Oneida Lake l-ishcs 4 '5 



The iiijun- done by Eels may be looked upon as one factor in the cost ot 

 production. Smith ('13, p. 1446) says that "It is not destructive to fishes in the 

 way that many of our best game and food fishes are, but it preys extensively <m 

 small fry. The principal damage done by the Kel, however, is to the spawn uf 

 food fishes. This is consumed in great quantities, especially at night. The shad 

 anel herring are among the principal sufferers." They are also ver>- destructive to 

 fish caught in gill nets. .\t New Bedford, Massachusetts, and in XeNV York City 

 the\ have been taken in the city water pipes ( Xye, '83. p. 2-1). 



The dam at Caughdenoy, a jwrt of the Harge Canal system, has no fishway, 

 but the canal prolably furnishes a passageway for some of the young coming up 

 from the sea, via I-ake Ontario. .\ detailed study of the Kel is desirable in order 

 to gain a clearer understanding as to its status in the lake. 



Spcarliiii and Angling. I^te in May Kels are sjK'ared near the shun-, on 

 gravel l)otton)s. Night lines are also very successful in catching Kels. the usual bait 

 being woniis. crawfish, and cut bait from Perch and dca<l minnows. Tiie liiu- is set 

 at the bottom. Several fi.shermen have told of seeing l£els resting on eel grass 

 (I'allisncria). They arc s|)eared among the water plants and are often found in 

 clusters, as many as 6 or 8 in a tangle. 



W. H. Weston an<l J. D. lilack inform us that Eels are often speared on Eel 

 shoals, at the mouth of Chittcnango Creek, where the water is 5 to 10 feet deep. 

 This is done early in July, in the "eel-fly season," when the Mayflies ( Ephemcriila ) 

 float in windrows (see Fig. 2jq). .-\s the Eels congregate among these Mayflies 

 they are S])eare<l during the day or at night with what is called a "top-water sjnrar." 

 This is a long-handled imi>lement al)out i(> feet long with a nail-like sjnar at the 

 t-nd to which are lashed two flexible tines (of ash or tamar.ick-root ) which com- 

 press the Kel and cau.se it to coil around the fork and handle. The Eels f<nmd 

 fl. siting are sjx-ared with this impUment, and the coiled Eel is pulle<l otT in the boat 

 by means of the fc-ct of the ojK-rator. 



Ktiid.nll anil ( loldsliorough ( "oS. j). 37) state tliat in Conni-cticut I.akes. N. H., 

 "Some of them are caught on night lines, others on live Iwit in still fishing, at 

 which time some were hooked when not more than 5 or 10 feet Ik-Iow the surface, 

 although the water was alxiut (10 feet <leep. The Ixittotn here was soft mud. The 

 angler sometimes hiH)ks an Kel which by its vigorous pulling, tugging and shaking 

 causes him to think tliat he has a trout of generous proi>ortions. lUit di>nuy, dis- 

 gusi, and infinite tnmble and slime accompany the advent of the capture into the 

 boat." 



References, .\clams and Flankinson. 'U>; Hart>ch, "03: Bean. '07, '13: Cheney, 

 V/): Cobb, '04: Durand. "ii: l-'igenmann, "oi ; l-jgenmann and Kenneily, *oi : 

 Evermann and Clark. '15. '-jo; Fisher, V>3: Fowler, "06, '08, '13; CMnnie. '84; 

 Grassi. '<;<;: Hofer. "o^); Hovvanl. '14: Jord.in, '8,i, 05: Kend.ill .ind CioId«.l>.>r...i.li 

 '08: I-iRuc. '14; lA'idy. '<M : Kinlon, "oo, 01, '05: M.-icCallum, "05: M" 

 '-7: Meeh.m. '05: Meek. 'M>: N've. "83 ;« )l)erholser. \**; Petersen. '01. "08: \^' 

 '03: .*^chmidt. '_»5; Smith. '13; .^tevenson. '««. '03: .Stiles and Hassall, "oN 

 '10: Tavcmer, '15; Warren. '«>-: Wilson, '02. 



Fundulus diaphanus menona Jordan ami Co|>chnd. H.vrrkd Kiitin-ii. 

 Il\Ki> 111 Mi-i I'..irrr<l Killifish were found numero«is in many parts of <~>neida 



I.;,k,. ul,,,.. •),.■ V, ,1,., >. ,. v.tv J, ,11, .IV .I,,,.- I,, ll„- J„,r.- ri„ » .,,>,I.I 1- „ 



