Lake Maxinkuckee, Physical and Biological Survey 421 



As to bait and manner of fishing, they take readily to both 

 grasshopper or minnow, and are sometimes taken trolling with the 

 spoon. They are usually caught slowly trolling with a live min- 

 now, the hook being sunk with heavy sinker to a depth of 25 to 

 50 feet. They are regarded as one of the most desirable game- 

 fishes of the lake. Perhaps one feels a greater pride in having 

 landed a good-sized "salmon" than with any other fish, not except- 

 ing even the small-mouth black bass. 



In many respects the Wall-eye is one of the most desirable of the 

 fishes of the lake. The fact that very few are caught as compared 

 with the bass, makes it difficult to compare them with that fish 

 as many who have fished for bass never caught these. They are 

 generally regarded by those who catch them as exceedingly gamy, 

 making a good fight and affording a great deal of sport. As a 

 food fish they are far superior to the bass, approaching their rela- 

 tive, the perch, in this regard, and greatly exceeding it in weight. 

 They are the largest game fishes in the lake. The average weight 

 is 3 to 5 pounds, and they are rarely seen under 1 pound in weight. 

 They have been reported up to 8| pounds and there is an account 

 given by an old resident of the region of one obtained a good many 

 years ago which weighed 11 pounds. 



The Wall-eye does not weigh as heavily for its length as the 

 bass ; one 19^ inches long weighed 3 pounds, another 20 inches long 

 weighed the same, and one 22 inches long weighed 3 pounds 12 

 ounces. We have the lengths of examples 8, 10, 12| up to 19 

 inches, measured but not weighed, and of examples from 2 to 6^ 

 lb. weighed but not measured. 



Dr. G. Brown Goode in his "American Fishes" has the follow- 

 ing interesting remarks concerning the flavor of the pike-perch, 



"Wherever the pike-perch is known it is very highly prized. In 

 the Great Lakes region, S. vitreiim ranks next in value to the 

 white fish and lake trout." 



He further says, "The flesh is hard, white, flaky and easy of 

 digestion, and has a distinctive flavor of its own, which renders 

 it especially available for boiling, though often stuff"ed and baked. 

 Its capabilities are equal to those of fresh-caught cod or turbot." 



Concerning its gaminess and method of capture he says : 



"A correspondent of the American Angler wrote sometime ago 

 to that journal that he had fished the streams and lakes of south- 

 ern Wisconsin for twelve years, and had found no fish which af- 

 forded him better sport than the pike-perch. It will take the fly 

 as readily as the brook trout or the black bass and while it will not 

 fight as long as the bass, it furnishes the fly-fisher with a fair 



