Lake Maxbikuckee, Physical and Biological Survey 389 



Though not one of the greatest of game-fishes, it nevertheless 

 holds a respectable rank in that category. Its manner of taking 

 the hook is full of energy, and the fight which it begins has in it 

 the promise of better things, but it soon wholly or partially sub- 

 sides and does not renew the fight until brought near the surface 

 of the water, w^hen it fights very prettily until landed. 



Using light tackle and casting with the fly, the Rock Bass will 

 afford the angler a great deal of genuine sport. 



It can be taken at any time of day, and there are records of some 

 very good catches made late at night and others early in the 

 morning. 



Although the Rock Bass is pretty generally distributed through- 

 out the lake, it is usually found in greatest numbers about the 

 patches of Potamogeton in 5 to 15 feet of water, and in water some- 

 wiiat more shallow than the bluegill frequents. In our seining 

 operations we usually found young Rock Bass in considerable num- 

 bers. The largest number taken at any one haul was 38. The 

 great majority were young-of-the-year, and were found in greatest 

 numbers in and about the patches of Scirpus and Eleocharis and 

 also among the depauperate Chara and Naias flexilis. Young Rock 

 Bass were also frequently raked up in winter near shore among 

 weeds. 



The Rock Bass in this lake reaches a length of about 12 or 13 

 inches and a weight of a little less than one pound. The great 

 majority of those caught weigh | pound or less; occasionally one 

 of 2 of a pound is taken and still more rarely one weighing 14 

 or 15 ounces. The following are the measures and weights of in- 

 dividuals taken at various times: 11 inches, 13 oz. ; 10 inches, 

 10^ oz. ; 8 in. 6^ oz. ; 8^ in. 8^ oz. ; 9 in. 8f oz. ; 9| in. 9i oz. 



The Rock Bass is a voracious feeder, and may usually be found 

 pretty well gorged with crawfishes, shells, insect larvje, and occa- 

 sionally minnows. Its diet dilTers with age and somewhat with the 

 season. 



Small examples 1.56 to 3.06 inches long raked up with 

 Chara near the Inlet in December, 1904, nearly all contained insect 

 larvae. During the spring of 1901 the chief food of this, as well 

 as of bluegills, was a species of Asellus which was very abundant 

 in the Chara at that time. Beetles, minnows and a few leeches and 

 crawfishes were also found in the stomachs examined then. Most 

 of the large ones examined during the summer of 1906 contained 

 crawfishes. One contained a mad tom, a spine of which had pene- 

 trated the walls of the stomach. 



The Rock Bass is afflicted with parasites, perhaps to a greater 



