guard wafers so extensive. Imwever. and as a result there is nnich illegal fishing. 

 During i«><ii the authorities sei/rd S03 fyke net-^. 4.^3 trap nets. 4i»> gill nets. ;^i 

 s<piat nets. .»o seines. ^^5 set lines. ~ s|HMrs. i(> eel weirs. S wire nets, .m,! -■<>;- 



