SPAWNING TROUT 113 



charge of various trout fisheries, asking them to give 

 me their experience as to the period which covers 

 the loss of appetite prior to spawning, the dates on 

 which the trout in their immediate neighbourhood 

 commence and cease to spawn, and the length of the 

 period taken by trout to recover from their spawning 

 operations. 



TIMES OF SPAWNING 



From the information which has been kindly placed 

 at my disposal in answer to these letters, it may be 

 taken as certain that the general limit of the period 

 during which wild and domesticated trout spawn is 

 from October 1 to the end of January, although 

 trout are known to spawn as late as the middle of 

 February. Mr. Walter Bailey, of the Midland Counties 

 Fisheries, Malvern Wells, informs me that he has taken 

 eggs from wild brown trout as late as February 11. 

 The average period during which most trout spawn, 

 however, may be accepted as occurring between 

 October 25 and January 12, the temperature of the 

 weather and the amount of water in the rivers con- 

 siderably affecting even this early or late spawning 

 season. Trout in their natural condition suffer a loss 

 of appetite commencing from eight to three weeks 

 before spawning, this loss of appetite depending to 

 a considerable extent on their condition towards the 

 end of the fishing season. If the trout have ex- 

 perienced a warm summer, with plenty of food in the 



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